Wednesday:
We knew coming in to the week that Wednesday would be our "relaxing day". We wanted to hit the tourist sites pretty hard the first couple of days so that by the end of the week we could revisit places we liked and not feel so pressured to hit everything the day before we had to leave. We got up, enjoyed breakfast and headed to the British museum and were there soon after it opened. That place was unreal. Rooms and rooms and floors of artifacts and pieces of history! We were there almost 4 hours and barely scratched the surface. Mark was like a kid in a candy store...he loves history! Seeing the rosetta stone and an Easter island head were awesome. And Mark found a carving on a bone of a horse that was 13,000 years old. The bone was that old...not the horse. Haha! I mean...wow! We saw some Book of Mormon artifacts...though that is not how they are labeled of course, but it was here in the Americas right during the Book of Mormon time. My favorite things to look at were the coins and ancient forms of money and also the ancient medicinal tools...ouch. So grateful for modern technology!
We headed back to the hotel, rested for about a half hour then went down to the Rose Lounge in the hotel for our afternoon tea. It was from 3-5 and was just lovely. There was a harpist, we each got different flavors of tea, I got Chamomile and Mark got Verbena, and we enjoyed scones, sandwiches, clotted cream and curds and pastries. To sit for two hours and just visit with Mark was so incredible. There were moments I realized I was crying, not sobbing, but just letting tears fall. We had some deep and meaningful talks, we learned a lot about each other and we are closer now than I even thought possible. My brain was quiet, my soul was calm and although I rarely cry, I think my body just needed to feel peace. I love being a mom, I love my life, but the last few months have been a whirlwind of trial and rough days so to just breathe and re-evaluate everything was so needed.
After tea we headed to the spa downstairs in the hotel. We were treated to chocolate dipped apricots and more tea. Then we had a private steam and jacuzzi and then an hour couples massage. My back and feet needed that so bad! They sprayed Egyptian water into the air above us a few times during the massage and it was so pleasant. After the massage, we melted in some lounge chairs in thick comfy robes while drinking water and having mixed nuts and then we shuffled our happy bodies to the elevator back to the room to freshen up and head out to dinner.
The only picture I got of our spa experience but it was a great start to being pampered!
Dinner that night was not so much fun. It started out great with a gorgeous walk down regent street and through Piccadilly circus. But then we ended up taking a detour on accident and walking much further than we wanted to or meant to. Once we got to the fish and chips place, I had a migraine and couldn't eat and so Mark finished his meal fast and we headed back to the hotel...sadly the fish and chips did not sit well with him so he was a bit sick that night. Needless to say, we slept as long as we could the next morning without feeling like we were wasting the day away. But it was a good thing we were forced to sleep in a bit.
Thursday:
After sleeping in, and the only morning we didn't enjoy a breakfast downstairs, we got ready slowly. As soon as Mark was ready he headed out to Leicester square to get tickets from TKTS for a play that evening. We didn't really care which play we saw, although I was hoping for Phantom of the Opera. And lucky for us that was playing in her Majesty's theater which was right behind our hotel... and the tickets, which were on the floor on the 9th row, were 40% off! He bought those and headed back to pick me up and then we walked to Harrods for some window shopping. We had to walk by Buckingham Palace and Clarence house on the way and happened to see a helicopter land in the middle of the palace. My mind was racing with who it could be! Not many people know how closely I follow the royal family and have for years. My first realization that I loved them was when Princess Diana died and I actually cried. I followed that story forever and checked in every so often to see what her boys were up to. I learned all I could about the queen and the queen mum and was sad in 2002 when the queen mum passed on. King George fascinates me and the King's Speech and now the Crown have helped me dive even more into all of their histories. I was delighted and filled with glee (and some jealousy) when William proposed to Kate and the obsession has continued. And no, it is not by accident that my daughters's middle name is Charlotte. If I liked the name George I would name my next son that! After the palace we walked along the Kensington gardens and underneath the Wellington Arch. There is just history everywhere!
Now back to Harrods....Oh what a store that is! It was 6 floors and a few blocks of amazing shopping. We bought some treats and small toys for us and the kids and then I bought a great mini handbag to go in a purse. And since this is the stage of life I am in, that bag is now holding diapers and wipes and is perfect! I also bought a wooden spoon with the royal crest engraven in it and Mark bought me a Buckingham palace wash cloth. When I get migraines, he gets a wash cloth super cold for my forehead and so he bought it and said "Next time you have a migraine, you can feel like a queen while you recover".
Once we had our fill of food and shopping, we hailed a black cab to go back to the hotel and regroup before our night at the theater. It was so fun to take the cab, which are very roomy! The price was super doable and when we pulled up to the hotel, I loved having our doorman open the door for us and offer to take our shopping bags. For a SAHM of three living in Eagle Mountain, Utah, this was a nice change of pace.
My dreams that night were filled with floating candles, white masks and cymbal crashing monkeys. Just writing about it again gives me chills.
Thursday:
After sleeping in, and the only morning we didn't enjoy a breakfast downstairs, we got ready slowly. As soon as Mark was ready he headed out to Leicester square to get tickets from TKTS for a play that evening. We didn't really care which play we saw, although I was hoping for Phantom of the Opera. And lucky for us that was playing in her Majesty's theater which was right behind our hotel... and the tickets, which were on the floor on the 9th row, were 40% off! He bought those and headed back to pick me up and then we walked to Harrods for some window shopping. We had to walk by Buckingham Palace and Clarence house on the way and happened to see a helicopter land in the middle of the palace. My mind was racing with who it could be! Not many people know how closely I follow the royal family and have for years. My first realization that I loved them was when Princess Diana died and I actually cried. I followed that story forever and checked in every so often to see what her boys were up to. I learned all I could about the queen and the queen mum and was sad in 2002 when the queen mum passed on. King George fascinates me and the King's Speech and now the Crown have helped me dive even more into all of their histories. I was delighted and filled with glee (and some jealousy) when William proposed to Kate and the obsession has continued. And no, it is not by accident that my daughters's middle name is Charlotte. If I liked the name George I would name my next son that! After the palace we walked along the Kensington gardens and underneath the Wellington Arch. There is just history everywhere!
We found a delicious sushi restaurant in Harrods and had the best miso soup I have ever had and some incredible sushi along with it.
We found an actual Indian restaurant over in Leicester square and had fantastic chicken tikki masala and lamb curry with warm and buttery naan. We walked around and enjoyed the outdoor life of the square, popped in to the MM world store and an old fashioned candy store called Hardy's and then headed to Phantom of the Opera. I love plays, I love musicals and I have seen many on stage. But for some reason I have never seen Phantom and yet know the music by heart. The minute the chandelier is raised and the organ music plays so loudly is seeps into your bones, I could not help the tears from streaming. It was truly an unforgettable evening in a historic theater.
We walked the very short distance back to the hotel and ordered in some room service and lazed about eating cheese and crackers and hot chocolate in the hotel robes and slippers.
My dreams that night were filled with floating candles, white masks and cymbal crashing monkeys. Just writing about it again gives me chills.
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