Roris, great pics and blog - thank so much. Sorry that the V & A was a disappointment. Lovely family...

We noticed that too - shorts - crazy hair!! And all the trash - mostly beer bottles. As we were going into St Martins a band in kilts were getting organized - the rain wasn't great!!

What a great travelog! I have been to London three times in the past two years and it has been Nov, Oct, and this past Jan. I need to see it in warmer weather! However, the next trip will be end of September.

I especially appreciated this comment from your blog:

"Family is so important and they will be there for you always. I hope my children never forget this."

Even if they seem to be forgetting it for a while, they will come back to it in the end.

Thank you so much for reminding me (as if I need reminding) why I love London so much.

I loved reading your blog and seeing the pictures, too. London is my favorite place, and it has been a few years since I have been. I'm planning on another trip this fall, and your trip report has surely increased my fervor.

The china you liked is Wedgwood's Wild Strawberry pattern. My sister has a set, some of which we bought in London. It is her pride and joy.

excellent trip report Roris. it's interesting to see what different people like/dislike......which attractions they choose, and choose to avoid. and a special thank you for including pictures of food! it's one of my fav things to cover when in a new place. i'm terribly sorry that you weren't able to enjoy a single day of sunshine in London. We went in early March for 4 days and lucked out BIG TIME. (The cold and rainy caught up with us in Paris however) thanks for sharing!

Wonderful trip report Roris and really nice pictures despite the weather. We too encountered cold very very wet weather and our trip was last June/July! So one never knows with the weather. Glad you had a good time anyway.

Thank you all who have posted most recently for the compliments. I have been rather busy this past week with our home up for sale, a sick teenager, and a trip to Michigan State with said sick teenager to look at colleges, for him to come home and get even more sick, and a house showing! Needless to say, I hadn't been out here. London is a wonderful city, and despite the weather we will be back. Can I fit Wedgwood Wild Strawberry tea set into my budget? Hmmmm, maybe!

Roris: Our "older man" driver to the airport said this was the coldest March he could remember for 50 years.

This was my 5th trip to London in March - the weather was great every year except for this one, so don't give up on March, yet.

Oops, 4th trip.

>>Can I fit Wedgwood Wild Strawberry tea set into my budget? Hmmmm, maybe!<<

Even better . . . Have the merchant ship it straight to your home. They will take the VAT off the top and that will almost pay the shipping charges - and you won't have to schlepp it at all.

Just got back from UK having suffered the same miserable weather, but NONE of my photos look as good as yours! Cheers!

roris--

Great blog trip report. We're going to London soon and it helps a lot. Hope to avoid a lot of the shopping, though.

BTW--Concur with janisj that you have a lovely daughter.

Thank you for your London trip blog and the wonderful photos. I'll be visiting there in June and learned a lot from your story. Hope we have better weather!

Really nice trip report and photos! It's such a nice bonding experience to have with your kids.

Our family has the same problem of not being in the right place at the right time for meals. I always keep a list of several places I'd like to eat near every area we'll visit. Sometimes that helps.

I've loved that cat mummy, too, since my first trip to London almost 30 years ago.

Yes, top quality photography that am sure will make me try and take better pictures. Nice blog too.

roris:

Thank you for sharing your fabulous blog. I enjoyed your writing style very much. Very nice pictures. I see on your blog that you live in a very cold part of the country so it must have been really nasty.

Will you continue your blog once you are moved? I liked the look of the row house that will become your new home. Once you are settled come on over to the lounge. It may interest you.

Again thanks for sharing your London adventure.

Sandy

Top of the morning Roris. Your have a lovely family and your report provide great insight on your trip to London. Coincidentally, my husband, 20 yr. old son ("S")and 23 yr. old daughter (also "K") are traveling from the US at the end of April staying for a week and also renting a flat through Londonconnections. Your thoughts as to how well (or not) you fared with the GBP exchange budget-wise. We go on to Paris for a week after so need to prepare ourselves.

Top of the morning Roris. Your have a lovely family and your report provided wonderful information on London. Coincidentally, my husband, 20 yr. old son ("S")and 23 yr. old daughter (also "K") are traveling from the US at the end of April staying for a week and also renting a flat through Londonconnections. Your thoughts as to how well (or not) you fared with the GBP exchange budget-wise would be very helpful. We go on to Paris for a week after so need to prepare ourselves.

FUN!!! Next time you're planning to be London or in the Cotswolds, let me know. I can let you in on some out of the way places that will change your life. How about a castle near Cirencester where you can eat lunch or dinner and have it to yourself for an entire day!? Few couples get to see it but it is absolutely free.

So enjoyed your blog. (even got into your relocation plans!!). My screensaver now is the Canada gate at Buckingham Palace, so glad you got the chance to stop by.

Our first day in London, we rode the tube to the Westminster stop. I will never forget walking up the stairs and seeing Big Ben and the Parliment House. What a memory!

Also, after a long flight and a day best forgotten with lost luggage, etc. our first morning was cold and rainy. We were on a trip to a grocery to buy supplies. Stopped at a little place and had beans/toast/eggs/tea like in your photos. We were sooo happppppy.

My regret is that we couldn't afford to travel like that when our boys were younger. Well, maybe we will travel with the granddaughters!!