Last day in London

We were all pretty tired from the trek to Legoland yesterday, so we took it easy today, staying in our area of London, Brentford. We visited a few playgrounds in the area, and went to the grocery store to stock up on snacks for tomorrow's flight.

We went to a fancier pub for lunch, and ate on the patio right on the river. There was a wedding happening inside, with a bunch of kids running around like crazy, so ours weren't the only ones. 

Penny was in her happy place here, eating ice cream while wearing her new rainbow raincoat (purchased because I left her old one on the bus).

In the afternoon, we went to the London Museum of Water and Steam, which is right next to our flat. It was a lot better than we expected, and great for the kids. We stayed right until close, and definitely could have spent more time there.

There were indoor interactive areas, and a big outdoor water play area for the kids.

The museum is on the site of a former steam-powered water pumping plant. Our apartment is built in a former reservoir that fed into the pump.

Tomorrow, we fly back to Canada. Oscar will have to spend the 2£ he got from the tooth fairy before we catch our flight!

Legoland

For a break from the museums and historic sites, we took a bus and train out to Windsor to visit Legoland.

Historic sites weren't completely avoided, as our bus stop was right beside Windsor castle.

An entire "Miniature World" of replicas of London and other landmarks from around the world made out of Lego.

Almost all of the theme park decorations were also made of Lego, including this croc with room for 3.

We split up for most of the day, as Penny wasn't tall enough to ride most of the rides. Luckily, Jasper and Ellis were tall enough to go on their own, and Pat could go with Oscar.

They had several bigger versions of rides from storybook park, and lots of unique ones. We didn't see half of the park in one day, even though we were there from open to close.

It was a fun and exhausting day!

Transportation Museum

Our primary activity today was going to the Transportation Museum.  It contained a brief history of transportation in the city of London over the last 250 years or so.  There were lots of things for the kids to touch and climb on, and an appropriate level of information to keep the mild transportation enthusiast interested.  The kids also got little passports to stamp at various spots that kept them motivated to move, top level museum.  

1950s era double decker bus

Penny got to drive the bus around the city

Making some repairs to the ferry boat...with a saw?

Penny took the kids for a ride in her taxi

Oscar mastering the train simulator

We had a picnic lunch at the museum but didn't pack quite enough food, so we headed straight to the pub to get a bit more to eat and drink!  It was amazing of course.

You can find me in the pub...

Then we tricked the kids in to doing some sight seeing down town by taking the scenic route between 3 playgrounds.  The sights that we saw couldn't have been all that great, since we did not bother to take any photos, but we definitely saw some sights.

Pedestrian bridge with good sight lines

Sharing the workout space with a local tweaker following his personal trainers instructions to the letter

We took a train and double decker bus home from there, had a kickaround in the courtyard of the apartment while Kristin made supper, then ate went to sleep.  

Penny standing on the train in her new rainbow coloured rain coat

 

Kew Gardens and London Sights

This morning we walked over to Kew Gardens, just a few minutes from our rental, with a pit stop at a neighbourhood park.

We visited the treetop walkway, the pagoda and several of the massive greenhouses.

The children's garden was a favourite. We've now been to two of the nicest playgrounds we've ever been to in the last two days.

After lunch back at our flat, we had planned to go to the Museum of Water and Steam that is right beside us, but unfortunately it is closed Tuesdays. Instead, we hopped on the train for a walk around the major London sights.

We managed to walk from Waterloo station to Buckingham palace then Leicester square without losing any children.

I think I also convinced the kids that the London eye is not worth the crowds and cost. They were unimpressed with how slow it goes. I think they thought it would be more like an amusement park ride than sightseeing ride. Oscar said "the monkey machine at Storybook park goes way faster!"

We had fun watching the ducks and found another great playground at St James Park. They are getting ready for the London Marathon this weekend, so there are some extra barricades and stands going up.

