A light rain was falling this morning as we left our hotel. With our umbrellas in hand, we headed out to explore the city with hopes it would soon turn sunny.

A sleek modern tram took us to our first stop, The History and Deportation Center.  The museum focuses on the resistance of Nazi occupation and the deportation of Jewish residents to concentration camps. Lyon was bombed on May 26, 1944. Over time, stories from personal experience are no longer passed down to the younger generation in families.  The collection of artifacts and audio visual recordings of people who lived through the war, many as children, were made so we can see their faces and hear their stories.

Artifacts included propaganda posters representing solidarity, hard work, and family, photographs, journals, stamps, and personal possessions. 

In the basement of the museum it was pitch black. As our eyes adjusted I noticed a display in a concrete bin along the wall. Was it a bin of coal or representative of the Holocaust, I wondered. As my eyes adjusted to the light I saw it was a model diorama of Lyon during the war when all the houses were in blackout mode. Continuing on we came to photographs, passports, and stories of the Jewish residents deported to Germany. A massive memory book contained all of their names. The tour ended with a powerful and moving video of Liberation Day and the happiness people felt, but the struggles they faced moving on.

We took the metro to the Museum of Fine Arts. It is housed in an old Abbey which was a very prestigious place for nuns during the 17th and 18th centuries. I was amazed by their collection: statues by Rodin, a wall from ancient Egypt given to one of the archaeologists from Lyon who found it, Egyptian shabtis, mummies, ancient pottery, and paintings by Pissarro and Monet, Degas, and Renoir as well as numerous other masters.

Back in town we went inside some of the shops. The weather turned warmer and the children were back playing in the misters down by the footbridge.

Tonight we took a one hour Lyon City Boat Tour. Lyon is beautifully illuminated at night. Down at the confluence of the Rhone and the Saone rivers, it has been completely revitalized with striking modern architecture. Euronews, for example, had a beautiful glass building with a green pattern on it that appeared to have two holes cut through it. A gorgeous new shopping complex looked almost space age and was lit with purple and blue lights. We will miss this vibrant city. Tomorrow we head to Lake Como in Italy.

Returning our rental car in Lyon this morning was quite a challenge. So many of the city streets were blocked for road repairs that our car’s GPS sent us in circles. Thank goodness for our mobile phone. We were able to call Enterprise and get directions to the 6th floor of a parking garage. This garage like all garages here required skill to maneuver around tightest corners. “You live in a place with wide open spaces,” said  Chris, the owner of our accommodation in Sarlat. ” If you had learned to drive here, you would find it easy to squeeze a car into the tightest of spaces.”

The metro system here in Lyon is very modern and from the metro we boarded an old world funicular to the top of the town. The Basilica Norte Dame is very ornate with mosaic tiled floors in a floral pattern and enormous mosaics on the wall showing bible stories and stories from French history. The stained glass windows in the front all have the most beautiful shade of blue like the sky on a clear blue day or water in the Caribbean. I cannot define this color, but have seen it everywhere in France this trip. I am hoping to find a simple bracelet or necklace to remind me how pretty it is here. 

Feeling hungry we hiked down the steep hill into the old town on what seemed like a thousand steps. People hiking up stopped every few steps for gulps of water out of bottles they carried. I did not envy them. It seemed like climbing Mt. Washington yet children dashed up the steps as if it was nothing.

The old town is so pretty. It was once financed by the silk industry in the 16-19th century. We followed an organ grinder down the street and were treated to a taste of life here long ago. 

Taking the funicular back up the steep hill, we visited the Roman Theaters and Gallo Roman Museum. Lyon was first settled in 43 CE. The museum features prehistoric and Roman artifacts all found in the area. At Thoreau we tell the fourth graders how many archaeological discoveries today are made by accident. Between 2002-2004 while excavating the land for an underground parking garage by the river they found statues, the remains of boats, and even part of a brass horse statue. 

Outside the museum are the remains of two Roman amphitheaters which once held 10,000 people. Today you can explore them and even attend concerts there.

Heading back into the old town there was almost a party atmosphere. People were trying limoncello in a small shop and children dashed through water misters that seemed to magically appear out of the sidewalk.

 It’s been a great day. The Fitbit reads 8 miles today.  I think it’s time to head off to bed.

