UNITED KINGDOM - DAY 1

We braved the metro with our luggage to catch the Eurostar across the English Channel to the United Kingdom. The train trip was great. We zipped across the country side and entered the tunnel that took us under the channel. In no time at all we were out the other side and in England.

After leaving our luggage at the hotel we headed out to explore London. We immediately noticed that all the flags were flying at half mask and wondered who had died. Through thorough and careful police investigation (we asked someone) we discovered that Margaret Thatcher has passed away that morning from a stroke.

Of course Angelique wanted to see Buckingham Palace so we headed in that general direction and off we went. It was a beautiful spring day, if a little windy, as we wandered the streets of London. We came to Trafalgar Square and spotted Big Ben in the distance. After playing with the lion statues and having our pictures taken we continued down the street where we came across the Cavalry Museum. It was photo time again with the cavalry officer on duty and his horse. Very cool.

After that we walked through Green Park. The girls were very excited when we spotted a squirrel foraging for nuts and we watched enchanted as it jumped across the grass on its merry way.

It's been so cold each day and we have all been wearing so many layers of clothing that chafing has become a problem but we are pushing through the pain.

We finally came to Buckingham Palace. We have to say that we were a little disappointed. Not at all palace like. Only two guards on duty and it was locked up tight. We were really feeling the cold by then so we gobbled down a hotdog and hot chocolate before hailing a black cab and heading back to our hotel and the warmth.