Day #8 - Another Crazy Day in London

It's getting harder and harder to get up in the morning, with nights getting later and later!  This morning we tried really hard to get out the door by 10, but it was more like 10:30 when we finally got going.  We headed straight down Brompton Road to catch the double decker tour bus  (since our tickets were good until 4pm today)  We caught the museum tour which took us up to the British Museum.

The Rosetta Stone!

Since most museums in London have free admission, it was easy to pop in and see the Rosetta Stone and Greek Parthenon.  Of course, it is tourist season, so it was crazy crowded in front of the Rosetta Stone.  We were able to see both the stone and what the English still have of the Parthenon (the Greeks would like it back...the English have said no.)

After grabbing sandwiches from a shop and waiting for our double decker bus, we were back on our way towards Trafalgar Square.  These busses are very slow going (as they should be...after all, it is a sightseeing bus!), so actually using them to get around isn't very practical.  We got off the museum bus at Trafalgar Square and got lost looking for a different loop bus to get us to the London Eye.  After a bit of wandering and looking confused, we found the right bus and was well on our way.

Again, since it's tourist season, the lines are long at all the most popular tourist attractions.  The London Eye was no different.  It took us over an hour between getting there, picking up our tickets, watching a 4D "London Eye Experience" 5 minute movie, and then standing in the queue.  I must say, however, that the views were worth it.  It takes 30 minutes to go all the way around once, and you really can see a lot!

We made it back down successfully, and headed back over to the sightseeing bus.  There was still the east London loop to do (which included the Tower of London and Shakespeare's Globe Theater), and we REALLY wanted to do it, but our tickets ended at 4, and it was 3:30!  We waited quite awhile, too, for a bus.  They finally showed up and we began the tour.  It ended up taking us two hours to finish the tour.  So for the last 1.5 hours, we felt like renegades on an expired ticket.  It would have been fine, but Peter really needed to go to the bathroom.  We knew that if we got off to take him, we wouldn't be allowed back on!  I must say he was quite a trooper.  He held it until we made it back around near Steve's office, and then bolted for his office, all the while I'm texting him saying "Look out!  Here we come!  Keep the doors open!!"  What a good little boy...he made it!

After all the excitement, Steve headed out to dinner with co-workers, and the kids and I stopped by a Pizza Express and ordered takeaway pizza.  Since it was going to be 30 minutes, we went on home, and got the boys settled, then Em and I headed back out for a little window shopping on our way back to the pizza place.  We picked up the pizza and headed back home.  It was so good!  Much more like traditional Italian pizza than American pizza.

As soon as everyone was settled, I hopped on the Tube and met up with Steve and his co-workers.  We had a fun evening visiting and exchanging stories, and the kids were thrilled to be taking it easy at the flat.  Steve and I took the Tube home, and after a bit of a mixup as to which way was home after getting off the Tube, we finally made it back to the flat.  Another late night for me.  Glad it wasn't so late for the kids.

Tomorrow's our last day, so we'll have to make it a good one!