Loving London!!

So, on Thursday, July 17 we took a bus to Brno, Czech Republic, where we met Zuzka and Timko as well as a college friend of hers with her family, and we all flew to London together.  We are staying in a 4-bedroom flat near Kilburn Park Station (for any of you who know London), but our internet connections have been terrible all week.  Tonight for some reason, it's working, but not well enough to load photos, so at least I thought I'd check in with a little news.   :-)  

We have been trying to do London 'on the cheap', since it's so expensive here.  Most of the main tourist sights have huge entry fees, so we've been just taking pictures from outside, and then hitting up many free museums and attractions instead.  We've also attended several church services and recitals, which have gained us free entry to places like Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, plus we've enjoyed the worship and music experiences there greatly.  

There are several grocery stores near here, so we have our breakfast and supper here at the flat, and then we have enjoyed some typical London lunches of fish & chips as well as Cornish pasty's which are fabulous --- just like the ones in the U.P.!!   :-)  Today we had a baguette, cheese, apples, and water from our refilled bottles, in the courtyard of the Albert and Victoria Museum, sharing a table with a delightful retired couple from here in England.     

We did 'splurge' on one item --- tickets to see "Phantom of the Opera" in Her Majesty's Theatre.   And it was spectacular!!  It's one show we've never seen, and to have our first time be here in London was amazing.  The theatre itself was gorgeous, and the music, costumes and special effects were over the top.  WOW!!

All of us got an Oyster Card --- the public transportation pass for a week - so we've gotten accustomed to the underground/tube and bus systems, which has made it so easy to navigate all over London.  And tomorrow, we'll be leaving already!!  The week has gone by quickly because it has been so much fun.  Zuzanna, Anna, and the four young people have been delightful too.  

I'll try to get photos up once we arrive in our next destination ---- Vienna!!  We'll arrive there on Friday evening, and then we'll meet my cousin Steve and his new bride Joan there on Saturday at the airport to share a few days with them at the tail end of their honeymoon.  

Well, that's at least a short synopsis of the past week.  The next post will just be a photo highlight reel of our time in London!!  :-)