We boarded a nonstop flight from Seattle to London Heathrow airport at about 9 p.m. We are meeting Michael's aunt Sandy and cousin Jonathan Bluth Saturday at around 3 p.m. London time. They are flying in from L.A. Our flights get in about three minutes apart. This should be a really fun trip with them. We met up with them in customs. We caught the train to Paddington Station then a cab to our Flat. It's an Airbnb. It's very nice and super clean. On the way we saw two groups of kids start a huge fight with each other. Not even a minute later sirens everywhere. Welcome to London!
Paddington Train Station
Catching the train.
Catching a cab.
I wanted to take a picture of this store front because it was so pretty. This guy posed for me it was a crack up!
Our Airbnb three bedroom flat. It was really nice.
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When we got back to the flat we were just having a good time. Jon introduced me to Snap Chat. It cracked me up. This Video is in fast motion so you can't hear Sandy as she leaves the room saying..."You showed that to the right person!" I'm easily amused.
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May 8, 2016 Sunday
Woke up and walked over to the market to stock our kitchen up with breakfast and goodies. We took a cab over to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guards. It was really warm. We got there early and we were right up against the fence. It was the perfect view but when it started people pushed closer and we were shoved close to the fence. Not fun. But we had the best view!
VIDEO: Click on the link below for video then click on back arrow to return to blog. Changing of the guard
VIDEO: Click on the link below for video then click on back arrow to return to blog. Changing of the guard
We got on the hop on hop off bus and rode around. Then we walked all around London. We went into Selfridges. We ate lunch at a sidewalk cafe called "Cafe Concerto" near Piccadilly. We sat and visited for a long time. It was really relaxing! We got back on the Hop on Hop off bus and continued seeing London.
Barrett Street
We ended up in Kensington. It's a really beautiful neighborhood. We ate dinner in a pub called "Hereford Arms." Alfred Hitchcock lived two blocks from there. We took a cab back to our flat.
Fish and Chips
Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding
Sticky Toffee Pudding
May 9, 2016 Monday
We ate breakfast at our flat and then walked over past Parliament and Big Ben along the River Thames to the London Eye. We rode it and it was a great view.
We took a boat ride down the River Thames to the Tower of London. We took a tour with the "Yeoman Warder" or more commonly nicknamed "Beefeaters."
We caught the bus over to Harrods. We shopped for awhile and caught a cab and headed into Leicester Square. We ate dinner before heading back to our flat.
Sandy and I went into an H&M and saw this cute little dog!
May 10, 2016 Tuesday
We ate breakfast then headed into London again. We walked over to the tube to head to St. Paul's. On the subway when it started Sandy lost her balance but was hanging onto the pole. She twirled around and landed flat into this young guys lap!! We laughed so hard the guy was very nice. He laughed and said "oh it happens all the time!" The next point of interest wasn't so funny. We were walking to St. Paul's after the subway and we decided to stop and get some pastries. The lady next to me spilled her huge strawberry shake all down my pant leg and on my coat. It was horrible but we had wipes with us and it cleaned off pretty good. We walked over to St. Paul's Cathedral. It is beautiful!
Someone important the police are escorting through the intersection.
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We took the Hop on Hop off bus to Trafalgar Square. We walked to 10 Downing street and onto Westminster Abby and Parliament. Before we got to Westminster we stopped at the court house right across the street. It was really beautiful inside. We sat in a session of the Supreme Court which was very cool! You aren't allowed to take pictures when court is in session but the room was absolutely beautiful! We walked over to Westminster Abby then went to eat lunch at "Ale and Pie" which was a pub. It was really good. Jon had an appointment at a recording studio so he met up with us after lunch.
Court House
Jon at the recording studio. He met up with us after lunch.
May 11, 2016 Wednesday
We packed up and left our flat to head out on our road trip. Michael went to get a cab since our flat was off the beaten path for cab service. We got bored waiting so I recorded Jon with his English accent. He cracked me up and he'll probably hate me for posting this but I think it's great! ;)
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We caught a cab from our flat in Vauxhall to Paddington Station then we took the Heathrow Express out to Heathrow where we caught a shuttle over to Avis and we picked up our car. From there we drove to Oxford. We walked around town for a bit It is so stunning. We had a sudden downpour of rain. We took shelter in doorways of the college. Sandy and I ended up in a bookstore. I loved Oxford! We ate Thai food inside an indoor market. Michael came back with a super delish raspberry dessert we all shared. We went into St. Mary's Church. Talking about Oxford Jon said..."So this is where all the smart people go." as he proceeded to trip over the marble step in the church! It was so beautiful even though it was pouring rain.
