Colors of Summer in London
Our Summer adventure begins at Trafalgar Square.
Now, pick a coin inside your pocket.
Close your eyes, make a wish and toss the coin.
Time to stretch those legs and climb the Nelson’s Column. I promise the view on top will be worth it.
Love Art works? Let’s see the masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci and Van Gogh at the National Gallery?
Food and Shopping time at Covent Garden.
Look, it’s Yoda!
Hop in the Double Decker Bus for a city tour.
Train ride to Windsor Castle to visit the Queen.
No queen in sight.
Almost time for the Changing of Royal Guards at the Buckingham Palace. We need to hurry up. It’ll be a long walk.
Now, time to run…
Oops, we’re a bit late. So much crowd ahead of us.
Best view, on top of someone’s shoulder.
Hungry? Try a newly baked pastry at West Cornwall Pasty .
I hope everyone’s energized because we’ll be cruising the River Thames. Let’s discover all the attractions around it.
Just several blocks away, stands the grand Big Ben. From afar it looks small.
At close range it is really big and tall.
Fun and breathtaking experience, the London Eye.
Ready to scream? How about meeting Jack the Ripper at the London Dungeon.
Caution, not for the faint of heart. Even grown men will scream.
Our colors of Summer won’t be complete without a trip to the beautiful coastal town of Bournemouth in the south coast of England.
Considered as one of Europe’s best beaches, Bournemouth sums up what Summer is all about.
It was the hottest, sunniest Summer weekend that year. The beach was packed. Everyone was enjoying the water and getting some tan. I was simply trying to get the best of Summer memories as much as I can. Who knows when I’ll be back in U.K. for a Summer like this.
It’s funny how when meeting for the first time, my son and his cousin were shy and quiet. Several hours later, they were inseparable, holding hands and telling stories like they were long best friends. Summer does that and more.
The last time my wife visited London, she and her cousins were just kids. Now, they are all grown up, some with kids of their own. Times flies. So are the many Summers of our lives.
Summer is having an amazing time with friends and family. It’s about creating new beautiful memories with people closest to us as well as those we get to know along the way.
My Summer in London and U.K. was unforgettable not just because of what I saw but more because of the family I created a special bond with. Leaving was hard, even harder when I saw my son and his cousin cried because they realized it was their last dinner together and it was time to say goodbye. So we made a promise that one day when fate allows, we will go back and once again experience the many colors of Summer in London.
This Man's Journey 
I’ve never been to Britain, so I loved your narrated, beautifully illustrated travelogue.
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Love this! London is great! Great photos!
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Love your summer vacation photos in London. They bring back memories of when we visited London many years ago. So much to see and do. It looks like you had a great time. Enjoy what summer is still left, Island Traveler. 😉
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Thank you for liking “Balanced Rocks.” Nice work on this post! 🙂 I enjoyed looking at your great travel photos of London, and I am glad that the trip was a wonderful opportunity for you and your family to bond together. I hope you continue to enjoy the feeling of summer all year round! 🙂
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I have to try real hard to feel the Summer especially because its raining hard here haha 🙂 Everything in London is so creative, so much things to see and admire, thank you for sharing it here.
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Guess what, soon enough my Summer will be part raining too. It’s all sun here in Houston but soon I will be in the Philippines which raining almost every day. Regardless of season, we have to feel Summer, think Summer. Thanks.
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Such an uplifting and joyful post of discovering a new place and reconnecting with family — and creating more family memories in the process. Wonderful!
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Traveling is about discovering ourselves, another culture, of creating great bonding with friends and family. Thank you.
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one hell of an…
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PS
Hope you tried the Waveswinger there. I tell you it’s one of an experience.
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If I ever come back, I will try it. Thanks Bro for the tip!
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What a long but interesting post, bro. Enjoyed every photo there–especially the one where you’re face to face with the camera. The shades did help covering those eyes. I must say the “mystery man” the slowly revealing itself. Make that face. 🙂
Happy to see you enjoying the estival fete, bro, and for bringing my optical organs to London.
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One baby step at a time Bro. I’m getting a bit braver lately. I’m also showing my son’s younger pictures. He does look different 2 years ago so I’m at ease sharing it. Time does fly by and with it external and internal changes. Thanks and all the best to you and your family.
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Come back to England soon and thanks for visiting my blog. Next time see if you can make it to Cornwall – the beaches there are amazing too 🙂
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I will check it for sure if I will have another second chance of seeing U.K. I was a total clueless traveler. I pretty much relied on where my relatives brought us which I thought were amazing places too. Thanks.
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I used to live in London and the contrast between the dark depressing winter and bright lively summer is immense. You captured the summer really well here!
