London and "Wales"

Took a family trip to the UK recently as Sara had some work in London (Slough, actually). We left Lux on a Thursday and came home the following Tuesday afternoon. Thurs, Sun and Mon nights were spent in London and Fri and Sat nights were spent at a B&B in "Wales." Wales is in quotes because it notably was not Wales, although that is where we thought we were going. We had thought we were going to be staying in Wales until about the time the train conductor announced the Wales stop and we still had two more stations to go. "I don't think we're going to Wales" was Sara's oddly very calm response. I think she was so calm because it was she that did the travel booking this time around (translation: she couldn't blame me). Have to give her some leeway as one of the top Google search results in her query for "B&B's in Wales" was not actually in Wales. Coincidentally, that was the very B&B she chose. It was in Kewstoke in Somerset county England.

Good news is that we could see Wales. It was just across the water from us. We're still not sure what the official  name of that body of water was that we were looking across...it was either the Mouth of the Severn River or the Bristol Channel. A cab driver told us it was technically still the Mouth of the Severn and its huge estuary, but wow, was it a big body of water.

Boo pointing out Wales to all the geographically challenged.

The B&B was The Church House and the proprietors, Tony and Jane were great people who welcomed us with open arms, even after we told them we never actually planned to be there. Jane and Sara hit it off very well and were teasing each other all weekend about our American-ness (i.e. not knowing we were still in England; pronouncing herbs with a silent "h," and other little nits).

The town of Kewstoke is about a mile north of Weston Super-Mare which was our final train stop. While we popped into Weston once during the weekend, we mostly hung around Kewstoke and the B&B and wonderful little restaurant called The New Castle. In two-and-a-half days, we ate at The New Castle three times -- twice for dinner and once for lunch and a proper tea time experience. The owners of The New Castle, Ian and Nikki were just as great as Tony and Jane at the B&B and they too gave us a very warm welcome. We chatted up Ian quite a bit, while Nikki took care of us in the kitchen. She is a phenomenal chef. I hope I can be that good someday. The food was really that good and extremely well priced. Just above restaurant is a luxury holiday apartment that Ian and Nikki also rent out. Over the course of the few days were there there, Ian got me set up with a number of traditional English ales like Old Peculiar, Old Speckled Hen, and another few including a local cider ale that was really good, too.

A shot out front of The New Castle.

Boo and Roo doing what they do.

Upon returning to London on Sunday night, we ate a great Indian meal at a place whose name escapes me at the moment. Very good. The next night, Monday we met a dear family friend from Omaha at a trendy pub in Notting Hill called The Prince Bonaparte. It was a really cool place that Maya said gets pretty hopping on the weekends, especially with American expats. Luckily we were there on a Monday night, so we were able to enjoy ourselves with Rudy in tow. Sara and Maya had a good fish entree, I on the other hand didn't fair so well. Got the venison and it frankly sucked. Still ate the whole thing, but not something I'd be proud to serve anyone that is for sure. 

During the two days Rudy and I had to spend in London, we did a lot of walking. The first day we strolled through Hyde Park and made our way to the Natural History Museum and looked at dinosaur fossils and stuffed animals of all kinds -- a very good time for a dad and boy. We headed back to the park again on our second day in the city and were lucky enough to see cannon fire in celebration of the birth day of the Prince of Wales (Henry). That was also perfect dad and son bonding. We made our way through the rest of Hyde Park and then through St. James Green Park all the way to Buckingham palace.

Listening to the Royal Band and waiting for some cannon fire!

Squirrels in Hyde Park love deez nutz.

Rudy outside Buckingham Palace with his "broom and dustpan."

Since I'm not a big city type of person, I didn't have huge expectations for London, but I absolutely loved it. What a great city and great, friendly people. Looking forward to going back.