During this time, thankfully, Evie was entertained by a little girl in another family who was also trying to get to Newark. It is amazing to me how fast she can make friends with people.
Waiting for our flight to Atlanta, when I finally felt like we might actually make it to Newark
Waiting in Atlanta for our Newark-bound flight
We had been up since 4 am, so she fell asleep on the way to Newark
She is letting her bunny, Strawberry Frosting, choose what to eat for dinner at the Newark airport
Fortunately everything worked out; we made it to Newark in time to get our bags and check them in for our international flight (I had bought the domestic tickets and international tickets separately, so that complicated matters and took more time, but we were okay). We found a diner for dinner (Evie had chocolate chip pancakes that were "delicious!"), and then we were on our way to London. We left Newark at about 9:30 pm, slept as best we could on the flight, and arrived in London at about 9:30 am local time. We went through customs (the man asked where we were going and when I answered Wales, he said, "On purpose?"), got our bags, and took a train to Paddington station where we met up with Ryan, Aimee, Will, and Addie.
From Paddington, we walked to our hotel, checked in and dropped off our bags, and grabbed a couple of Ubers to try to get to our reserved tour of The Globe. We made it in the nick of time and I was thrilled to be on the tour. The kids also enjoyed it, especially because the actors were warming up and their vocal exercises were quite funny if you'd never heard them before.
Globe gift shop
Inside the "Wooden O"
After The Globe we walked to have lunch at an Indian restaurant because England has delicious Indian food that we knew we wouldn't be having while my Dad was in our party.
Waiting for Indian food
Cousins on an international adventure.
Then we went through one of many cathedrals, down to the train, across London Bridge, and took a tour of the Tower of London. The kids were really into the audio tour and they would stand together at the entrance to the next room and count "1, 2, 3, play" to be in sync in listening to the tour.
Posing in front of Tower Bridge, which we could see from the Tower of London
After that, we went to a pub for fish and chips and then back to the hotel for an early night. "Hotel" is a generous term for this accommodation. It was really a hostel, and the kids thought it was super fun. There were 3 bunk beds and we had to make the beds ourselves, and the bathroom was down the hallway. But it was a fine place to catch up on sleep after an overnight flight.
On the train back
Evie fell asleep on the train and Uncle Ryan carried her off.
The next morning, I went to Pancras Station to catch the train to Gatwick to pick up Granna and Grannadaddy. Evie stayed with Ryan and Aimee who went back to Paddington Station and took the train out to where they had parked their car.
Evie learned all her poses from the teenage girls in Tokyo
We rendezvoused at Jane Austen's house and had a nice tour followed by lunch. Aimee reported that Evie was especially impressed by the birds (and she continued to be so impressed throughout the whole trip) and said, "Pigeons are everywhere here. That's, like, the main point here.... to see a pigeon."
Then we went to The Great Hall in Winchester which used to be the capital of England and The Great Hall was the palace. We had an interesting tour and the kids enjoyed playing dress up again (as did Grannadaddy and I).
Sitting on the throne outside of The Great Hall
We then drove to Stanton Drew and got into the Air B&B that would be ours for the week. It was built in the 1600s, but still managed to be very homey and warm, and we enjoyed a meal around the large dining table together.
The kids in their room
The next morning after breakfast we were off to Bath where we toured the Roman baths, the cathedral, and the home of William Herschel who made several literal astronomical discoveries.
Figuring out how to build the baths with time period technology
All the cathedrals had these neat kids activity books
Then we went to Wells for another cathedral and the Bishop's Palace where we saw a swan who was trained to ring a bell for food, a tradition since the 1800s. Evie asked for the stuffed swan in the gift shop and it became a favorite toy.
On the 21st, we journeyed to Wales and saw Cardiff Castle, Caerphilly Castle, St. Fagan's which is sort of a historical walkabout town - they've recreated houses and farms and such as they would have been in different time periods. And we ended the day at Tinturn Abbey.
Cardiff Castle
Welsh dragon antics
From the tower at Cardiff
And from the top of Cardiff
Cousins having fun
Lunch outside Cardiff castle (this was the day I got burned)
Tinturn Abbey ruins
We also drove through a gorgeous open field of sheep. It was the Welsh moment I so wanted. I'm not sure anyone else thought it was so exciting...
The next day we went to Glastonbury to visit the ruins of the cathedral there. Our guide was a little over-zealous in explaining the idea of drawing and quartering the bishop who was presiding there when Henry VIII was reigning, and Evie got a little put off by everything else to do with the tour, but she was having a good time up til that point. Then we drove to Sherborne, saw another cathedral (still intact) and had ice cream. Then off to the coast to see the English Channel.
Glastonbury
Cousins slowed down enough for a sit
English Channel
We ended up going separate ways. My parents and I went to Durdle Door while Ryan, Aimee, and the kids headed home and stopped by a beach on their way.
