Since my last post…
Sunday- We went to our local cafe for one last breakfast this time a little french. Quiche Lorraine, Cappuccino and Croissant. Very good and a much needed break from the English breakfast. The french bakeries are EVERYWHERE and in my opinion, just as good, the people that run them, at least the ones we went too were, well, FRENCH! I mean it’s right over the channel people! So after our yummy, buttery fatness, we hoped the tube to Victoria and took our Train to Rye. It was a beautiful 1 hour ride through the countryside and just sprinkled with fluffy white sheep. They were so cute!
When we arrived at Rye, we just laughed. It was straight out of a book. The tiny rail station, with no one there to greet you and an outside platform. We drug our luggage through town and headed towards the windmill. They we were greeted by Gill (pronounced Jill) and she showed us to our quaint room!
We then ventured out to town and just walked the tiny streets and dark hidden stairways until we reached the top of the hill and found the church and the UBER creepy graveyard. I don’t like graveyards, but this one they had the crypts just on top of the ground, shaped like caskets. I don’t do that. The other creepy thing (besides the fact that the town is haunted by the ghost of the mayor, who was killed by the butcher (whose bones are displayed in the town hall) is another thing) is that there is a nuclear plant just over the marsh powered by those huge Wind Mills, the new kind. I had no idea how giant those were and eerily quiet. I don’t like them at all. Mulder and Scully were close by, I’m sure of it.
After our walk, we headed to the Ship Inn, where Fish and Chips were no where on the menu. It was gourmet and Fru Fru. Didn’t match the ambiance at all. But it was good. Then we headed off to bed.
Monday-After ANOTHER breakfast of eggs, toast, sausage,ham and beans (this one at least came with all local ingredients) we browsed the shops of Rye. Some of the neatest and nicest shops we had seen yet. I found a GORGEOUS purse line called RADLEY, that I really wanted, but I opted for just a wallet. Someday. Upon talking to the Shop Keep (I’m British now people) we mentioned that town was much…um…fancier on the inside than it looked on the outside. She told us that there was a lot of money in the town. And Sir Paul McCartney actually lives 5 minutes away. He comes in regularly I guess. He moved back out there after his ugly divorce. So after a jaunt and a good pizza (don’t ask, we were craving) we went back and took a 3 hour nap. Much needed. Then as we played scrabble in the common room, Brian (Gill’s husband) recommended we take the windy walk up to Ypers (pro. Wipers) Inn and have their fish and chips. It was a long, cold and drizzly walk, but getting there was worth it. A typical old inn, with a fire roaring and HUGE fish and chips, so good!
Tuesday-Woke up and…just toast for me. I can’t look at another egg. Took the 10:50 back to London. Our hotel was a little hard to find and dragging our luggage all over Westminster was…well, it could have been raining. Honestly, I wish we never would have found it! The Cherry Court Hotel. Lovely people and it was clean…but the room…oh dear…panic attack central. David could not stay in there, so out we went. Lunch…hmm, we haven’t tried a Pasty yet…yeah, not so good. A little heavy and well…not so good. Off to Harrods! Well, it is indescribable and wonderful. I wish I could have bought the children’s floor, but I could barely touch the stuff. Most doesn’t have price tags on it. That should tell you enough. Off to Notting Hill to visit the best store of all Daylesford Organic. I could live there. The most holistic experience and just wonderful. I found my Tomato Vine Candles and would have loved to have stayed for hours. Not this time.
We walk down Portobello again, much more enjoyable today than Saturday. We step in Hummingbird Bakery and yes, I am home. Cupcakes, Pink and Brown, Birds! Yes please. A Black Bottom for David and A double Chocolate for me! Mmmmm. This is it!
But, we are beat! Do we see a show, go to the cinema (not for $20 each!) we head back to Westminster and grab some Thai at Noodle Noodle, it was good. Then we go to Tesco, buy Quantum of a Solace, back to the…shiver…hotel. Watch the movie leaning on our suitcases, because there is no where to lean against and then try to sleep. It rained that night. The first time.
Wednesday-Up at 7, we head to Paddington and grab a Croissant and Cap. I can’t even finish mine, I am done with the wonderful frothy goodness they make over there. I don’t think I can ever go to Starbucks again. Board our train to Heathrow and just make it onto our flight! 8 hours. ……….Did I mention it was 8 hours?!
JET LAG! We get into Chicago, feeling horrible, we have a 3 hour layover. We hit Chili’s for chips and salsa…nothing. It does nothing for me. We find our gate. David is about to keel over. I get on line and find there is a massage place in another terminal. I grab him up and drag him over, we have 30 minutes, lets go. We get there, pay WAY too much for 15 minutes and walk away feeling like it was worth every penny. Revitalized, ready for our 1 hour 15 minute trek to GSP!
So now we are home and the jet lag may just be wearing off. Kids are great, memories are starting to crystalize and stories are being told.
Thanks for reading!
