Year in review - 2009

Bathroom was finished one year ago but has the bedroom been completed? No! Slackers

In April we went to Florida for an airshow and of course, visited Disney.













In mid may my husband went to Glasgow & London on business.













Memorial Day weekend we were again in Florida (Jacksonville) where I papparazzi'd two weddings. Note if you recognize that this is your wedding then email me which picture is from your wedding and I'll gladly send you the photos I took.
















Interestingly both had the same color scheme (note the bow on the bride the bridesmaids had that color dress)...very beachy.













After the jump read more

Arches of Europe

Puerta de Alcala, the Gate of Alchala
Spain












Admirility Arch, London

The London Eye and Leaving London

The London Eye is 135 meters (442 feet) high, contains 32 capsules and carries about 10,000 visitors a day.

A group in the capsule ahead of us were pointing cameras at me and started waving so I waved back while they snapped my picture. They obliged me back and waved while I snapped them. Hi guys!







The views from above were absolutely amazing. I must also note that my camera is fabulous. It might have been a tad heavy carrying around on my neck but the zoom quality was absoultely out of this world.







This picture was taken from the top






















Look down the river from above

Leaving London on the 10:25 Eurotar for Paris.

The Pubs

Drink up and pass the fish & chips

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is a very popular English tourist attraction, specifically the 4th plinth. From 1841 until 1999 there was nothing on the Fourth Plinth in the north-west of Trafalgar Square, and it was sometimes referred to as the 'empty plinth'.

This summer, sculptor Antony Gormley invites you to help create an astonishing living monument. He is asking the people of the UK to occupy the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in London, a space normally reserved for statues of Kings and Generals, in an image of themselves, and a representation of the whole of humanity. Every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days without a break, different people will make the Plinth their own. If you’re selected, you can use your time on the plinth as you like – to demonstrate, to perform, or simply to reflect. One & Other is open to anyone and everyone from any corner of the UK. As long as you’re 16 or over and are living, or staying, in the UK, you can apply to be part of this unforgettable artistic experiment. Participants will be picked at random, chosen from the thousands who will enter, to represent the entire population of the UK. The rules are simple: you must stand on the plinth alone, for the whole hour; you can do whatever you want, provided it’s legal; and you can take anything with you that you can carry.
http://www.london.gov.uk/fourthplinth/plinth/gormley.jsp

We caught the ending of one such "performance"-- a birthday celebration it appeared to be,

and the beginning of another -- a woman taking pictures of people taking pictures of her.

Westminster

The Clock Tower or more famously known as Big Ben

Jewel Tower was built in approximately 1365 to house the treasures of Edward III and its alternative name was the "King's Privy Wardrobe".

Westminster Abbey

The Palace of Westminster

Number 10....Home and offices of the Prime Minister of London

Admirility Arch

In the tenth year of King Edward VII, to Queen Victoria, from most grateful citizens, 1910

Shopping

Harrods Kennsington. Princess Diana frequented Harrods.

They have an amazing display of various food/wine and flowers for sale along with the traditional department store fare of clothing. No this isn't Walmart.










Gorgeous chandeliers















A large bronze statue of Dodi Al-Fayed and Diana and some bird honor the couple.













Mohamed Al Fayed.

And we arrived....

...at our hotel.

Modern beds and furnishings

And a loverly courtyard where we enjoyed a bottle of wine purchased at the grocery across the street

Mind the Gap

Mind the gap? What does that mean. Well first things first. The Delta Gate for flight 001 to London Heathrow









Our flight was delayed due to aircraft problems. Our "replacement" aircraft being readied for boarding.



And finally, boarding the aircraft. Definitely not first class seating. A little cramped feet wise but have experienced worse.

We arrived 6 hours later and it took over 2 hours to get through customs. Seriously! TWO hours!!! This is only part of the line that went down one side of a corridor and up the other only to turn the corner to another long corridor to finally get to a "real" queue to the customs officers. When we arrived they had ONE officer on duty, by the time we got to the customs desks they had at least 8 officers. Wonder if this was an exception or what happens every Sunday morning.






And finally to the subject. A phrase we heard every time we stepped off the Tube....Mind the Gap! I must say London has THE BEST metro system I have been on. They are quick to arrive and the maps are easy to understand and best of all the tube line running from the airport took us directly across the street from our hotel and later directly to the train station for the train to Paris.