After a long overnight flight - with crying babies - the Altons rallied and stayed awake all day. We started the afternoon at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exposition, which is the largest open contemporary art exhibition in the world. It is a unique showcase for art of all styles and media and a majority of the works are for sale. Cindy and Tom really had their heart set on a sculpture made out of pink silicone rubber...remarkable, but sadly not for sale. We wandered across the street to Fortnum and Mason, grocery store to the Queen, for a quick snack and then it was off to St. James Palace and Buckingham Palace. We ended the day with a BBQ at home and said good night to everyone pretty early.
On Friday everyone was moving a bit slowly. While I tended to my usual activities, the Altons managed a quick visit to the Tower of London. That afternoon they had a special treat for Jason and Taylor...and I tagged along too. Cindy and Tom arranged a private Harry Potter tour that included all the Harry Potter highlights in London via taxi cab with our own driver/guide named Richard. Richard was very knowledgeable, not only about Harry Potter, but of London in general. He taught "The Knowledge of London" which is a course all black cab drivers must take and pass a pretty rigorous exam before being licensed to drive in London. We have his card for future visitors! That evening, the kids stayed home with Nilda while the grown-ups went out for a lovely dinner at Boxwood Cafe, one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants. It was fabulous!
On Saturday, the Altons were up and out early. They enjoyed a flight on the London Eye, a river cruise on the Thames and a return visit to the Tower. A major highlight of their visit - for me that is - was Saturday night. We had tickets for Bon Jovi at Twickenham Rugby Stadium. It was the perfect summer night and being at JBJ with our dear friends will remain a cherished memory!!
The Altons left today (Sunday) for a quick trip to Paris. Unfortunately, the Mueller Petri Dish took its toll...Kate had a stomach bug when they arrived. Taylor and Cindy were not feeling so proper this morning. The good news is that the bug is very short-lived. We look forward to their return on Tuesday and cannot wait to hear about their Paris adventures.
Have A Nice Day!
~JBJ
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