Evie and Addie on the pebbles
On Sunday, the 23rd, we started with worship at Salisbury Cathedral where we also saw the Magna Carta. Then we went to Stonehenge and another cathedral and tried to call it an early night.
Worship
Evie wrote her first hymn during church. It says
"God O God
Let me grow with my tree
For me and my family
Let nothing hurt me"
Building their own Stonehenge
The 24th we went to Exeter for another cathedral, then Plymouth to see the Mayflower Museum, had a cream tea in Penzance (I was expecting pirates, but there were none), and drove through a moor to get to St. Ives, then back home where we had to pack.
Evie and Granna at some restaurant, but I don't know where...
Hey, there, pilgrim
Sennan Cove on our drive back from Penzance
We left our Air B&B June 25th and walked 2 streets over to see their local stone circle which is in the middle of a cow pasture, or at least the locals let their cows pasture there. Then we were headed back to London for Evie and me to catch our flight back home, with a stop for a last fish and chips meal on the way.
Stone Circle with the local church in the background
Waiting for fish and chips
The cousins allowed themselves to be pulled apart from each other while Evie and I drove with my parents to Heathrow, returned the car, and caught our shuttle to the airport. My parents stayed at the car rental drop off and waited for Ryan to come pick them up in their larger vehicle, and they are staying for 2 more weeks.
Evie and I had an uneventful check in for our flight, stayed awake most of our flight home, got into Newark and through customs only to get lost on the Jersey Turnpike for and extra 30 minutes while I tried to locate a McDonald's since Evie said she was hungry. We finally got to the hotel, checked in, and turned in. We had a lazy morning then checked out of the hotel.
Around 10 am we drove into Manhattan where we met up with Annalisa and had a nice park visit with her. I'm sure Evie will always remember this particular park visit because of the interaction with a particular adult....
There is a sign at the park that says adults are only allowed in to supervise their children and not to use the equipment. She was swinging on one of the 6 swings, earphones plugged in. On a playground. Meant for children (this is important to remember). All the other swings were taken by other children, some of whom were having to take turns in their group on their one swing. Evie wanted a turn and she went and waited patiently for a few minutes behind the swings. No one saw her back there so Annalisa and I stood with her in front of the swings, and we waited silently for a couple of minutes when Evie said, "I guess no one is going to get off." I said, "I'm sure the grown up will get up in a minute," not to or at the woman and I assumed she couldn't hear me because she was listening to her headphones. Apparently she did hear because she then said, "I'm exercising, I'll be done in a minute." I didn't really know how to respond (is swinging really part of someone's exercise routine?), but Annalisa said, "Well, it is a playground. For children."
Woman: My children are over there. And aren't you supposed to teach your child sharing?
Me: Well, she's been waiting here for a swing for 5 minutes and it says on the sign that adults are supposed to be supervising their children, not using the equipment.
Woman: She can wait her turn.
Me: Well that's not exactly sharing, is it?
Woman: You're setting a real great example for your child, great job parenting.
Annalisa: That's real mature...
Woman: I won't be bullied by you.
Me: 😳😳😳🤔🤔🤔🤔🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 (realizing you can't reason with someone who has already let the conversation get to this point without getting off the swing...)
(SILENCE FOR ONE MINUTE AS I STARE AT HER, WATCHING HER "EXERCISE")
Woman: Don't roll your eyes at me.
Me: I'm just watching you swing...
Woman: you're not going to intimidate me. This isn't Mean Girls. We're not in the Mean Moms Club.
Me: 😳😒😒😒😒😒🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨
(SOME OTHER MOM COMES UP AND GETS HER CHILD OFF OF THE SWING NEXT TO THE WOMAN. I GUIDE EVIE TO THE VACANT SWING.)
Woman: See? Patience is a virtue.
(FIVE MINUTES LATER, WOMAN IS DOING HER "COOL DOWN" OR WHATEVER BECAUSE SHE SLOWED HER SWINGING.)
(FIVE YEAR OLD GIRL WALKS UP TO WOMAN)
Girl: Excuse me? I have been waiting for a turn and you can't be on that swing.
Woman: (stares at girl)
Girl: Grown ups aren't allowed on the swings. It says so on the swing.
(WOMAN STANDS UP, READS WRITNG ON SWING THAT SAYS 'THIS EQUIPMENT IS INTENDED FOR CHILDREN ONLY')
(WOMAN SHRUGS AND WALKS AWAY)
After that foolishness, we decided to go have lunch. Then we were headed back to Newark airport, checked in for our flight home, and were so happy to see Seth after 9 days away.
I have been seeing home health patients the last two days so Evie has been stay with my uncle Rickie and is having the best time. She was introduced to the concept of a pillow fight and she declares that she has won them all. She is keeping Grandma Jeanne in stitches too.
Forgot to share this photo from before our trip. E.V. (Evelyn Victoria) with the E.V. (Electric Vehicle) sign.
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