Let's Go to Greenwich

We decided it had been awhile since we had been to London so we headed down to visit Greenwich (pronounced gren-ich), home of the Prime Meridian and one of the million places in London we haven't seen yet. We hopped on one of the river cruises next to Tower of London and rode it all the way to Greenwich and learned a lot from the commentary. Did you know that the word "WHARF" means WareHouse At the River Front? Also that the Mayflower boat (that came back from dropping off the pilgrims) was run aground in the River Thames in London and now there is a pub at the sight called the Mayflower. There is also this crazy looking apartment building that looks like its a bunch of little boxes all piled up because the owner wanted to make sure that every apartment had a "river view" there for could charge a higher price...there is a man who knew how to maximize his space for the money.

We had a little picnic on the stairs right next to the dock and let Addison run around a bit before we went on a big walk up to the Royal Observatory. She befriended a little boy and they were telling each other all about the boat rides and showing each other where they were on the map.

Just along the pier was also an International Food Fair/Market which Kevin and I love to look around in. We saw loads of things like a huge circular grill (about 6 feet diameter) cooking foot long brats, German sausage, loads of Indian curries but some of my favorite things are the sweeties. I love meringues and this booth was selling all different types like praline, almond, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and more.

Another thing we often see at English fairs and markets are the roast pork and stuffing sandwiches. They have a spit roasting a whole hog and they cut off the meat and then you get a bun with pork, sage stuffing and applesauce on it to eat.

We also checked out the Greenwich market which seemed a lot like the Covent Garden market with loads of booths selling arts and crafts type things from necklaces to pashminas to paintings/photos to clocks made out of flattened beer bottles to my favorite eye catcher...Japanese rice bowls that had two little holes near the top where your chop sticks slide in and then a rest on the other side for the ends. I so want some of those...my Christmas wish list has started.

After leaving the market, we stumbled across Nauticalia the "First Shop in the World" at 0 degrees 0 minutes and 4 seconds longitude.

Greenwich Park was beautiful and it looked like a nice escape from "the city." We walked up a crazy, wicked steep hill to get to the top where the observatory was but the view back down on the National Maritime Museum was beautiful with London city skyline in the back ground.

Addison and her obsession with telescopes gave us a nice break from out walk up the hill. We never pay to actually let her see something, but she has fun pretending. I thought it was cool to see the 02 Center in the background. This is the closest I had been to it...Kevin didn't seemed to impressed but I think it looks cool.

There are lots of things to see at the observatory. They have a huge 24 hour clockthat is set to Greenwich Mean Time and is accurate to 0.5 seconds and was installed back in 1852 (thats pretty old and it still keeps excellent time). Also below the clock are the Public Standards of Measure blocking out the British yard, one foot, two feet, six inches and three inches. They were first mounted around 1866 and used to measure the accuracy of people's rulers. There is also a benchmark line for surveyors for 152 feet above mean sea level...I'm not sure what the significance of that number but they seem to be all about setting standards at Greenwich.

Also the telescope that was used by William Herschel who first discovered Uranus in 1781.

Here we are standing at the beginning and end of the world as we know it on the Prime Meridian - 0 degrees 0' 0". We are actually facing back towards the observatory which holds the "Transit Circle" telescope (built in 1850) which at the cross hairs of its lens defines Longitude 0 0' 0". Since the 19th century the Prime Meridian has also served as the point of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) which now most places around the world use as the standard for their own local times. It wasn't until 1884 when delegates from around the world came together and chose GMT to be the Prime Meridian that there was any standard on which time was measured and with more and more international travel going on everyone needed to start being more consistent. By 1884 the US was already using GMT as the standard time and 72% of world commerce depended on sea charts that used GMT as the 0 degree longitude.

One thing that we missed because we were doinking around in the market it was the dropping of the time ball. At 13:00 (1PM GMT) there is a big red that raises and drops to signify the time. It is the only time of the day that it does this and was one of the earliest means of public time signaling.

We had to wait in a pretty long queue to stand on the meridian for our picture, but the line more than doubled shortly after we got our pictures taken as you can see behind Kevin. You can see the dome as well on top of the observatory behind Kevin which is what holds the huge telescope. It took astronomers hundreds of years to determine the exact spot for today's Prime Meridian and actually there are two other lines that were discovered previously - one a couple meters away and another about 100 meters away.