After a very pleasant breakfast this morning at our accommodation Les Cordeliers in Sarlat, I took my unlocked mobile phone to Orange, a major carrier in France. For $39 they set my phone up with 10 GB of data and I can use the phone in Italy too. No one spoke English there so the salesman set up a conversation for us on Google translate. The funny part is the keyboard is not QWERTY so finding the keys was a challenge. I remember this from my days here about 10 years ago when internet cafes were everywhere and were the only way to get online.

The roadside stops on the motorways in France are really nice and in my opinion way better than what we have in Massachusetts. They have grocery stores selling salads and sandwiches, a take out with baguette sandwiches, and even a place with a little buffet featuring hot meals and chocolate mousse. The coffee vending machines grind the coffee so that each cup is freshly brewed. Outside are picnic areas and well maintained playgrounds for kids.

The drive to Lyon was about four hours. As we approached the city the road began to rise in elevation.  These are the foothills of the Alps.

 The roads are in excellent condition, but the tolls cost us $34. Our hotel, Hotel Des Celestines  is right in the city center. 

We used Google maps on the phone to guide us to the bistro where we had dinner. There are two major rivers in Lyon and we crossed over a pedestrian bridge to get to the old historic town. As we crossed the bridge, a sightseeing boat sailed by and we could see people dining inside. 

It is so pleasant to sit outside at a cafe on a warm summer’s evening and just people watch.  One woman walked by pushing a small stroller but instead of a baby inside, it was a small white dog. Everyone smiled at the sight.  Other people walked by window shopping and we noticed some really pretty things for sale. In one window was a display of beautiful leather loafer style shoes all in beautiful colors. Another display had music boxes with retro designs.  The city is known for marionettes and we saw them for sale in several shops.

Lyon is beautifully illuminated in the evening,  At the top of the hill overlooking the city, the Norte Dame Basilica was one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen at night. We sat on some steps with other tourists to just admire it.

Back at the plaza across from our hotel, the fountain was all lit up even though it was close to midnight.  We are anxious to explore the city and learn more about this amazing place tomorrow.

When we’re on holiday one thing I really enjoy is watching a town wake up. This morning in Sarlat all the shops and cafes were busy preparing their establishments for the day. Tables and chairs were placed strategically in shady spots and decorated with wildflowers and colorful napkins displayed in crystal clear glasses. Pastel colored awnings were unrolled and pottery, soaps, and fancy jars of foie gras were placed on colorful wooden ladders decorated with geese.

On our way to Grotte du Peche Merle, we drove through the rural French countryside with small honey colored sandstone houses with pastel wooden shutters closed to keep out the summer sun. As the road wound up into the hilly farmland with huge bales of rolled hay, I began to feel drowsy and drifted off to sleep. “Whoa!” said David as the car rolled to a stop. My eyes popped open like shutters on a camera to reveal a beautiful field of sunflowers in full bloom. We took a moment to appreciate their beauty and drove on. 

Grotte de Peche Merle is an authentic cave with prehistoric cave paintings. Our English speaking guide started the tour much the same way as Lascaux. “Let me say a few words. The artists who created the paintings 30,000 years ago were like us. They were settlers. They were intelligent like us and were not hairy as the movies portray them. Most importantly they did not live in caves.”  What is different is the aanimals who lived here such as the saber toothed tiger and woolly mammoth. 

Inside the cave was massive. In the first cavern was something quite peculiar. It was the root of a 300 year old tree protruding through the roof and extending to the floor, As we walked along through both wide and narrow passageways our guide pointed out the artwork. There were horses, bears, bison, and mammoths. In one cavern were perfectly preserved footprints from 30,000 years ago. Unfortunately we weren’t able to take photos. 

On the walls of another cavern were horses and what looked like perfectly stenciled handprints. Art historians say the artist chewed charcoal and spit it out at their hand. Our guide who is an artist tried it and said it was an interesting technique but quite unpleasant.

We wondered how the cave was discovered and learned that in the 1920s, some teenagers found the small entrance hole. They stole some candles from the church and came back in the dark of night. They discovered the paintings and the cave opened to visitors in the 1930s. 

This year the French government asked for studies to be done on the effects of visitors. It’s the big conservation question, our guide said. It’s an interesting dilemma. There is something special about being in the presence of 30,000′ year old cave paintings. Is it better to keep an authentic cave open so people can enjoy it, or close it like Lascaux and replicate it? As we left the cave, our guide said she sensed we had all been touched by what we had seen and we all truly were.

