Tuesday, June 10, 2014: Beatles Twice!

7:37 pm

In the morning we set out for Kensington Park, where there was an giant Peter Pan-themed playground with a full-size pirate ship. Everyone was having tremendous fun climbing to the crow's nest.

After that, we took the Tube (that's what they call the Metro in England) to Baker Street, where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle set most of his 19th century Sherlock Holmes stories. He lived at 221B, where they had the official Sherlock Holmes museum.

Our current President

Striking a pose with Michael Jackson

But then came my favorite part: Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. Hundreds of figures made entirely of wax. It takes about three months to make one figure, but Madame Tussaud's has been going on for a long time, ever since the original Madame Tussaud made wax masks for the executed royals in the French Revolution. Here's a few pictures:

Me with Shrek

The Dalai Lama

After Madame Tussaud's, we went to Abbey Road, where the Beatles walked across for their album cover. Here's a picture of that:

And here's a picture of us at the exact place they did that:

After that we took the Tube and then the London Overground (bus) back to our semi-neighborhood.

Monday, June 9, 2014: A Day for Swimming

9:03 pm (London time)
Yesterday, we walked up to Hampstead Heath, a big park near our house. We were trying to find the awesome swimming pools (one for the men and one for the ladies) but all we found was the Lido (lie-do): One huge pool for everyone to share. My parents had only brought our swimming suits, and not theirs, and we didn't have a lot of money (it was very expensive) but the information guy said we could have a free half-hour trial.

After the Lido, we went back to our house and got dressed. My mom and dad were considering going downtown to the British Museum (that's really what it's called) with a bunch of old artifacts and cool stuff.

There were Greek statues, Egyptian Pharaoh Heads, Colossal Statues, Coffins, Sarcophagi, and a bunch of other stuff that you've probably never heard of!

Today, we'll be going to Madame Tussauds: Wax figures of famous people and movie characters.

I'll update later!

Sunday, June 8, 2014: Landmark Explosion!

6:23 pm (London time)
Today we explored the central part of London, with Westminster Abbey (which is where a lot of famous people are buried. We tried to go in but it was closed for sightseeing), Buckingham Palace, Green Park, Big Ben, Westminster Bridge, and the London Eye.

Here's what a ride looks like on the London Eye, one of the largest Ferris wheels in the world:

Our friends Nicky and Silvie had special passes, but we couldn't go, because it would be better to buy tickets in advance.

Tomorrow, it'll be raining, so we might go to Madame Tussaud's (wax figure museum!)

P.S.: Here's a little vid about Madame Tussaud's in London:

Saturday, June 7, 2014: Forbidden to All

10:39 pm (London time)
As I said in my post this morning, today we met my mom's friend and her daughter at St. Paul's Cathedral. We sort of walked aimlessly around the city, occasionally stopping for a bite of food. We walked across the Millennium Bridge, which began construction in 1998 and opened in 2000 and reopened in 2002.

We almost went to the Tower of London, but it closed at 5:30 and it was 4:30 then, and we didn't think one hour was enough time. It was totally overpriced anyway. So we got ice cream instead.

After that, we found a popular comics shop, Forbidden Planet, which had awesome action figures and constructive comics (well, not really, but you know what I mean, right?). I got issues 473 and 474 of Doctor Who Magazine for £5 each, which I think is a very reasonable price (DWM 475 is available June 26, by the way).

Tomorrow, we're going to meet in Green Park and then we're going to Buckingham Palace. Better remember my manners!

Saturday, June 7, 2014: Eggs Scrambled

Last night we went to bed early, and I woke up early. We had delicious British scrambled eggs for breakfast. We're still in our host's house (we'll be staying there for the next two weeks) and soon we are going out to meet Nicky and Silvie, some of my mom's old friends from Germany.

By the way, check out my poll and Picture of the Day. They're hilarious!

Friday, June 6, 2014: Movies and Trains

I have so much to tell you! Last night, we went to visit my mom's old friends Erick and Isabelle Cauchois (Co-shwa). We had a very fun time, eating corn pasta, gummies and mini ice cream, watching Ice Age 2 and Shrek 2. It was a very enjoyable evening. You so should have been there.

This morning, we left our apartment, got on a Eurostar train and waited two and a half hours for our train to arrive in London. Yes, you heard me right. We house-swapped with someone in London somewhere.

Tonight, we'll be going to a special ice cream place near her house.

Thursday, June 5, 2014: Paris Adventures

2:57 pm (Paris time)

We went to the top of Notre Dame today, climbing all 422 steps. 422! Can you believe it? I took an hour and a half to wait, but it was worth it. There was an amazing view from the tops. Yes, you heard me correctly. I said tops. Plural. Tops. Gosh, did you people ever go to school?

After that, we went to a museum called the Cluny. There, we saw the famous Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. There were about six of them, each depicting a lady with a silver unicorn. They were beautiful.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014: What's a Louvre?

11:43 pm (Paris time)

We just got back from dinner with our friends Kenny and Marie. The restaurant we went to had nothing I liked except ice cream, rice and green beans. So that's what I got.

First, though, I have to tell you about the Louvre. It was so awesome! From the outside, it just looks like a normal old building from a couple hundred years ago, but on the inside there's an entire courtyard with a huge glass pyramid smack in the middle. So we got a map and started our exploration of art.