We grabbed dinner at another 'Spoons pub. Can't beat the prices and quick service. The kids meals are a hit too.

Back on the tube and another double decker bus ride home.

This kid loves his transit. I think the London Transportation Museum will be a big hit. I hope they can answer some of his many many questions about the trains and busses. 

Natural History Museum and Diana Memorial Garden

We made our first foray in to the London tube system to get to the Natural History Museum, where we met up with Hannah and her family, an old swimming team mate of Kristin's who now lives in London.  Between the 6 young children, it was difficult to keep everyone engaged and moving at the same pace, but we managed to make it lunch time without anyone completely losing it.

Exterior of the museum (it was huge)

 

Entering the museum on an escalator through the center of the earth

Kids cooperating to spin the weather simulator

Dinosaurs was the only section that seemed to interest all of the kids

After the museum we ate lunch together, then the Beatons ventured up towards the Diana Memorial Playground in Hyde Park.  It was a longish walk, but the park was to notch for the kids to play at.  We pretty much let the kids run wild until it was time to go home for supper.

Sunning themselves like reptiles on the way to the park

A small part of the park that was pirate themed

On the way home the kids finally got to experience their first double decker bus ride.  They sprinted straight for the top and eventually worked their way to the front row seats.  Big highlight for the kids.

First time at the top of a double decker bus

Penny made a silly face.  Photo credit: Ellis

The view from the front, with one random stranger

Travel day to London

Today we said goodbye to Chester and journeyed south to London. 

The first leg of the trip was a 2h train ride to Birmingham. We snagged a table spot, so the kids could play cards (plus have plenty of screen time).

We had a few hours to kill after the train, so we went on a tour of the Birmingham back-to-backs, a historic site set up to show how working class people lived in Birmingham. It was a bit over the kids heads, especially the tour guide's slang.

We grabbed lunch at another 'Spoons pub, just across the street. Penny enjoyed her noodles. I enjoyed the free refills on coffee.

The next leg of the trip was a coach bus from Birmingham to North Acton in London. The train service was disrupted today for Easter, so we opted for this route instead. The bus was completely full, with Penny and I sitting right at the back beside the toilet. She napped most of the ride.

The last leg of our trip was a city bus to our flat near Kew Bridge. Unfortunately, the bus that picked us up was not a double decker bus, which disappointed the kids. I'm sure we'll have many more chances to ride one this week! 

Tomorrow we head to central London to meet Hannah and family at the Natural History Museum. 

 

Flint Town Football Club

Back to Wales again today for what every real Great Britainite does on a Saturday, watch some top quality football!  Since the nearby English Premier League matches at Everton and Manchester United were completely impossible to secure tickets to, we settled for the top flight Wales soccer league Cymru Premier where Flint Town United were hosting a match only 15 minutes away by train. Tickets were only 8£ for grown ups, kids were free, and pints in the trailer that was set up for the supporters club were only 3£ a piece (for reference, the warm can of lager that Pat had to choke down on the train ride there was 4£).  The home side came out with a resounding 4-0 result in front of an announced crowd of 355 brave souls, in terms of value the day couldn't possibly be beat. 

Pre-game SPAM snack that the kids ate a surprising amount of

Historic Cae-y-Castell Stadium

Having a little kickaround during half time

After the game ended, we went back to Chester and met Hailey for supper at "The Spoons", a British chain of pubs that offer cheap, fast food with a distinct Cien Montaditos vibe to it.  It was busy even at 4:30 in the afternoon, but we managed to elbow our way in to a booth that could fit us all and had a great meal.  Today is also Jasper's 10th birthday, with Hailey's 24th birthday falling tomorrow, so we had some cake afterwards to celebrate their big days.

Penny decided to wear the menu as a hat

10 years old, what a beauty!

Hailey showed us her student flat

A home made soccer ball shaped birthday cake from Tesco

Tomorrow we say "so long suckers" to Chester and make our way towards foggy London town.