We left the observatory and headed down to the Greenwich Park playground which was perfect sized equipment for Addie. She had a blast along with the 100+ other kids who were playing there as well. Harry even had fun, not so much when he had to share with his big sister but they had fun.

Next we snuck off to the National Maritime Museum where we got to see lots of old naval equipment and items. One exhibit that was really cool was all the different types of uniforms used by the Royal Navy throughout time. Addison liked to open and close the doors but I caught her with some of the doors open. As we were ready to head home, we noticed that it was a torrential downpour outside so we had to wander around some more, but final figured it wasn't going to stop so we headed back towards the pier with our big golf umbrella.

We ate supper at a place call the Dicken's Inn which I later found out was quite a posh place to eat back in the St. Katherine's Pier which is known as a ritzy yacht marina. The Dicken's Inn is a former brewery dating back to the 18th century.

You can see all the really nice boats that are back in the tiny marina and as we walked over the little foot bridge that crosses the opening of the pier you wonder how in the heck they get back there...someone has got some mad boat driving skills to do that.

We went to the second floor where they serve pizza. We were pretty adventureous and thought we'd try a pizza that had all the goodies that would go on Crispy Duck Pancakes...well, with the mind set that you are eating a pizza but you think you are also eating crispy duck...the two just didn't mesh in my mind and mouth. I did eat it but it wasn't a combination I thought should got together.

We had a nice, LONG and wet day in London as we didn't end up getting home until about 10:30 that night...we LOVE London!!!!

Dover Castle, Wartime Tunnels, and White Cliffs

This weekend we decided to do an overnight trip down south. We got up bright and early Saturday morning and drove the three hours to Dover. Dover is home to the Dover Castle, the Dover port, and the picturesque White Cliffs. The weather was supposed to be 23 C and sunny, well, in true English form it was flipping cold and windy until about 2:30 in the afternoon. All we had brought with us were clothes for warm weather, but I did happen to throw in the kids' coats and a cardigan for myself. Poor Kevin didn't grab his coat or any long pants or even a long sleeved shirt so he just had to double up on T-shirts.

The first thing we did was tour the Secret Wartime Tunnels of the White Cliffs. Dover has been an important part of British defenses for a very long time. Soon after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conquer erected the first castle. From the early 1700's to 1945 it continued to be updated to keep up with needs during each European war England was involved in. So it is interesting to see the mix of old castle where knights fought against the invading French and also WWI and WWII artillery guns scattered around.

There is a huge maze of tunnels throughout the White Cliffs and you get to tour of the command centre used by Winston Churchill during the Battle of Britain and where almost 700 personelle were stationed during WWII. Also it is most strongly known for the where Vice Admiral Ramsey carried out "Operation Dynamo" where they evacuated British and Allied soldiers from Dunkirk - some 338,000 in May 1940. It is an amazing story of how they got all those soldiers across the channel, and I learned more about WWI than I think I can remember from my high school days. The tour is set up to have you follow along a wounded soldier in 1918 and you get to go through the underground hospital, the kitchen, sleeping quarters, communications centers and more.

Just before going on the tour I saw this old telephone switch box and was playing around with it. It is amazing during the tour to see how all the women were heavily involved with the operations in the tunnel from communications to moving positions on maps in the command centre. Small jobs that probably were very critical during a really trying time.

This is map that one famous veteran brought in that was drawn out when they planned D-Day. It was an estimate of how far in troops were expected to be able to over take France. D was the first day of invasion, D+5 was where they were to be 5 days after the invasion. The plaque below it said that the predictions ended up being pretty darn close.

We weren't supposed to take any pictures inside the tunnels but I was a rebel and wanted one anyway. I did get scolded by one of the staff but this is the command centre where they would get updates on troop and boat positions to plan out British war efforts.

After the tunnels we painstakingly ate our packed lunch out on the grounds of the castle. It's good that there are really tall walls around the castle because it made for good wind protection. Next we headed to the Great Tower which opened up a new exhibition just this August. King Henry II was one of England's most powerful rulers and he was father to Richard "The Lionheart" and Bad King John and had a very strong willed wife, Eleanor (all pre-Robin Hood days I guess).

The Great Tower is all decorated up to show what it may have looked like in medieval times. This is one of the bedroom chambers. They have actors playing different parts and also have video imagery of other characters through out the tower.

Most of the older castles we see are all empty and feel cold with stone, but this was really cool to see "new" things in it to know what it might have really felt like when it is warm and full of tapestries, rugs, and painted woods. The kitchen was really cool. They had fake food set up all over and bit pots and other kitchen tools.

