Paddington, Kensington Palace, High Tea
Most of you know that we waited until now to travel internationally with JJ and Ash. We wanted to wait so that it would be a memorable experience for them and enjoyable for us. John and I love to travel and there is such ease when it is just the two of us. We balance each other and play on each other's strengths. We did not know what traveling would be like with our kids. Today, I had an epiphany! John and I needed to change our ways somewhat to adjust to the kids but not really. We just needed to make sure they were well fed and we had several resting stops. But for the most part, we carried on as if it was just the two of us but now it was just the four of us. JJ and Ash ate before we left the house so they would not be starving by the time we got to eat breakfast and allowed John and I to enjoy breakfast without being rushed or any "I'm hungry, when is the food coming." And I carried a granola bar in my purse in case anyone got hungry. We wanted to avoid any "hangry" kiddos.
The subway has become our best friend. The kids get excited every time we are going on the train. As John navigates the London Tube the kids get excited about the adventures of the day. First stop is Paddington Station to get Ash a Paddington Bear. He was so excited that he wants to carry him in his jacket where ever we go. Ash was so pre-occupied all day showing Paddington all the sites. JJ held out for something he really wanted and was not into wanting a Paddington Bear.
JJ was pre-occupied by his curiosity of homeless people and was trying to understand why some people were on the streets asking for money. We tried to explain it as best as we could. Based on his inquisitions, James has become the keeper of our change/pence (British coins) and whenever he wants he can give some change to a homeless person. Don't worry, we warned him that he can not do that in India otherwise there will be a swarm of people begging for money. He seems to understand. We also told him that we will find other ways to help when we are in India. JJ gave some money to a homeless man playing music and he liked his music. He has such a big heart.
Next stop was Kensington Palace, and yes this added to my slight obsession with the Royal family. And yes, I was hoping to see either Kate or Meghan but instead settled for "Princess Diana's fashion story" that ends in February. And it was not settling at all. It was a real tear jerker for John that is...The exhibit was amazing. You really got to see another side of Princess Diana. I felt like I was reading a giant virtual book about Princess Diana and the evolution of how she became a world renowned fashion and style icon.
Lastly, was High Tea and it was lovely and peaceful for all of us. The boys learned to drink tea with their pinkies raised, enjoyed bite size treats, and spearmint tea. It was divine, though I must admit, I am not a fan of the finger sandwiches. They are a bit dull and bland for me. The sweet bread and desserts were of course my favorite. And now for our 2019 Christmas cookie it will be an Elderflower Macaroon. It was our top pick at High Tea. The elderflower macaroon we had was a crunchy cookie shell with a chewy interior and a creamy floral frosting in the middle. Yum!
We ended our day at our Airbnb and made dinner for the boys while we talked to our host and her partner. The boys got to unwind and John and I had stimulating conversations with adults besides each other. It was a win-win all around.
P.S.-Scroll to the bottom of the pictures to see 2 short videos of JJ and Ash and their thoughts about high tea.
The subway has become our best friend. The kids get excited every time we are going on the train. As John navigates the London Tube the kids get excited about the adventures of the day. First stop is Paddington Station to get Ash a Paddington Bear. He was so excited that he wants to carry him in his jacket where ever we go. Ash was so pre-occupied all day showing Paddington all the sites. JJ held out for something he really wanted and was not into wanting a Paddington Bear.
JJ was pre-occupied by his curiosity of homeless people and was trying to understand why some people were on the streets asking for money. We tried to explain it as best as we could. Based on his inquisitions, James has become the keeper of our change/pence (British coins) and whenever he wants he can give some change to a homeless person. Don't worry, we warned him that he can not do that in India otherwise there will be a swarm of people begging for money. He seems to understand. We also told him that we will find other ways to help when we are in India. JJ gave some money to a homeless man playing music and he liked his music. He has such a big heart.
Next stop was Kensington Palace, and yes this added to my slight obsession with the Royal family. And yes, I was hoping to see either Kate or Meghan but instead settled for "Princess Diana's fashion story" that ends in February. And it was not settling at all. It was a real tear jerker for John that is...The exhibit was amazing. You really got to see another side of Princess Diana. I felt like I was reading a giant virtual book about Princess Diana and the evolution of how she became a world renowned fashion and style icon.
Lastly, was High Tea and it was lovely and peaceful for all of us. The boys learned to drink tea with their pinkies raised, enjoyed bite size treats, and spearmint tea. It was divine, though I must admit, I am not a fan of the finger sandwiches. They are a bit dull and bland for me. The sweet bread and desserts were of course my favorite. And now for our 2019 Christmas cookie it will be an Elderflower Macaroon. It was our top pick at High Tea. The elderflower macaroon we had was a crunchy cookie shell with a chewy interior and a creamy floral frosting in the middle. Yum!
We ended our day at our Airbnb and made dinner for the boys while we talked to our host and her partner. The boys got to unwind and John and I had stimulating conversations with adults besides each other. It was a win-win all around.
P.S.-Scroll to the bottom of the pictures to see 2 short videos of JJ and Ash and their thoughts about high tea.
Comments
Post a Comment