Our rental car for our road trip!
Road Trip!
Oxford
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We walked over to Alice in Wonderland's Candy Shop.
The candy shop is across the street from Christ Church. The shop was frequented in Victorian times by Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, who used to buy sweets in the store. She lived at Christ Church with her father Henry Liddell, who was the Dean of College and Cathedral. Alice's shop is now a gift shop based on Alice. The shop is very characteristic of the dream-like qualities within the Looking -Glass world, in that every time Alice tries to focus on a specific object on its many shelves it changes shape and shifts to another shelf. At another point the shop itself vanishes and Alice finds herself outside with the sheep in a boat, having been given a pair of knitting needles which turn into oars in her hands. The sheep herself continues to make scornful personal remarks and then finally, on appearing back in the shop, sells Alice the egg, which promptly turns into Humpty Dumpty. On leaving the shop at the end of the chapter, Alice says: "Well this is the very queerest shop I ever saw!"
The candy shop is across the street from Christ Church. The shop was frequented in Victorian times by Alice Liddell, the inspiration for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, who used to buy sweets in the store. She lived at Christ Church with her father Henry Liddell, who was the Dean of College and Cathedral. Alice's shop is now a gift shop based on Alice. The shop is very characteristic of the dream-like qualities within the Looking -Glass world, in that every time Alice tries to focus on a specific object on its many shelves it changes shape and shifts to another shelf. At another point the shop itself vanishes and Alice finds herself outside with the sheep in a boat, having been given a pair of knitting needles which turn into oars in her hands. The sheep herself continues to make scornful personal remarks and then finally, on appearing back in the shop, sells Alice the egg, which promptly turns into Humpty Dumpty. On leaving the shop at the end of the chapter, Alice says: "Well this is the very queerest shop I ever saw!"
We continued walking around Oxford. It was so beautiful even though it was raining. We walked around looking for the bus. Then we headed to Blenheim Palace. It just closed as we got there but they let us go on the grounds which was unbelievable. It was beautiful. The Palace was the birth place of Winston Churchill but not his home. We headed back to the hotel and ate dinner at "Harvest" the hotel restaurant.
Waiting for the bus.
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This video somehow the sound didn't work? The car that drove up was asking us if we were enjoying his Palace etc...It was pretty funny. Oh well I just added music.
Sandy and Michael were talking with a man named John so Jon and I decided to be silly waiting for them!
VIDEO: Click on the link below for video then
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May 12, 2016 Thursday
Got up and headed to Warwick. We went to the castle and spent most of the day there. We climbed the towers. Had lunch at a very cute local tea shop called "Wylie's Cafe Tearoom." We went to Stratford-upon-Avon and Ann Hathaway's house. We walked around town for a bit then went on a dinner boat cruise.
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Took this picture and have no idea how we got Jon's twin! 
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St. Mary's Church
Stratford -Upon-Avon and Ann Hathaway's House
Ann Hathaway's Home
Shakespeare's Home
Dinner boat cruise
May 13, 2016 Friday
We ate breakfast at the hotel then headed to the Cotswold's. It is so beautiful we walked all over and shopped in all the cute shops. We stopped to feed the ducks. We ate lunch at a very cute cottage type place called "The Croft." We walked around and went to a few other small towns in the Cotswold's. (Burton-on-the-water and Stow-on-wold.) We drove to Chepstow to our hotel it's so beautiful. Marriott's St. Pierre Hotel and country club.
When we first got to the Cotswold's we watched this little old couple together. It was cute he walked her across the street to get her hair done.
Jon and Sandy loved the thrift stores
Jon was like..."There's something in here! We ran before we saw what it was but we heard it! Ewww
Sandy having the time of her life!
We did so much laughing together it was awesome. I hated to see it end.
Sandy was always wanting ice cream!
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St. Pierre is a former parish southeast of Wales near Chepstow. The Marriott St. Pierre hotel and country club is where a lot of golf tournaments are played.
We visited the abandoned Tintern Abby it is very cool.