This week we thought we had seen the most scenic villages in the area, but there was one more: St. Cirq Lapopie. The approach to the village is stunning. Stone houses are built on different levels along a cliff all perched high above a meandering river. We parked at the highest point and walked down. People were looking in quaint locally owned shops, lining up for ice cream, or simply enjoying the view. A popular activity seemed to be dressing up for old fashioned photos and the line led right out the door.

All too soon it was time to head back to Sarlat. Our car’s GPS has taken us down some very rural but scenic roads. On some of them we saw no people for miles. 

 Dinner tonight was in an outside cafe on the medieval square with a talented street performer behind us. Artists have their stands set up and we met a very nice artist named Celine who was selling the sweetest posters and cards (Facebook Mam Zelle Rouge). We have had a memorable time here in Sarlat. Tomorrow we head to Lyon.

Yesterday here in the Dordogne region of France, we spent the day exploring its storybook villages and chateaus. Today we went on a journey to visit the region’s prehistoric past.

Our first stop was the Musee National of Prehistoire. There was a festive atmosphere when we arrived in Les Eyzies with people on old fashion tractors throwing confetti. We took a left at a sign pointing to the museum and immediately realized we had made a mistake. We had driven into the middle of a craft fair with tents set up on either side and it was a lovely one too. We were so close to the booths I could see what they were selling. One booth had small stuffed animals made from pretty French fabrics, another had jewelry and there we were stuck in the middle of it with people pushing baby strollers in front of us oblivious to the fact a car was behind them. Thankfully we found a way out.

The museum was excellent and had a complete skeleton of a boy who lived in Kenya over 1000,000 years ago. There was also a plaster cast of a hippo unearthed in Poland.  A surprising number of huge animals lived in Europe long ago when the climate was different.

The highlight of our day was Lascaux. In 1940, some teenage boys were walking their dog when they discovered an opening to a cave. Thinking there might be some treasure they had heard was hidden somewhere in the valley, they returned the next day. They didn’t find treasure, but did discover an amazing array of prehistoric cave paintings of animals on the walls. They reported their discovery and scientists did carbon testing and found the paintings to be over 25,000 years old.  For years visitors from all over the world came to visit the cave, but sadly it was closed in the 1960s because mold was forming over the paintings as a result of all the visitors.

Over the years since the cave closed, Lascaux has had several replica caves, but we were really lucky. This year they opened an exact replica of the cave only 500 meters from the original one. We took an English tour and were told right off, “There is no such thing as cavemen. These people who lived 25,000 years ago had the same intelligence as us. Only their technology was different.” 

Our tour began with a video showing how the geography of the land has changed over 25,000 years as well as the animals living there. Suddenly we heard barking and the teenage boys appeared on screen following their dog into the woods. “Let’s follow them,” said our guide and he led us right into the cave. The paintings were amazing, but many have symbols that are still a mystery.  We saw magnificent bulls, cows, and deer all in earth tone colors of reds, browns, yellows, and black.

Once we exited the caves, we were led to a room where you could interact with the reproductions of the paintings by using a tablet they provided. Next we headed in to see a new 3D movie about Lascaux. We were given 3D glasses and sat on plush comfortable sofa like seats. The video was way too long. It was 20 minutes of reflective questions narrated in almost a poetic style. “Who painted these animals? Was it a collective effort? What is their significance? What connection has your soul made to them?” 

At the end of the film as the lights came on there was some snickering. A young man was completely crashed out in the front row sound asleep. 

Roque Saint Christophe was a town built right into the ledges of a high cliff back in the Middle Ages to escape the invasion of the Vikings. No stone dwellings remain, but information boards at each of over 20 points along the ledge walk told the story of life long ago.

The view from the ledges into the countryside was picture perfect. This was such a peaceful place in the early evening. A nest of baby birds chirped from their rocky ledge, children swam in the lazy river below the cliff, cows grazed in the meadow below, sunflowers waved in the gentle breeze, and cicadas sang joyfully.

Tonight back in town, people are just strolling about, watching entertainers, or stopping for an ice cream. It has been a great day and we are thrilled we will be spending another full day here tomorrow.

The minute we pulled off the motorway yesterday from our drive here from Bordeaux we entered a different world: picturesque villages with stone houses surrounded by rising cliffs. In some places, the houses became part of the cliffs. This is the Dordogne region of France. It’s a world of storybook villages and prehistoric caves and we couldn’t wait to explore it.

