Day 1 in London

Our flight to London last night came and went uneventfully, but we arrived in London this morning around 6:30 AM and could not check into our hotel until after noon, which was still early. So we immediately set off to see a few nearby sights, tired though we were.

Walking to nearby Kensington Gardens, I was reminded why I love coming to Europe so much. All the old buildings and statues. The sense of history is just completely different from being in the states where almost everywhere you go, things feel so new.

Almost as soon as we reached Kensington Gardens, we were shown why overnight flights and no immediate hotel room don't mix well for 3 year olds. Finn crashed out on daddy's shoulder on a park bench to try to shed some crankiness.

The rest of the kids and I walked down to the Round Pond to take a peek at the ducks and swans. The kids were really excited to see it since it appears in Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens which we recently read.

Paulie found this amazing tree and spent several minutes hanging out with it, feeling it's knobby truck and fascinating bark.

We then walked by the statue of Queen Victoria in front of Kensington Palace on our way back to check on Paul and Finn.

After Finn woke up, we all headed to the Princess Diana Memorial Playground right near Kensington Palace. What an amazing playground! I loved how everything was made from natural materials and didn't garishly stand out from the surrounding gardens.

The kids had quite a blast but most loved this pirate ship which allowed them to climb to the top of the mast.

Next we walked by the gardens right in front of Kensington Palace, which were beautifully green and full of flowers. Everything was just so lush and gorgeous.

The Orangery next door was a beautiful sight too. The kids were fascinated by the tall, very manicured trees that led path to the Orangery.

After trudging back to our hotel and sleeping away much of the afternoon, we ventured out to Piccadilly Circus for the evening to grab a bite of dinner and allow the kids to do some sightseeing. The statue of Eros was a fun sight for the kids since they recently heard about it in the Bobbsey twins book we read.

Finn took in the sights from a primo spot on daddy's shoulders.

I think that Finn enjoyed riding the Tube as much as anything else we did today. He was all smiles on the way to Piccadilly Circus and back.

Whew! That was quite a first day. I'll keep you updated on what tomorrow brings...