Addison had this huge obsession with finding the "Good Knight" the whole time we were at the castle. She say a man dressed up as a knight when we first got there and we could never find him again, but our quest was to keep looking. It ended up being a great way to keep her moving throughout the castle, and when we found the "knight's" metal netting and saddle she was pretty excited.

There were lots of old canons still positioned all over the grounds. Addison had a lot of fun climbing on all of them and poking her head around them and got really up close and personal with this one.

After a lot of walking around through more tunnels and around the grounds it was about time to stop for an ice cream. The weather was finally warming up and it was turning out to be a wonderful day.

As we walked along the walls we ran into the anti-aircraft guns and I said to Addie, "Look at the guns!" She looked at me and said "Look at these guns" and she kissed her arm. Yes, this is what happens when you let an uncle teach mindless things to his niece (thanks Casey).

After leaving the castle we drove out of town looking for a way to see the White Cliffs. It seemed that the only way we were going to see them is either out on a boat or walking along a public footpath. The kids were wiped out so we didn't attempt the footpath and thought we would get out on a boat next year when we take our Baltic Capitals cruise. We did get some really neat views of the castle because of our driving around.

As we were leaving Dover I decided I needed at least one picture of the Cliffs so I grab a shot out the window as we drove through town.

As we stood on an overlook, we could see down to the port where hundreds of vehicles were loading up to ride the ferry across the channel to places like Belgium and France.

We headed out to our bed and breakfast which was a pretty unique place out in the middle of no where. The Black Horse Inn is the top rated accommodation in Maidstone but it's really located in a tiny little village that you have to drive on a one lane road to get there and beware of large farm equipment along the way. It was an amazing pub that was all decorated inside with dried hops and wheat bunches.

Our room was really cool as well. Addison loved that she got to sleep on the top of a bunk bed. We brought our own pack and play so that Harry had safer sleeping arrangements but it was little difficult trying to get him to fall asleep when we were all in the same room together. We watched the finale of America's Got Talent and Karate Kid. Plus our bathroom was handicap accessible so there was no shower curtain and the shower head was just in the corner of the room...way weird, but it was a pretty neat place.

Happy 30th Kevin!!!

After two big surprise birthday parties we thought we'd tone things down and celebrate Kevin's actual birthday with just us and the kiddos. In the morning we gave Kevin one of his presents, a new Dry-Fit golf shirt thinking he would wear it to work but he wanted to save it for his first golf day.

That night we had a nice supper and we gave him the second part of his present - a brand new Iowa State ball cap that sported the new ISU logo.

Sad part about Kevin's birthday is that we started a new diet just the week before and since he thought that we cheated kind of bad over the weekend, he wouldn't let me make a birthday cake for him. He was bummed out that he didn't get a cake, but he wouldn't let me make one even though I offered several times. The kids and I did end up making a double batch of chocolate chip cookies so that he had something to bring to work the next day.

Happy 30th Sweetie!!!

Mommy's Little Helpers

My kiddos have been quite good helpers for me today. Harrison helped me clean out the cabinet since I seemed to have forgotten to close it all the way.

Addison helped me protect Daddy's TV and electronics from Harrison by barricading it with pillows and her blankie.

Since it was Kevin's birthday, he asked if I could make some chocolate chip cookies for him to bring to work the next day so the kids helped me mix them up. Harrison's new climbing skills have come in handy for popping up on the chair very quickly when we need his help.

Little Mountain Climber

Harrison is quite the little climber. I've caught him climbing up the little kitchen set we have in the toy room but today he thought he would climb up on the kitchen table. I have a feeling I am going to be in a lot of trouble with this little guy.

Kirby Hall

Today we decided to go on a close by adventure so we visited Kirby Hall near Corby (about a 40 minute drive away). It is a very impressive stately home which claims to be one of the greatest Elizabethan and 17th century homes. Most of the mansion is roofless but the Great Hall and state rooms were well intact and decorated to the times. It started to be built by Sir Humphrey Stafford, but later it was purchased by Sir Christopher Hatton, one of Queen Elizabeth's "fine fellows."

Here is Addison in a familiar pose in one of the fireplaces in the former guest suites of the house. As you can see the mantle is still in tact but is very high up. The floor for the second level was just two feet above the top of the mantle.

