Spring break

An airline in the US has a policy of allowing twelve-year-olds travel on their own. This sounded good to A. so the day after his birthday he went to Cleveland to visit my parents. While he was there he met a kid who was also visiting grandparents, who lived only a few blocks from A.'s. The two of them had fun together at a neighbor's pool, going to a baseball game, and hanging out.

This week we had a reunion in London, staying with the family in North London home, which was pretty generous since I had never met any of them!

We had a beautiful view as we travelled to their house, but the real highlight was picking up the free evening newspaper, which was in English!

St. Jame's Park, across from the museum and close to 10 Downing Street.

We had no problem filling our time and even though I have been there several times we visited places I had never been, including the Churchill War Rooms. Visiting a place where history took place is a great way to learn.

standing at 00°00'

We also went to Greenwich and visited the Royal Observatory, which did a great job telling the story of longitude. I found it fascinating because I love the history of time and the logistics of coordinating the whole world.

The boys surprised me by deciding to have Ethiopian food for lunch. Did you know the traditional injera bread, made with teff flour, is gluten-free and kosher for Passover?

 

Talking a boat back to London may not have been as fast as the Underground, but was significantly more entertaining, especially since there was a tall ship festival in Greenwich.

Taking a Harry Potter walking tour and seeing The Lewis Chessmen in the
British Museum (a prop in the first Harry Potter movie) were on our agenda.

We also visited platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross, which is where Harry Potter caught the train to his boarding school. What was originally just a cute prop is now an industry, with enormous crowds waiting to get their picture taken. One person manages the line, one person arranges the photo, and another takes the picture. Afterward you directed into the store (so you don't have to stand in line to get into the store!) in order to buy your picture. The postcards were affordable.

Friday was a bank holiday so some places had long lines and other had no lines because they were closed. I had never heard of the Wellcome Collection, but it was open, had no line, and was free. Mr. Wellcome made money creating pills and exact dosages. He used his money to collect the widest variety of curiosities (tattooed skin, birthing forceps, a guillotine blade), which the curators have done an admirable job of figuring out how to display. The reading room on the top floor was filled with books I hadn't even known I wanted to read. It was hard to leave!

Arsenal is the only Underground stop not named after a place, although it used to be.

Before heading home we toured Emirates Stadium where Arsenal Football Club plays. I knew nothing about it so I learned a lot! Having visited the Madrid stadium last month it was hard not to compare the two, but touring it with A.'s friend, who goes to games there, gave us a different perspective.

We bought our last bit of Cadbury candy and English newspapers ("How much is a subscription to a London newspaper?" A. wanted to know after reading the morning paper's description of last night's football match) and look forward to returning one day!