Abbott Family Travels

One Last Stroll Today I woke up extra early to squeeze in a few last items on my checklist. I took off on my own to have breakfast at Cafe Phillies in Kensington. I chose this place because of its rave reviews and I was not disappointed! I then meandered around Kensington in the direction of the Natural History Museum. Karen and I originally had planned to meet there, but I did not realize we needed advance tickets! So we parted ways so she could finish her souvenier shopping and I could extend my walk a bit longer before heading to the airport. I found myself exploring the Victoria and Albert Museum and I was entranced by the fashion exhibits! I also got to see the Raphael Cartoons, which were his drafts prior to painting the Sistine Chapel. I am so happy I was able to see these exhibits before heading back home! Back Home I feel so fortunate Karen and I got to experience London together, we made so many wonderf...

Canterbury This morning we took an early train out of London to spend the day in Canterbury and Kent. The weather was blustery and rainy, but we braved the conditions for a 90 minute walking tour around this historic city. Some things I learned from our guide: The high street was built by the Romans and is one of the few things we can see (above ground) of Roman influence. Also, there were originally 8 gates around the city in Roman times, only one gate remains, but it is not original, it was reconstructed in the 1300s. We also found the statue of Chaucer, famous author of the Canterbury Tales. Our guide also shared the history of Christopher Marlowe and how in addition to being an author and playwright, he was also a vocal atheist (not a good thing to be during the Reformation) and was recruited as a spy for the government.  Karen and I needed to warm up, so we found a wonderful spot for afternoon tea at the Abode Hotel on the hig...

Jane's England Today was an extra special day on our trip. It was all about Jane Austen and where she wrote and published her most famous novels! Since this was a day spent in the countryside we hired a professional guide from Totally Tailored and I cannot recommend this company enough. We started the journey in Steventon . This is the birthplace of Jane Austen and where she and her 7 siblings were born to George and Cassandra Austen. George was the rector at the parish, St. Nicholas . There are many markers paying tribute to Jane or her older brother George, but most of the signage is in honor of the Digweeds, who owned the big house across from the church. From Steventon we went to the cottage of Chawton , which was where Jane completed and published her most famous works including Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. This was such a highlight for me personally, it gave me a window into what her daily life was like. Especially when ...

Good Morning Westminster! After a good night's rest, I woke up bright and early and ready to go. I finished listening to my audiobook Icebreaker by Hannah Grace, definitely ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. After breakfast, Karen and I took the Tube over to Westminster to get classic pictures of the palace and tour Westminster Abbey . During our tour of the Abbey I enjoyed spotting some of the more gruesome statues and brushing up on my Tudor history. Both Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I are buried here, alongside various King Henrys and other notable royalty of the age.   Afterwards we took a stroll through the iconic Belgravia . The facades were beautiful and there were so many little pocket parks that added to the ambiance of the area. More Magic! We then had a very busy afternoon at the Palace theater where we got to experience both acts of The Cursed Child . The stage pr...

What time is it? Jet lag hit me hard today! I woke up at 3 and could not go back to sleep. I kept thinking just one more chapter on my Kindle and surely I will be tired…and then I finished the whole book cover to cover! ( The Pass by Rebecca Jenshak ⭐️⭐️⭐️) Despite my sluggishness, Karen helped keep me upbeat and we were able to see and experience some great places today! Off With Your Head! We started today with a visit to the Tower of London . I am pretty sure some of you should be concerned with how excited we both were to learn about the tortures and executions that went on there…it was like stepping into a Philippa Gregory novel! We went up many flight of windy staircases to see some of the most infamous towers home to: Anne Boleyn, Sir Walter Raleigh, and the Two Princes (Richard and Edward) just to name a few! Another highlight, aside from the gorgeous views of Tower Bridge, was seeing the Crown Jewels . We weren't allowed to take pictu...