KelSipe

A city that never sleeps, nor do its occupants that stay on Earl's Court :). Outside our flat it is very noisy all night long. I woke up with my 'cranky pants' on (that's what Reagan calls it) ... migraine, neck-ache, etc. Things started to get better when Dad arrived back from his early morning walk with a selection of French pastries from a bakery down the street. We then hit the ground running and I think we set a record..... seeing the most London sights in the least amount of time. London is huge and has so many areas, each with their own unique flair. We saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the beautiful parks - Hyde Park, Greene Park- theatre district, Regents Ave (so much shopping!!!), the Tower of ... read more

Due to inconsistent internet access, I lost my previous writing :( again! To recap - We spent our last full day in Devon in its capital city of Exeter. Exeter is a great metropolitan area with a beautiful cathedral and large courtyard at its center. There are shops, street musicians and artisans that surround the cathedral area. We had our typical afternoon tea, which we will greatly miss! Not just for the delicious, melt-in-your-mouth scones with clotted cream but also for the pause that it allows for. A pause that requires nothing from its participants except for presence. It allows for conversation and reflection. I did not see people on cell phones or using digital devices. It was good ol' conversation at every table, on every day. After a day of sightseeing, we came back to ... read more

A couple of great days connecting with family, under sunny skies and amidst breathtaking scenery. Each town in Devon, England that we have visited has a prominent veterans or WWII memorial. The effects of the war over here were far-reaching. There are so many individual stories to hear. Yesterday made for an enjoyable 4 hour ferry ride from Poole, UK to Cherbourg, France. The water in the English Channel was glass. Renting a car is less intimidating, as they drive on the 'right' side of the road. On Utah Beach (Normandy) there is a memorial with Grampy's LST listed. That is powerful, and personal. As the week begins drawing to a close, it is getting more difficult for me to recap my day in a blog because there is so much to process and I'm not ... read more

We went to the picturesque seaside town of Dartmouth, where Dartmouth Naval College is. This town is very charming. It was within this port that so many ships sank. There were so many sunken, scattered ships that it was said you could walk across the harbor from one side to the other without touching the water. It makes it hard to imagine considering the breathtaking images (and homes) I saw lining the harbor today. John used up his entire camera battery taking photographs. There were hundreds of worthwhile images to capture! No matter where we are each day, come the afternoon we stop for afternoon tea. John has thoroughly adopted this tradition. He enjoys the full experience, complete with scones, clotted cream and jam. Reagan has been a trooper through her jet lag, no naps and ... read more

I continue to be confused by the amount of daylight we are getting. We feel as if it's only 3:00 in the afternoon because at 9pm it is still bright and sunny out. Hence, Reagan is still awake at 10:30 pm again tonight. Today was a busy day that filled itself with memories. I started the day feeling overwhelmed by all that I wanted to see, do and accomplish and the limited amount of time I have to do it in. So we decided to take a break in our weekly planning and head out on an adventure. Our first stop of the day was to Dartington Hall Estate and Gardens. It is a medieval stone house with a twentieth century garden on a 1,000 acre estate. "In 1925 Americans, Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, bought the ... read more