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Summer is part of my life or my version of a life at least. To see it the entire London trip was beyond words. Lucky? Perhaps! Thanks.
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Here’s a tip on the West Cornwall Pasties. Buy one, and leave it for 20 minutes. They are always way too hot to eat straight away.
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Thanks. I will keep that in mind. We were so hungry from all that walking that it was gone in a minute or two. One thing I learned about my trip which I thought was healthy and refreshing, that there will be a lot of walking and investing of a comfortable walking shoe matters.
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Hey there! I nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award!
http://ofpurpurepupils.wordpress.com/2014/07/25/one-lovely-blog-award/?preview=true&preview_id=159&preview_nonce=a5f33abfdf&post_format=standard
Good luck!
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Thank you. Awards inspires and motivates us. Congratulations as well!
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I didn’t need a picture to know what a pasty was! I am from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and grew up enjoying and to this day making my own pasties. I was told that the copper miners (in the U.P.) brought over the recipes for pasties and took them into the mines (as a complete meal!)
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I’m kind of familiar with it too even before I visited London. And there are so many kinds of stuffing variation we can put in it. My sister has a bake shop back home and makes big empanadas with buttery, melts in your mouth baked crust. The pasty in London pretty much tasted like it. Thanks for sharing.
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Beautiful post and photos. What a lovely summer trip you all had 🙂 Thank you for sharing!! ~Sophia
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Thanks Sophia. It was an inspiring, unforgettable Summer. Hot but unforgettable!
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It was a great Summer indeed. Thanks.
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Ahh now you are on my home turf IT! Bournemouth Beach is where I’ve spent many a day with my family. I lived only 20 minutes away when my eldest son was born and my brother’s family all live down that way so I know it extremely well! We are basking in sunshine over here just now so it looks just like that now!!! Just think if you had been there now I am a mere hour away 🙂 How wonderful for our families to have and shared an ice cream or two by the seaside 🙂
As for London, well to me it is the best city in the world and I loved how you presented it here, you did it great justice my friend, thank you for that 🙂 Many a visit there of course and who can forget the London Dungeon, yikes, I was so scared I had to close my eyes most of the time haha!!! Summer is wonderful and for you to have spent time here, I feel privileged to know that you enjoyed it so much.
I’ll be signing off my blog later today for a week or two, taking a badly needed break and a holiday in France, but I wanted to wish you a great rest of the summer and I’ll catch up soon with you my friend. God bless you and your family and feel that Summer Breeze…it makes us feel fine 🙂 😎 😀
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An ice cream or two by the seaside with you and your family would be great Summer event my friend. The world is smaller than we think. I haven’t met a blogger friend in person but I’m sure it’s like seeing an old very dear friend. How we open up our hearts and our lives, how we support each other generously in a lot of things Through our posts and comments are truly inspiring. In my travels, I try to see the best side of things, to have Summer’s sunshine even if it’s raining. My Summer trip in Europe was like a beautiful dream, only it was so real, and for that I will be always thankful for. We met the most amazing family there who welcomed us like we’ve known each other for years. I only met them in person for the first during that trip but it felt like home! Have a great holiday my friend. Thanks.
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Wow, I have always wanted to go to London, thank you for taking me their Island Traveler, not sure though for a better view, if you would let me sit on top of your shoulders ??? loved the Pictures I felt like I was there with your family, your son is a treasure, what a Loving heart he has, just like you and your wife.
I don’t know much about my Ancestry with being Adopted but my Birth Mother was English, I could be a Princess but as Christians we are all Royalty anyway (see below) so get ready to wear your Crown.
1 Peter 2:9-10 But ye are a Chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, an Holy Nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Christian Love Always from both of us – Anne
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My friend, without a doubt you are a princess with a kind, pure, loving heart. We are indeed royalties in God’s Kingdom. Each one blessed and beautiful. We have treasures no man can take, no money can buy. U.K. is amazing, with a countryside showered with nature’s incredible landscape. And the culture, so vibrant with lots of rich history. I hope to visit again and really get to know more about it. If, God’s will, one day. Have a great weekend. Thanks.
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Hi There, I loved this post! Silly me, I live here in London, but I am so glad you had great weather too. I feel sad for tourists when it is rainy, although people do expect this when coming to London. Thanks for the tour, and it didn’t cost me a penny!! Liz
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Thanks Liz. I appreciate the comment. I have several nursing classmates working in U.K. and London. I was told it does have a lot of cloudy days. A friend even told me to bring a jacket in July but good thing I brought shorts because it was total 91 degrees Summer! We were blessed to have a week of Sunshine and clear blue skies. By the way, I tried finding your blog site but unable to. If you don’t mind, can you share your link?
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That is strange!