We started with the ground floor, seeing works of art and sculptures such as the Seated Scribe and Aphrodite (aka Venus de Milo). We also saw the Mona Lisa, one of the most famous paintings in the world. It was pretty amazing, seeing all these people swarming around a little work of art. Included in the tour was a painting of Cleopatra's death by asp.

While the Louvre was very fun, it was also full of nudity. From Venus de Milo to Cleopatra, everyone seemed to be naked.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014: Pompous Pompidou

3:44 pm (Paris time)

After we left, we saw some chalk drawings in the street. I saw one of Scrat (from the four Ice Age films). I have a picture below. We also saw some modern sculptures – very cool.

The Pompidou is a museum that has a bunch of escalators running on the side of the building. The thing is, on each level where the escalators stop, there's a whole hallway of art. We saw a portrait depicting William Tell and at least twenty architectural models (Mrs. Widegren's class, if you want to know, ask Emma what the process is for designing those. She should know [because of her dad]

After that, it started to rain (heavily) and we had to run back to get dressed for the Louvre and our fancy dinner. By the way, did you know that the Mona Lisa is very, very small? Put up your pointer finger. Then put up your other pointer finger about fifteen inches apart from the first one. That's about how wide it is.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014: Sleeping In

12:48 pm (Paris time)

This morning, all of us slept 16 hours and woke up at 11 o'clock in the morning. Today, we're going to two art museums: the Pompidou and the Louvre (where the Mona Lisa is!) I promise I'll get you great pictures!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014: Hunchbacks and Gypsy Legends

6:02 am (Paris time)

We just got back from our awesome adventure! I want to tell you all about it!

            First, we walked a few blocks from our apartment to the famous cathedral of Notre Dame. It was built in the 1400s and was popularly used in a novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, by Victor Hugo. It documented the story of poor, disfigured Quasimodo, who is abandoned by his parents and left in front of a church. He is taken into care by a priest name Frolo, but raised cruelly and forced to carry out Frolo's dirty work all day. Finally, he and his gypsy friend kill Frolo but lose their own lives themselves.

            After that we took the Metro train to the Eiffel Tower. The Tower, one of the seven man-made wonders of the world, was designed by Gustav Eiffel in the early 1880s for the World Fair in the 1890s. Many people were invited, and the tower was visited by many celebrities at the time, including Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell.

            We purchased our tickets and almost got to the top, but the other tickets to get to the very top we couldn't find, so we abandoned that idea. It was still very fun, though.

After that, we got ice cream and went back to the Metro station. We rode home and, here I am, writing this to you now. Here's a little shout-out to Mrs. Widegren's class, if they're reading this.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014: Making Plans

11:01 am (Paris time)

This morning, we are going to Notre Dame (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), a famous cathedral, and then we're climbing the Eiffel Tower! Mrs. Widegren's class, if you are reading this, please send the next page to Madame Ulmer. I'm sure she would love to see that I've finally gone to France!

            Next up: Climbing the Tower!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014: French-Speaking Housekeepers

10:57 am (Paris time)

Here we are at our apartment! We just met Bruno, the husband of our landlady, and he showed us around and explained where everything was. Of course, it was all in French. Then, I turned on the TV. All in French. Except for one channel about the history of French art. Not very exciting.

Tuesday, June 2, 2014: The Usual Customs

7:41 am (Paris time)

We arrived in France about an hour ago, and it's been nothing but a bore since then. I dreaded going though Customs (where they check you and your bags for dangerous stuff), but it was actually just a walk through a hallway that took about 30 seconds. I guess my dad lied. Now, we are on a motorized train, heading for our temporary apartment.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014: There's a First for Everything

12:21 am (Iceland time)

Recently, we arrived in Reykjavik (Ray-key-a-vick), Iceland. We just got some food (more french fries, see June 2 12:59 post!) and walked toward our gate. Currently, I am sitting around, writing this journal and filling in crossword puzzles. Our flight will board at 12:30.

Monday, June 2, 2014: Huge Planes

1:28 pm

We're eating at our gate now. We see an Atlantic Airlines plane outside on the runway.

            Now we see a humungous plane. It's rumbling along the tracks, almost silently. My dad says we're going to go on a plane like that (with mini TVs), but I still can't grasp the full size of the one we just saw. It was HUGE, I tell you!

Monday, June 2, 2014: Grandparent Goodbyes

12:59 pm

We're eating our lunch. The plane starts boarding at 1:45, so we have to be st our gate soon. I got french fries from Burger King and my mom brought eggs, pasta and green beans from home for my brother and I to eat.

            I just spoke to my grandmother, and she says goodbye.

            I an a bundle of nerves and excitement. I am READY TO GO AND TRAVEL!

Here We Go!

In a few short minutes, we'll be in the car and off to Logan Airport! I hope you will enjoy the photos and videos that will be posted soon!

Here's a little video describing the airport:

Packing Up

Hi!

Tomorrow is the big day! But today is also a big day, considering how much we have to pack. Here's what our bags will look like when we're finished:

I'm not aloud to bring a lot of weight and, since I love to read, my grandmother got my a Kindle. I just bought a bunch of books that I can read on the plane and when I get bored.

Tomorrow, right before we go, I'll notify you!

E-mail me at marphclon@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Welcome!

Greetings, friends. Welcome to Rowan's Travel Blog! I'm Rowan, and I'm looking forward to sharing my fun stories with you!

On June 2nd, 2014, my family will be traveling to Iceland, France and England. The purpose of this blog is to share my photos, videos, and stories with all of you!

Good wishes and happy reading!

Next Post: Packing Up!