London Day Trip

A day off of school and work??!  You know what that means...

Day Trip!!!!

Our family took advantage of the Columbus Day holiday and took a sweet day trip to London last week.  We had checked the weather forecast, and it looked like it was going to be a gorgeous day, one of the last of the season, so we pulled a quick travel plan together and headed out.

We parked our car on the outskirts of the London area, and hopped on the tube to central London.

We changed lines, and eventually got to Westminster Station.  When we exited the station, we walked right out to this sight:

Just magnificent!

Abby thought this group of schoolgirls was a cute sight in their hats.  And Logan just about did a happy dance when Big Ben chimed for us as we stood there getting our bearings.

As we crossed over the Thames it was Adam's turn for the happy dance when we came across this talented bagpiper playing for the passing crowds.

The weather was beautiful, and we soaked up the sun while we waited for Dad to come with lunch.

Dallin found a string of puddles, and was quite content to splash away.

After lunch, we walked back across the bridge, and over to nearby Westminster Abbey.  It was an amazing experience, and we were thankful for the very helpful audio tours offered.  Everyone grabbed a headset and took off to tour the building.  Unfortunately, no photography is allowed indoors, so these outdoor shots will have to do.

Love the flying buttresses!

After leaving the Abbey, we made our way back to the Thames.  As we did, we passed the Supreme Court building, which interestingly, had this statue of Abraham Lincoln out front.

We took everyone on a boat tour of the Thames--and it didn't get nearly rough enough for Abby to be making that face!  It was nice to get off our feet for a bit and see the sights along the river.

We got off the boat at the Tower Bridge pier, and took a few minutes to enjoy the sunshine outside.  We walked around the Tower of London and then across the bridge itself.

It was a great day, and we really enjoyed getting out and soaking up the sun while we could.  We were all a bit on the tired side the next day, but I was so glad we spent so much of that day outside, as it was gray and rainy for the rest of the week!