Falling into ruins after the dissolution of Monasteries in the 16th century, the remains were celebrated in poetry and often pained by visitors from the 18th century.
We ate dinner across the street from Tintern Abby at "The Anchor" It had a great view of the Abby.
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Another funny Video of Sandy Jon took
Tintern Abby
The whole trip Jon took pictures of me taking pictures so I took one of him!
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A long day for Sandy. Tintern Abby
May 14, 2016 Saturday
We ate breakfast at the hotel and then headed to Pant Glas. There is not really a map and it's not really a town. It's just a place! Michael's grandmother and Sandy's Mother was born there in a little stone house next to a corn mill. There is a canal that runs by where she was baptized. It's always been very hard to find because it's in ruins now and sometimes covered in vines etc. We have directions that were hand written by Mike's father for him. We were so lucky we walked right up to it and didn't have to really hunt for it this time. We spent a lot of time there picking up slat from the roof and other memories. I took a piece of the window frame for Sandy after I took a picture of her in the window.
VIDEO: Click on the link below for video then
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Our Welsh welcoming committee!
VIDEO: Click on the link below for video then click on back arrow to return to blog. Walking down to Pant Glas
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Michael said this may not be Blenheim Palace but it's our family's home. We saw a tree with roots growing all up it, Michael said..."These are our family roots." We loved it!
We stopped into a welsh shop and bought a bunch of Welsh stuff. On our way out we stopped to take a video of all the sheep and their babies. So cute!
We left our mark on the pipe that runs along the whole area.
Sandy's idea to take a picture of the oldest and youngest of grandma and grandpa's grand-kids. I never thought of that very cool!
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We drove over next to Abergabeny where Rita Michael's other Aunt was born. We ate lunch at the Lion Head Pub. We saw the house that his grandparents lived in where Rita was born. (which is now a store called "Home of Elegance".) Grandma and grandpa Barrett worked in the hotel across the street called "The Swan Hotel."
We ate lunch here.
They were really good Welsh Cakes!
The Swan Hotel
Brecon where Michael's dad was born.
Cardiff where Sandy was born.
Cardiff Castle
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Chepstow Castle
Lime Tree Pub where Jon sang. We stopped at this pub for dinner. They had people doing karaoke. Jon sang it was so fun to see him do that! Being from California Jon acquired a lot of singing hopefuls for his help. pretty funny!
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His singing was so much better in person then on a video!
There was a contest. Of course this man won because he was a local there! Jon was cool with that but we liked the picture anyway. He won a box of chocolates. No big loss.
May 15, 2016 Sunday
We went to breakfast and headed to Bath England and Tintagel. On the way we hit a pot hole and got a flat tire. We had to wait for about three hours but we entertained ourselves. I did a photo shoot for Jon and then Sandy and I walked down to the town about a 15 minute walk to get some snacks. Michael was able to find the one tool in the trunk to get the tire on when the repair guy showed up. (Oh by the way there was no spare in the car.) We continued on to Bath. What a beautiful town. I had been there before but not to the Roman Baths. It was very cool. We walked around town and ate at "Brown's Cafe" right across the street from the Cathedral. We also drove by Royal Crescent. We got back on the road and headed to Tintagel. We are staying at the Hotel Camelot.
Our hotel St. Pierre
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Finally after a three hour wait we headed to Bath!
Brown's Cafe
Royal Crescent
Hotel Camelot
We walked around the castle for a bit but it was dark. Back into the castle we sat down in the bar area and got a drink and just relaxed and talked. Ted appeared (He is co-owner of the castle hotel and painted all the paintings in the castle) We told him about the history of Michael's grandparents and he took us downstairs to look at the servant quarters where the servants would have stayed. (Info: Michael's grandparents worked here in the 1930's. His grandfather was a butler and his grandmother was a chamber maid. He proposed to her underneath the ruins of the King Arthur castle below on the beach.) Ted's artist shop is now downstairs. He gave us a tour of the area. We thought it was pretty cool until he put on the sale show for his art!
King Arthur's round table
Bar area where we sat for drinks
Pictures below are downstairs in Ted's work area
When we arrived they gave us a paper that told of the history. this is a part of it.