Thanks Liz
http://writingmuscle.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/feel-the-fire-fade/
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Got it. I had to type your blog’s name in google. The link somehow won’t open. Thanks.
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So many places!!! So much to see!!! So many people!!! I’m glad to here you enjoyed your international trip to London. Very happy to hear and see all the things you’ve seen. You are living someone else’s dream for sure!
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So much to see for so little time. So much to dream for so little time. Oh, well that’s when we hope and pray for a repeat travel one day. Thanks. Have a cool Summer!
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I’m dropping by to make your day brighter! I’ve nominated you for three awards! Please find the details here at:
http://traversinglines.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/luck-in-my-stars/
You’re awesome!
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Thanks you. Awards are indeed our lucky stars and more. Congratulations as well.
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It is always a great treat when summer days in London turn out to be warm and sunny like your photos instead of wet and clammy! Glad you had a wonderful time there.
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I was told it does rain a lot there and a bit gloomy which I didn’t believe at first because all the time, the Sun and blue skies were at its best. Locals were having an amazing time enjoying Summer’s sunshine! It was 91 degrees hot too! Thanks.
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Sunshine never fails to bring all things fun and amazing. If it did rain, I will still try to enjoy it just like what’s going to happen as I visit family next week in the Philippines. I actually miss playing and dancing under the rain. Time to revisit good happy childhood days. Have a great Summer!
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You too! Enjoy your time with family in the Philippines.
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I will. Thanks.
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Great photos of a great city. 🙂 I love London. ❤
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It has a lot of exciting things to offer. 8 days was way too short!
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Beautiful post and amazing pictures! I could really see that all of you had a great summer!
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We did. Europe is beautiful. So much to see for so little time. What made the trip special though was the company of family relatives that welcomed us there. The people we meet I think plays a huge role on how our travels will turn out to be. Thanks.
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Looks like you are having/ have had a very enjoyable vacation. And lots of memories for your son!
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Looking at all his pictures, he was often smiling, laughing and glowing, even if it was already late, was hot and been walking for hours. He’s a great travel buddy! Thanks.
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What an incredible collection of vacation shots! Nice job on this post, Mr. B. And that baked treat? Oh my goodness!!!
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The baked treat was so delicious. Kind of like big empanadas. Great with coffee or tea. Thanks.
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What a great vacation you all had! That beach at Bournemouth looks very popular, but I’m sure you could find a space for yourselves. I’ve visited the London Dungeon, and it was indeed very scary. 😯
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Thanks for the tour. I felt as if I had traveled right along. I just couldn’t toss my coin in the fountain. But, I’ll make a wish anyway … ‘Blessings of good health to IT and his family’. Let me know if it comes through. A fabulous post.
Isadora : )
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Thanks Isadora. We can imagine holding a coin, making a wish and tossing it. The mind is a powerful creative thing! All the best to you and family.
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😀
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Great summer vacation days. I imagined London as an always gray and rainy City, but thanks to your photos, now I know London has also sunny summer days.
Kind greetings,
Marianne
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We got lucky. The first day we arrived that July was the first day of full blast Sun. Some people where walking without shirts and the parks full of people sun bathing. It was really inspiring to see everyone appreciating Summer. Thanks Marianne.
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Beautiful shots as always. Thanks for sharing your wonderful memories with us.
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Your welcome and thank you. Great memories brings the many joys of Summer close.
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🙂
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You really captured the essense of summer. It reminds me of the times when I was a kid and we would travel with our cousins from Connecticut around Canada or the States.
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Summer is a perfect time for families to travel, near or far. No school means, travel time opportunity any day. Have a great Weekend. Thanks.
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Looking at your pictures of summer in London reminded me of when I was there. I had a few rainy days thrown in as well but that did not stop me from exploring 🙂
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Thanks Colline. Rain or shine, we should try to make the most of our vacation days.
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A great post! London in the summer is my favourite place to be 🙂
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It’s fun with so much to see. The crowd at times, mostly tourists like me can be a bit overwhelming but otherwise, it’s a dream adventure. Thanks.
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Are you back with your lovely wife and son yet, Mr. B? I bet it’s been a long hot Summer!
Thank you for taking me on this whirlwind of fun around London 🙂 It’s a city I love and I lived there for 4 years when I was young and foolish. (still foolish now, but much older) You’re right about family making it specail. One of my nicest times in the Norfolk Broads was with Polish family, going out in their boat and sharing their lovely homemade food.
Bless you, hon. I hope you still have plenty of Summer to share.