 The sun was shining brightly this morning as we set off for the village of Domm through the countryside. Up a winding hill we drove as two cyclists pedaled on with fierce determination in front of us. The view from the overlook at the top was stunning. A winding lazy river wove through the valley below with hundreds of canoes drifting by. The small shops sold linens, pottery, and wooden toys. In one shop with fragrant soaps and scented oils, we noticed something else. Fidget spinners have made their way over here too. At the edge of the cliff were two restaurants with outside tables overlooking the valley and river. One was expensive with tablecloths and fresh flowers. The menu featured roast duck. Just across from it was another simpler restaurant serving fresh garden salads. “They both have the exact same view,” said the friendly owner at our hotel and we thought the food at the less expensive one was delicious. Dogs are welcome at all of these restaurants and bowls of fresh water are thoughtfully placed for these canine guests. Last night in the square in Sarlat, we saw two small dogs pulled right up to the table in chairs. La Roque Gageac is built right into the edge of the cliff. Here people climbed the small cobblestone lanes that wound up the cliff behind the main road and watched the canoes float leisurely by. I noticed a sign that I thought said iced coffee with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The young girl at the counter asked me something in French and I took a risk shaking my head yes. I heard a machine whir and thought maybe I was getting a shake. Instead I was handed a cold cup of coffee in a paper cup.  This was such a pretty village though. The film Chocolate was filmed there with Johnny Depp. 

Chateau de Beynac is a storybook castle perched high on a cliff. To get to it in the summer heat was a steady hike straight up a cobblestone lane past stone houses with sky blue shutters and flower baskets in full bloom. People pulled off to rest in the shade, but once at the top the view was breathtaking. In every direction was a chateau surrounded by green trees, fields of corn, and farmland. From the highest point we could see the river for miles and it was as if an army of canoes had started a parade. It looked like a wonderful way to spend a summer afternoon.

 

Inside the castle, it was a cool respite from the summer heat. There were decorative iron swords on display, but not much else. People mostly came for the views.

 

Dinner tonight was at Pizza Romane in Sarlat. Dining outside in their courtyard was very nice on a warm night and our mushroom pizza was served with a fresh salad on top.

 

Tonight the town is full of people on holiday. They line the stone streets to watch street performers in the cobblestone squares and dine at candlelit tables outside cafes. 

If you come to France, don’t just stop with Paris or Provence. Come to this storybook fairytale region and you too will fall in love with this area.  You will know you have arrived in the countryside on a hot summer’s night when you hear the cicadas sing.

Flying from one country to another on cut rate airlines such as easyjet and Ryan Air can cost as little as $25. The only thing you must be mindful of is where the airports associated with each major city are actually located. 

“Are you aware that London Stansted is actually 90 minutes out of central London?” said our cab driver when we arrived.

Sheepishly we shook our heads no. It was the one detail we had overlooked. Hearing a story about how one customer’s taxi fair was over $150 was discouraging too, but fortunately our journey to the airport was no problem at all.  We took the Underground to an express train to the airport and although the total time was 90 minutes, it only cost $30 and was very easy. We would use this airport again.

Our flight to Bordeaux, France on Ryan Air had incredible views of the English and French countryside. Flying over the English Channel it was so clear we could see container ships and wind turbines off the coast.  The only downside was the couple behind me had a toddler who stood only inches away from me and shrieked in my right ear for 90 minutes. No one is a winner in this situation. The mother was mortified.

In Bordeaux we picked up our rental car. It’s a Toyota Yaris which is a hybrid. The built in GPS displayed the map for two minutes and then went blank. We could not figure out how to get it to reappear and the directions were in French. We could hear the English audio though so without a map we trusted it on a 2.5 hour journey through the Dordogne region of France to our hotel in Sarlat and miraculously it took us right to the front door.  My mobile phone is unlocked so tomorrow I am going to buy a local sims card for it so we can also use it for a GPS. 

We arrived in Sarlat around 7:00 and it is a beautiful small town with all stone houses. Our hotel was recommended by Karen Pettyjohn, our librarian, who stayed here last year in the same room.

We ate dinner at an outside cafe in a pedestrian only area with a street performer behind us juggling to the delight of a huge crowd. We will explore more tomorrow, but for now enjoy some evening photos of this wonderful place.