There were lots of fun holes for Addie to duck in and out of. What really impressed me about this place was the old, old part. The stairwell hand rails were carved into the stone of the wall and you can make out the old stair ways from that. The moss and ferns growing in the hallways gave it a mystical feel.

The inner court yard was amazing. The audio tour said that one important thing to note about the house is that it was very symmetrical looking from the outside and as you looked in the inner court yard but the goings on inside the walls were very different. On the left side of the house was the workers quarters and work places with the kitchen in the far left corner. In the right side were the very fancy parts of the house set up for distinguished guests. There were very ornate stone carvings on the inside and over the door ways. After the house was abandoned in some years time a local farmer and his family were said to have lived in the left section of the house and let their sheep graze in the inner court yard.

A look back through time in this window would have shown you a grand hallway that the lady of the house would have used to entertain guests. Below it was the guest suites where Addison was standing in the fireplace.

As part of the restoration for this site the archeologists decided to leave this room "rough" to show the many layers of timbers, lathe, plaster and stone. Through the years as the house was "remodeled" each layer gets covered up. The doorway actually used to be off to the left in this picture but was moved to make it centered in the room.

The gardens were unlike any other that we had seen. Originally built in the 17th century Christopher Hatton the Fourth wanted to take control of nature and he used wooden slats to enclose patches of grass in a pattern with walk ways through out the pattern. Then he placed urns of plants through out to "contain" them as well. To the commoner's eye I'm sure it doesn't look like much but it is said to be a masterpiece of work.

Addison popped off her shoes for a while and ran about in the wide open grassy areas and I got her to pose for a little picture. In the background you can see the beautiful bay windows of the house which were very "posh" to have in a house during that time. They apparently were very expensive to put in, but allowed amazing views of the area and let in tremendous light.

Of course, what kind of adventure would we have if Addison couldn't play hide and seek around the "castle." She and Kevin always have a blast doing this and I caught them hiding in the kitchen's oven. Above Kevin is one of the first fan's installed during those days in a fireplace like this and he is standing on the place where a very large cauldron would have been sitting. Addie is standing in what could have been a bread oven.

He's Climbing Now...Uh Ohhh!!!

Okay, now I am in trouble. Harrison has found his strength to climb things and has no fear. He even has the "Look-what-I-did-Mom" sinister smile and giggle. Addison used to climb on lots of things but this boy is crazy. He's been climbing up the stairs too. I can't leave him alone for a second!

Big Bites Banana Boy

Harrison has graduated from cut up banana bits to taking the whole thing in his hand. Now with four top teeth, two bottoms and two molars, nothing is too tough to eat for this guy!

Playdough Daddy

Addison loves playing with play dough and today she made her daddy's face. I showed her how to make little balls to smash down for the eyes and nose and she used the knife to make his smile. And then to top it all off to give it the real "Kevin" factor, we used a small cup to make his glasses. She is quite the ar-tist!

Day with the Beales' at Sandringham

Today the kids and I drove up to Hunstanton to visit our lovely friends/neighbors, the Beales' as they were spending a few days at the caravan (that's a like a camper/mobile home). Our plans were to go play on the beach but the weather wasn't working our way. Mike suggested that we visit Sandringham which is an estate of the Queen's and the place where she and family spend every Christmas. The estate is only about 15 minutes from Hunstanton so after the kids had a quick lunch we headed on over. We finished out our lunch in a little play area on the grounds. Addison has so much fun playing with Gemma and Emily (of course) and they both are so wonderful with her and Harrison.

My little Harry is so close to walking. He pulls himself up on everything and after eating a big lunch he still finds his way up to the picnic table to beg for more.

Addison had a crazy obsession with Mike's hat. Every time he has it around she has it in her hands or on her head.

Emily I got the kids up to swing for a bit, but just as we got on these other kids came up and stood right behind us. They obviously saw that we just got on but just stood their looking pathetically put out that we were on the swings so I had to ask Addison to be very gracious and get off the swings.

We then went for a little walk through the woods. The trees on the estate were amazingly huge and magnificent. There is one particularly special because I guess it is a great one for kids and families to sit up on to get their pictures taken on so of course we had to have a little photo session. What a great looking bunch of kiddos!

Addison didn't wear the right shoes for a hike in the woods and somehow convinced Emily to carry her most of the time when she didn't want to ride in the push chair.

Here is the church where the Queen herself goes for mass on Christmas mornings. "Commoners" aren't allowed in the service with her but many people gather outside of the church that morning and bring the Queen flowers.