1) London - 7 days
2) Paris - 3 days
3) Edinburgh - 6 days
We landed in London on a Sunday morning. The flight from Atlanta to London was quick and easy but we didn't sleep at all so once we got there the lack of sleep caught up with us and we were beat!
In the taxi ride to the hotel - look at how tired poor Kara looks :-(
Jack looked like a zombie at breakfast! (we took a really long nap shortly after this photo)
Our hotel in London was in a great location, right next to St. James park and St, James tube stop.
Blue puppy approved the St. Ermin's Hotel
Sunday evening we strolled around the streets and did some sight seeing. For our first dinner in London we stopped into a pub and ordered fish & chips.
The red phone booths turned out to be endless entertainment all week
Big Ben!
Walking towards Trafalgar Square
Our hotel was right next to Scotland Yard
Dinner at the pub, we kept singing, "Fish & chips and vinegar...pepper, pepper, pepper, salt!"
Monday Matt headed out to work and we set off on some adventures. First up: Buckingham Palace!
After Buckingham we caught the Hop on/Hop off bus and traveled through the city.
We hopped off at Hyde park, where we relaxed and had some ice cream.
Tuesday we started out with a picnic lunch in St. James park.
(That is Buckingham Palace in the background)
After some playtime in the park we hopped on the tube (free for kids!) and went to the Science Museum (also free for kids!).
Jack on the tube
After a few hours of total fun at the museum we hopped back on the tube and headed to Paddington Station (where we met up with Matt). Of course we had to buy Paddington bears!
Wednesday we headed to London Bridge...
Me and Ainsley on the tube
London Bridge
Part of our tour included walking across this glass floor on the upper part of the bridge
So cool!
In the boiler room learning how the bridge operates
Thursday we went to the Warner Bros. Studio for Harry Potter. What a treat! Definitely a highlight of the trip.
Harry's room under the stairs
The main dining hall (near the Gryffindor table)
The potions classroom
Professor Dumbledor's office
Hagrid's hut
Hogwart's Express
Platform 9 3/4
Inside Hogwart's Express (w/computer animated scenery)
#4 Privet Drive
The Knight Bus
Diagon Alley
Diagon Alley
The full model of Hogwarts
On Friday we took the channel tunnel train and headed to Paris for the weekend! The train ride from London to Paris was super easy and a mere 2 1/2 hours. And so cool.
Oh, Paris! You are so beautiful!
Saturday we did a bus tour and also did a lot of walking around the city. It was a great day and we were all worn out by the end of the day!
Kara always makes time to find gems along the way (pet lady bug)
Our favorite thing to eat throughout the two weeks in Europe was a fresh baguette!
Notre Dame
This sums up how we felt by the end of the day
Gelato!
Our view while we sat and ate gelato
Friday night we met friends at their flat in Paris and had dinner with them. Below is a view from their front window.
Sunday was a travel day -- we took the metro train from the hotel to the airport, the channel tunnel train back to London, switched stations and took a train from London to Scotland (four hours from London to Scotland). There was drama getting on the train out of Paris - someone left a piece of luggage and they had to evacuate the Customs area. It took about 30 minutes. We were corralled into a waiting area, which would have seemed like no big deal, but the whole ordeal was taking place in French so we had no idea of what was going on!
Train station in Paris (I took this right before we were evacuated)
Boarding the train in London, headed to Scotland
Shenanigans on the train!
We made it to Scotland Sunday evening. We lucked out and there was an incredible park and playground just a few steps from our hotel. The first evening was sunny and warm... and that was the last time we saw the sun or used the word "warm" for the rest of the week.
Kara at the park on the first night
Monday we had a picnic in the park and took the day easy.
Jack and his baguette!
Walking to dinner in Edinburgh Monday night
Tuesday we went to a super cool museum called Camera Obscura. So much fun!
We also did a bit of walking around and checked out the city.
Lunch and hot chocolate at a cafe
That is Edinburgh castle in the background
Old tombs and graves
Each night the kids wrote in their journals about our daily activities.
Wednesday we ventured to the Craigmillar Castle. It was far enough that we had to take a taxi (four miles) but worth it. We were the only ones there and the kids had complete run of the entire castle. We spent hours running around and playing games.
Thursday we braved the crowds and went to Edinburgh Castle. It is an amazing site, but also full of tourists and very crowded. We still managed to have fun!
The canons were the kids favorite part of this castle
The one o'clock canon is fired every day at 1pm (originally to inform the ships at sea of the time)
View from the top of Edinburgh Castle
Jack lost a tooth and received a 1 pound coin from the tooth fairy!
For our journey home we had to take a train back to London and stay one night before flying back to Atlanta. There was a lot of beautiful countryside to view out the train windows...
...but of course the only thing our crew saw was electronic screens. Sigh.
Our last night in London we stayed at a hotel in Paddington Station. We got to eat some of our favorite foods at the pub and enjoy our favorite train station.
The airplane ride back to Atlanta was a snap and Virgin Atlantic won our praises!
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