After hearing about David’s visit to the Victoria & Albert Museum yesterday, we decided to head back there to finish the tour he started. There’s an entrance to the museum right off the tunnel of the Underground and the contrast is staggering. You step from a bland white busy tunnel that smells of tar into a world of elegance. David showed me all the highlights from yesterday and they were exquisite. 

My favorite room was the Cast Room. During the 1800s people wanted to see magnificent statues but most could not afford a trip to Rome or Florence. As a result, these plaster cast reproductions were created.
Lunch today was just down the street from the British Museum. The Museum Tavern was an atmospheric pub with an old world style. We met a couple from Florida who was going on a cruise. They are the first Americans we have met in nine days.

This was our second trip to the British Museum. Highlights for me included the statue of Ramseses II as well as all of the mummies. The caskets were so well preserved that a tourist asked David if they were all reproductions. She was astounded to learn they were all authentic.

I always enjoy seeing shabtis who were servants for the afterlife. The museum was so crowded we had to dodge people to see the other side of the display cases.

The British Museum has an amazing collection of marble statues that once adorned the top of the Parthenon. I often wrestle with the idea that these artifacts really belong back in Greece, but at the time they were taken, it was an opportunity to protect them.

By 7:00 pm we both had museum feet, but we persevered and went to the National Gallery. It had an incredible collection of paintings from all of the masters including Renoir, Van Gogh, da Vinci, and Monet. While studying the paintings I heard some classical music outside one of the galleries. Everyone gathered around wondering what it was about. It turns out it was a 45 minute tour where the guide had put music to each of the masterpieces as a way to help people relate better to the art through music.

We ended the day with a pizza dinner back by our hotel. It has been an amazing day. Tomorrow we fly to France.

When I was a child, my sister Susan worked in New York City. When I visited her, one of my favorite places to go was the Museum of Natural History. I remember looking at all the animals displayed in their natural habitat and enjoying it, even if the backgrounds were just painted. Since learning of the Natural History Museum here in London, I have always wanted to visit it, but this morning we were confronted with an interesting dilemma. I wanted to visit the Natural History Museum and David wanted to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum. They are both wonderful so since we didn’t have time for both, we went our separate ways and agreed to meet right before lunch.

Walking inside the NHM ( Natural History Museum) the first thing I noticed was a magnificent blue whale suspended from the ceiling. It is a new exhibit which I had heard about, but nothing could prepare me for its massive size. It dwarfed every other dolphin and whale species hanging beside it including the gigantic skeleton of a prehistoric sea creature.  In one display case were narwhal tusks. I could not believe how long they were.

The Natural History Museum is housed in a beautiful old building. In one of the older sections with gleaming wood and old mosaic tile floors was an exhibit about art in nature. As a fourth grade team, we feel along with our science specialist that hand made drawings in science or nature journals are best. 

“Until one has drawn, it is impossible to understand,” (Arthur Harry Church- scientist and botanist (1865-1937). 

This quote was displayed next to some sample nature journal drawings. Sketching at the museum was encouraged and they even had a display of visitor’s drawings changed daily.

Next I headed upstairs to the dinosaur exhibit. A sign at the top of the steps said, “This way if you don’t want to escape from T Rex.” I heard some growls and followed the crowd into a small room where a mighty anamatronic lifesize T Rex was roaring at the crowd.  In another room were two small anamatronic dinosaurs squawking. They were cute, but in real life if you saw them, you would run for your life.

At the gift shop they had a lot of dodo bird items. I read an interesting article in the New Yorker several years ago so returned to the galleries to find it. Following a map, I was rewarded with two full size dodo birds. I was really struck by the size and shape of their beaks. There are very few places in the world where they have been preserved so this was amazing.

After meeting up with David, we shared our experiences. David said the VA (Victoria and Albert Museum) was beautiful with art at every turn. There were many highlights. One was a magnificent chandelier that greeted you upon entry. It was truly unique. 

Another highlight was the Becket Casketn with relics of the 12th century saint, Thomas Becket, and statues by Rodin.

A third highlight was Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook from 1490. The museum had photographed every page so you could scroll through it digitally.

In the Cast Room were plaster casts of Renaissance statues such as Michelangelo’s David. There was also a replica of the Baptistery Doors in Florence.  All in all it was an elegant and wonderful museum.

From the museums we took the Underground to Covent Gardens to visit Courtauld Gallery. Outside were amusing street performers.

