Wednesday 6/19

   We didn't spend as much time in the actual city of London today, but we did walk through it. First, after a train ride (which wasn't so pleasant since we had to stand for an hour), we made a quick stop at the British Museum. Although there is no way you can even see a small fraction of the museum in an hour and a bit,  we seemed to see at least what we wanted to. The Rosetta Stone was absolutely AMAZING. I was breath taken. But we didn't see the Discus Throw! I was so disappointed. We totally forgot it was even there. We mostly looked at the Roman/Grecian and BC/early AD artwork and relics. But we did briefly stop in one of the Enlightenment rooms where we saw some of the stuff James Cook recorded and brought back from New Zealand!
    Next we headed over to Hampton Court Palace, another place where I got to show the fam some stuff I learned in art history. The train ride was a little warm, but bearable since we were seated comfortably. Once we got to Hampton Court, we toured through the palace (we had to get in through the slaves' entry because of a music festival being set up), which was excellent. The bedrooms were incredible! Henry VIII's wine cellar was pretty crazy, there were probably close to forty barrels that would have been filled with wine back then. The whole place was absolutely jampacked with history. I had a pretty good time showing what I did know about the art [history] presented there where all of the artwork had a relation to Henry VIII. (Collected, of him, etc ). I immensely enjoyed it. I even got to taste some of my first flapjack treat. I was a fan from the first bite.
    After heading back to London via the train, we ate some dinner at Pret a Manger, a "French" (it was like any other cafe) cafe kind of place. Except they charge you to sit at their tables inside the restaurant, so we sat outside. After that we rushed throug the train station to get on the train back to Milton Keynes where we took a cab over to the Cox's home. At home we chatted with Mr. Cox and then hit the hay, once again.

Awesomesauce.

I think these are from Ninevah, although that may have been another room we visited.

That. was. so. cool. But they only guessed that those statues were placed there. 

One of the Enlightenment rooms- SO pretty!

The Thames River. And a little bit of Hampton Court, you can hardly see it.

For our friends, the Nematis. This room was completely decked out in arms. Crazy. There were a few more of those circle designs (they're made with revolvers)

Soooo pretty!

This room echoed our footsteps. I waited for every to go out before I let my family go through with me. Very quietly!

We didn't go into the gardens, unfortunately (they were closed by the time we were ready to go out). But they looked incredible!

Of course. Haylie, with no sense of direction. Gets lost in the maze. Last one out. I was the rotten egg.

There were a few more rows of these! The photo was taken a few barrels into the row as well!

Another one of my huge paintings. I like those the best!

The front. Why Keiren didn't turn it sideways is beyond me.

too cute!

Maia made a friend on the train!

Life would be so dull without Maia.