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I got one more before leaving next week. I haven’t join them yet. Life is a bit strange and lonely without them. It will be about my last Trip 2 years ago. It was Summer then in the Philippines. Now, it’s rainy season and my said yesterday, “it’s been raining almost everyday, we can’t do much outdoor.” At the back of my head, I was saying,”that’s okay, with family around, the Sun will always be out and shining! ” You are blessed to experience London and U.K. Wonderful places. I hope I get to go back and explore UK more. Thanks.
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Wonderful that you could take your family on such a trip, and your set of images are terrific reminders.
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Thanks. Actually, it was my wife who took me there. She planned everything and I simply went along the wonderful joy ride. It’s also her relatives and they all treated me like their own family. It was heart-warming. It was hard to say goodbye.
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sorry dear friend but I do not like London. I lived there for the earlier part of my life and that was enough. As a tourist attraction I suppose it is fine but everything is over priced and over the top. We had a young lady staying with us here in Bulgaria just recently and she was American. She agreed with me about London…she went to Devon and Cornwall, Scotland and Wales…now that is the UK..open spaces, green countryside, fresh air and tasty food…not dust and dirt and overpriced eating establishments..but many tourists visit London and think that this is England and this is not so.
You and the family enjoyed your stay and for that I am pleased. Lovely photos and happy faces and many memories to ponder over but give me The Garden of England to wander through and I also would be content…lot of love
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Thanks for the honest, generous input my friend. My relatives only brought me to London, Windsor and Bournemouth. We had less than 10 days to spare with Paris taking 3 days of it. If I only knew there was so much to see and experience, I would have requested 2-3 weeks. I guess London, is somewhat like Houston, San Francisco, LA and New York here in the U.S. Expensive, always busy and never sleeps. I do am a fan of the countryside. I grew up around such an environment and long to be close to it whether its in Europe, Asia or America. The sceneries may differ but the laid back, simple, friendly, more relaxed lifestyle remains the same. People find time to talk and enjoy each others company. Real conversations involves actual talking, visiting and going out together and not via texting, Facebook and other smartphone stuff that replaced actual human interaction. There’s is a price to modernism. I hope one day I get to see England the way you see it. Who knows we might accidentally bump into each other. Wouldn’t that be great?
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What a great trip!
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It was unforgettable but what touched me more was the human connections with family and friends. Most I only met for the first time in person yet welcomed me and family with open arms. The chemistry was instantaneous. That I think made our trip personally special. Made me have faith in the capacity for love and goodness from people. I had my share of meeting the wrong crowd and inspiring, kind memories like these helps heal old wounds and trust again. Thanks.
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Summer and London are the perfect combo. One of my favorite cities of the world. Great post. 😀
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London is an exciting metropolis with the option to have a laid-back, Summer all the time vibe regardless of weather. Those pubs and after work relaxing places, not to mention the inviting parks shows how people there value their “me” time, to chill and just enjoy life they way it should be enjoyed. I told my wife, “Hmm, you know my first job offer was U.K. but chose the U.S. instead. Is it too late to reconsider?” Her answer, “Sounds great. We’ll see where fate leads us next.” It’s fun to dream like it may happen. Who knows , right? Thanks.
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Right. Like I say I love London and all of the UK myself. Wonderful place!
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Goodness me you packed a lot into your time here, I’m exhausted from looking! Wonderful, wonderful I’m so glad you enjoyed my country – but you missed the best bit – Devon! 🙂
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I went to see Devon through your post and you are right, it’s a beautiful Summer getaway. If I will be given a second chance to revisit, I will definitely add it to my dream travel bucket list. England is so beautiful, me and my wife even entertained the thought of relocating there since we do have several supportive family there too. It’s hard to contain the traveler in us. We tend to go where our heart wish to stay. 11 years in America seems a fair time to enjoy its many dreams. It’ll be cool to continue life’s adventure in Europe. Life’s too short not to follow our dreams, right? Thanks.
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OOOOHHH …. You had LOTS of fun in London! Looks as though you made the best of your time, to see all the sights. Can the two boys chat and see each other on Skype?
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I did. His cousin is about his age. She has the same happy, vibrant, adventurous personality as he did. They did Skype for awhile but I think they like it better being together in person.So, we added a revisit to London in our prayer list. Thanks.
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London is such a great city to visit. How lucky that you and your family could see it together — and you certainly did see it! I doubt that you missed a site and your photos are great. I hope you and your family will return soon. I bet the two cousins miss each other. 🙂
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We only had 10 days or so to compress everything, including Paris. I take what heaven has blessed me. My wife’s uncle has added a family of travel bucket list for a European Road Trip. Time to work lots of overtime…ha, ha, ha. It was my wife’s dream vacation and I was lucky to be her side kick.Thanks.
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Oh how lovely!
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It was. These are want dream Summers and vacation are made of…at least for me. Thanks
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