The museum was started by a group of people who put their valuable collections together and is named after Samuel Courtlaud who donated his collection of paintings which included Van Gogh and Manet. We followed our Rick Steves’ guide to see the highlights. The Courtauld is especially strong on the Impressionists including Monet, Renoir, Gaugin, Degas, and Van Gogh. For many visitors of the museum the highlight is Van Gogh’s self portrait after he had mutilated himself in Arles a year before he took his own life. 





Outside in the courtyard was a fountain that became very playful once every hour. People took turns running gleefully through it while their friends snapped photos.

Feeling ready for some “retail therapy” as they say here, we took the Underground to Piccadilly Circus. 


Gone are the old neon lights it is famous for. Instead we saw giant poster style ads covering buildings. Our first stop was Fortnum & Mason which was established in 1707. It is a beautiful old world store with gleaming wood and polished brass. They are famous for the elaborate teas they serve, but we could only afford a small box of candy and a box of chocolate biscuits. This store was featured in Howard’s End, a movie with a setting in the early 1900s which I have always enjoyed. Outside the shop is a commemorative clock that honors the two founders of Fortnum & Mason. The characters bow to each other once every hour.

Just next door is my favorite store of all, Cath Kidston. Those of you who know me, know this store is like a pilgrimage for me. If you loved Laura Ashley, you would be in heaven in this shop. It smells of fresh roses and is always updating itself with new wonderful floral or animal patterns. I always have to circle the store several times before deciding what to buy I love it so much. 

Checking our watch, we noticed it was 5:00 pm. My feeling that I had museum feet was confirmed on my Fitbit which registered 7 miles. Since we do have a daily budget and had gone shopping, dinner was a grocery store picnic back at the hotel which can be a lot of fun. We purchased our dinner at Waitrose. We love visiting the grocery stores in other countries. Some supermarkets here sell everything from food to clothes and even small stoves, washing machines, and dryers.

Tonight we took the Underground to Trafalgar Square. 

The city was alive with people heading toward pubs, the theater, concerts, or just strolling around, Walking past The National Portrait Gallery at 8:30, we noticed it was still open. Inside was a festive atmosphere so we joined in and toured several of the portrait galleries. There was an enormous hologram portrait of Queen Elizabeth. She had her eyes closed and I didn’t really care for the depiction of her, but as art it was amazing. There were portraits of countless figures in British history from the height of the empire to present day. Some noted individuals include Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Judi Dench, and  Jeremy Irons.

We ended the evening at Trafalgar Square just enjoying the view. I checked my Fitbit and found we walked a total of 9.5 miles today.  We are tired, but it has truly been a culturally rewarding and fun day.

This morning on our drive to the train station in York, the rolling Yorkshire moors seemed almost dark purple. Looking closer, I noticed they are covered with thousands of plum colored wildflowers. 

We learned last year that booking a 2-3 hour train to London at the last minute can cost a fortune ($400 in coach for two).  By booking a Virgin train in advance, we were able to get two first class tickets in a quiet coach for a total of $75. Our tickets even included table service with a hot meal. “Mind the gap between the train and the platform,” said the train manager at every stop. 

When we arrived at King’s Cross it was raining. We took a taxi across London to our hotel with the most interesting taxi driver. He was a retired private detective who had worked in London. As part of his job he even visited the Oval Office and had a private tour of the West Wing when Clinton was president.

We are staying in the South Kensington section of London. We booked a basic double at our hotel, NH Collection Kensington, and they upgraded us to a suite with two levels connected with a spiral staircase. The neighborhood is beautiful with embassies and white washed houses. Dinner was at Wagamama. It specializes in pan-Asian cuisine. We have eaten at their restaurants in other places in the U.K. and at the one at the Prudential Center in Boston. I love their Asian noodle and rice dishes. We made friends with the waiter who was from Italy and used to live in Milan. He told us stories about himself and drew illustrations to go with them. Most of the time we had no idea what he said, but it was a nice cultural connection.

After dinner we walked around Kensington Palace. Kensington Palace was the home of the Royal Family before Buckingham Palace became the official residence. Queen Victoria was born and raised there, Diana lived there before and after her divorce, and most recently, Kate and William lived there. Prince Harry lives in a cottage behind the palace. Not far from the Palace is an enormous gold statue of Prince Albert. It’s located behind the Royal Albert Hall. It’s over 175 feet tall and was opened in 1872 by Queen Victoria. 

Back at the hotel tonight, we are just enjoying the ambience of the hotel and look forward to visiting some museums tomorrow.