-From the day of it's opening Camelot castle was one of the most sought after destinations and places to stay in the Victorian and Edwardian world, with stars spending weeks at a time and sometimes bringing their staff. Films such as "Knights of the Round Table" starring Ava Gardner and "Dracula," starring Sir Laurence Olivier and many others were filmed here. Camelot has inspired artists and poets for decades.-
We thought we were getting a special tour but we found out later from others that he did the same with them. It was a cool place but it really creeped us all out. When we first arrived the lady told us..."welcome to Camelot castle" in a Transylvanian accent. When we asked the guy at the bar if they were still serving food he in the same accent said..."Not any more!" It was really creepy. I think everyone was still in character from Dracula! Jon does quite the funny Transylvanian accent.
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The next morning Ted wanted a picture with Michael. He said it would be on his wall where he had himself and famous people who had been there. I think he must of thought we were somebody! We laugh so hard when we talk about the night we spent here! It was very weird. 
May 16, 2016 Monday
In the morning we ate breakfast at the hotel Then we walked
around town and down to the beach and the ruins of the castle, We then headed to Stonehenge. We stopped at a roadside cafe for lunch. It was pretty good!
Merlin's Cave
Checking out and heading to Stonehenge
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Stonehenge had a bomb scare so they closed it for awhile. It was open in about 20 minutes.
May 17, 2016 Tuesday
We got up and had breakfast at the hotel then headed to Windsor. It is Sandy and Jon's last day. We dropped them off at the airport around noon. We ate lunch and drove to Hampton Court. That place is amazing. It's huge and the gardens are beautiful. We ate dinner at KFC because it was easy and close. We got a good night's sleep.
Windsor Castle
We had such a great time with Sandy and Jon. I never laughed so hard. We will miss them so much!!
May 18, 2016 Wednesday
We ate breakfast at the hotel. We turned in our rental car and took the shuttle to the airport. We are heading for Germany for the rest of our trip! We checked into our hotel the Sheraton. We've stayed here a few times before. We really like it and the beds are the best! They are like sleeping in a cloud. So cozy. We went to the spa and resort outside of Munich for the evening. I got a much needed foot massage. It was awesome.
May 19, 2016 Thursday
Headed to Munich to spend the day shopping. It's a little rainy so we thought we'd do Mittenwald and the Gorge tomorrow. The rest of the week is supposed to be really nice. We shopped all day in stores along Marinplatz and the "Viktulienmarkt" in Munich. One of the most famous markets in Europe. We were tired so we went back to the hotel. Tommorrow is a bigger day. We are going back to Mittenwald to see the Gorge. We were there this last Nov/Dec. but it was closed.
School fence. That is so cute!
Munich's Soccer field
Our rental car
So empty looking without the Christmas markets but still beautiful.
VIDEO: Click on the link below for video then
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Beer Garden. Closed because it was raining.
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May 20, 2016 Friday
Road trip today! On our way to Mittenwald and the Gorge today. The water was so green because of the minerals. It was freezing too, straight from the Alps. It was beautiful. We drove to Linderhof Palace. We've been there a couple times but it was in the winter. It was really beautiful and we had it all to ourselves but a lot of it was covered in snow and closed. It is so different in the spring and the grounds are beautiful. The Grotto was open this time too. We drove past Ettal Abby then we went to the spa the rest of the evening.
The Alps
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Linderhof Palace
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May 21, 2016 Saturday
It's 72 degrees and beautiful out! Our last day we will be at the spa and resort all day soaking up the sun! Loved hanging out at the pool with a Pina Colada. Such a relaxing end to a busy vacation.
May 22, 2016 Sunday
It's going to be a long day. We left the hotel at 4:45 a.m. We flew to London Heathrow, went through customs and security. It takes forever. We grabbed something to eat and boarded our plane to Minneapolis. From there we have a three hour flight to Seattle.
We arrived in Minneapolis and Michael found out that our plane was overbooked. (Which the airlines always do.) He volunteered to be bumped. Delta gave us $95 in food vouchers, and put us up in the Crown Plaza Hotel which is very nice. They also gave us $1200 in Delta miles. It was worth it! Besides we were so tired it will be nice to get a good nights sleep. We've done this before three times. The last time it got us tickets to Hawaii.
We ate dinner in a very nice restaurant. We took the train into town to get some things for overnight. I really wanted to go to the Mall of America. I haven't been but Michael has. We were so tired the thought of it was not even appealing. We had a good night's sleep and headed to the airport to catch a flight back to Seattle. I love to fly but I'll be glad to get home!
