Day 2 – Green Park Ceremony and other funny bits!......

     Everyone seems to be a little more rested today after a 10 hour sleep night...well except for and Luke, wait no Luke was still asleep the boys said when he sat up at about midnight or 1 and wanted to order a premium coffee from the restaurant downstairs; however, when that idea past he said that the hotel had lovely towels???  Bill and Margo I am now waiting for a rendition of O Canada in the middle of the night..at least Luke said he can sing as well when he sleeps!!!                Anyways, we woke up to beauftiful sunny skies and a day of about 10-12 for most of the day....perfect since we will be spending most of it outside.
      After getting both groups situated for the day, I say both groups because we are forced to split one small group from the main group to go with the others from Bluefield, Morell and Kensington.  Gladly the kids are little disappointed to be separated, this means that they are getting along great...rest assured to all of you that once we hit France we will be less congested and the groups won’t be separeated as much.  Kelly and Amanda are doing well with the smaller group and are seeing basically the same sights.  After about a two hour tour of London with a tour guide where we were able to see everything Harrod’s to Madame Tousseau’s wax musuem to the area where Dodi Al-Fayed lived before his sudden death in the car crash with Princess Di.  The history of London is astounding and I have to admit I will be sad to leave....it really is a wonderful city and we remarked at how safe we all feel and how unbelieavably clean the place is...in fact there are very few garbage cans in the city.  Do you know why?  Well not sureif you do, or want to...guess I will tell you anyways. .....they removed many of them due to terrorist bombings in the 1980’s.  No worries from our end though so don’t fret.
     Your kids are also now experts in tube travel...we have hit two nights of unbelievable crowds and never had one missed connection or even close call...unbielevable honest!  They are great travellers!  After dumping the bus and making some connections via the Tube and walking we arrive at the beautiful areas/gardens surrounding Puckingham Palace....Queenie is not in today, she called this AM and let me know she was having her hair done and would not be around.  Neither were Kate or Pippa so the boys were disappointed...the girls we looking for Harry and couldn’t find him either.  We thought Charles was disguised as one of the guards outside his residence because one of them had ears the size of watermelons!!!  Under their controversial Canadian Bear skin hat this one guard had ears that would rival an African elephant or Charles...whichever comment would get me in less trouble around here...Alex remarked that with 5000 people around and horses and bobbies and everything going on..how the heck did I notice the guys ears??  Not sure....just a talent I have I guess....the large group actually lucked out and was able to see the changing of the guard from quite a distance but we were there nontheless.  Nice to see at least once in your life, but with 7000-8000 people there on a holiday it was not easy to get a real good  glimpse of them in front of the palace, although we were able to watch them parade up the road away from the palace....reminded me of the Gold Cup parade actually...sorry Liz but not something that I haven’t seen much of before when they are not in front of your big house!!!
     Off to the Green Park cermony...the largest gatehring of Canadians in Green Park since the end of the war, in fact they rarely open Canada Gate, which is situated to the left of the Liz’s shack and are simply beautiful as is the park.  This city is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, although a huge city it has unreal green spaces and the people of London certainly use them...wonderful to see!  Folks I just looked at the time and on advisement from my family I am going to need to finish this report tomorrow evening...we are heading to France tomorrow and I need to be up in about 2.5 hours and I haven’t packed yet...I promise to tell you all about the ceremony at Green aPArk which was wondefully moving and just a precursor of things to come....I so sorry but I really should get some sleep tonight....cheers!
dc

PS there is much more to discuss...Imperial War Museum with Brendan acting as volunteer tour guide...Churchill's Bunkers and Museum, Piccadilly Circus at night and of course the ceremony and march in front of Lizzy's little bungalow in London...my apologies...dead tired!!!