Day Three :)

Eeellloooooo All! :)

I must say - it might have only been three days - but we are all developing a lovely accent....even without meaning to :) its quite a laugh...

Well - today was a LONG day - but so fun! we got a really early start...but as you can imagine...there were a few hiccups :) #1. SOMEONE forgot the map #2. NOONE knew exactly where we were supposed to get picked up (except it was a holiday inn) and #3. every one was alittle tired ...as you can imagine it didnt go over very well...we were under the impression that we needed to be at the holiday inn at 7:20am - so at 7:15 when we couldnt find it things got a little hairy! (especially since this was the biggest day in London that was planned and the tour had already been paid for) ...so Nate and I decided to practice our communication skills since we have totally decided that we would be super on the Amazing Race :)

We asked a local - who had no clue what we were asking or where we were trying to go...so we just picked a direction and started running ... (please - remind me if we make it to the Amazing Race - to wear tennis shoes not flip flops) ....anyway we saw one in the distance and got there right at 7:20 only to be told the tour we asked about didnt get picked up until 7:45...nice...

THEN we realize that Papa Cass had found another Holiday in on the other side of the street and down a side street.....who said THEY had a tour that left at 7:45....hmm...well OUR tour left from the hotel that he had found - (I guess Nate and I would have been up a creek on A/R)...

Then since we had 10 minutes by the time we got there...Nate and I went in search of fast breakfast...and again...we are sprinting down the streets of a foreign city....looking like crazies...all in the name of food :) go figure...we picked up several muffins and danishes and a combo of diet coke, waters, and OJ....

Finally on our way - we had an hours drive to the first stop ... WINDSOR CASTLE...home to the queen.....it was HUGE and probably one of the most amazing things I have seen so far...we only got to go in one wing...the one that is made into a replica of the live in wing of the king and queen....we toured the state rooms....the most GORGEOUS arcitecture and chandeliers adn furniture you will ever see...

Then we went to the queens doll house... it was a COMPLETE doll house formed like the castle....all the way down to the silverwear on the dining room table....there were also porcelin dolls with clothes that were representative of the clothing the royals wear depending on what time it was (day dress, garden party dress, evening dress, tea dress ect...)

I so wish we could have taken pictures of these things...but we were ony aloud to take pictures of the outside of the castle... by the way.. PICTURES ARE UP!!

Well, we had an hours drive in between the castle and STONEHENGE... stop #2 for the day...this was something that you have seen pictures of in history books...but to see it in person was incredible! totally awesome to think that people made something like that out of rocks that weight thousands and thousands of pounds without any type of heavy machinery. (In case you didnt know - it measure time and days and months and the year change by the sun and moon...and where it was shining on the rocks)....

FYI: you may notice that in the pictures of these places we saw today we were holding things to our ears that look slightly like walkie talkies or phones...they are mobile tour guides that allow you to hear the history at your own pace...when you get to a corrosponding number at any one of the sights you are viewing...you press the number on your translator and it tells you the story in whatever language you want...

Anyway...we had another hour in between stonehenge and the ROMAN BATHS...which for Nate and I meant the third nap of the morning...which is good because I am starting to get sick...mainly I think from the drastic weather change and our shower is slightly moldier than I am comfortable with...anyway...we are thankful that tomorrow we are heading to Paris and hopefully a slightly nicer hotel....we aren't crossing our fingers though....

ANWAY - Roman Baths...its just like out of the Bible times...where the Romans went to bathe...and gather for social hours...as well as conduct business ... it was incredible to see the spring that the entire bath and each adjoining room was filled from...also the fact that the original for so so so long ago is still standing is pretty amazing itself...
the pictures of everything we saw today do not do anything justice....it was breathtaking...

Anyway..I guess I will close this blog with a funny story... amanda and I got the short in of the stick on hotel rooms...NOTHING works...when we asked for a fan the other night...the man from the front desk said he would bring one up...and show us how to use the iron while he was there....well, he brought the fan...but couldnt get it to work...he couldnt get our TV to turn on...and decided it was the plugs...so...after much embarrassment on his part...especially when he couldnt figure out how to work the iron....he said..I will go get a new fan...and read the manual on the iron so that I can show you how it works...NOW...keep in mind...they are totally ok with B.O. over here..in fact...most of them don't wear deoderant and its considered manly if you smell...well he was VERY manly... I sprayed 8 or 9 sprays of perfume..and we still couldnt get his scent to leave...so we were frantically trying to get the fan to work on our own so that he didnt ahve to come back....we called Nate and he came over and hit power....boom...the fan is on...nice.... anyway...we called the man back to tell him not to come back..we would just use the boy's iron....and his responce was....do you want to change rooms? nothing in your room works.....haha...nice...thank you captain obvious.

Anyway - please pray that I dont get sick...but that maybe I am just stuffy and having a sore throat because of the conditions we are staying in right now...and that it will get better tomorrow! :)

We leave for Paris at 10am tomorrow...and should be there by early afternoon..hopefully we will be there in time to go and see the eiffle tower at night when it is all lit up ...this is what I have been looking forward to the most our of the whole trip!

So - maybe we will have FREE internet in France..and I will update as soon as possible...Nate is uploading pictures right now..only a few from each day because it takes so long...but it will give you a taste of what we are seeing...and there will be EASILY over a thousand pictures for you to see when we get home!

Hope all is well wherever you are... LOVE you all.

Ps. Mom- check your email :)