Mom and Auburn Part Deux- Blenheim Palace and London

On Saturday after our trip to Stonehenge, we decided to make an easier day of it and visit nearby Blenheim Palace. I've posted about it before so I won't bother going into lots of detail, but here are our photos from that day (which was beautiful and sunny!):

 At the front gates

 Mom and Auburn (part of the Grand Bridge is in the back left)

 Mom loved the big trees, saying that they reminded her of the ones in Pride and Prejudice...

 ...and Auburn loved this pheasant casually crossing the road

 Mom and I

A different view of Blenheim

 Getting ready to see the interior

 The Column of Victory

Roaming sheep on the hillside

On Monday, we headed off to London...

 St. Martin-in-the-Fields

 and its "Cafe in the Crypt" where we had lunch

 Forever fan

 My attempt at a family photo

 Mom and Auburn in front of Big Ben

Westminster Abbey, where the Royal Wedding will take place in 28 days!

 A view from in front of Westminster Abbey

 We skipped dinner and went straight for dessert. It was a good choice.

 Caught!

 Buckingham Palace

 St. James Park- can you see the London Eye in the back, and the tower in which Big Ben tolls?

And one funny story to share...

As we walked up to the Westminster Pier to look across at the London Eye and London Aquarium, an American couple (we're pretty easy to pick out) was having their picture taken by a stranger. Since they had just asked somebody to take their picture, I thought we would ask them to do the same for the three of us. I mean, they wouldn't say no, would they? 

As expected, the woman kindly said yes, so I carefully passed the camera to her and showed her how to take a photo. We posed, she snapped, and voilà - we got the picture shown below.

 

When she asked if it was alright, I guessed that she was a Southerner. (The long "i" really gives it away). Her next question- "Where are y'all from?"- confirmed that. She and her husband were from Arkansas and had come over to visit their son, a doctor-to-be who was spending a year of residency in a London hospital. She was also in the medical field, and worked as a physical therapist. That was great news because Mom had been having some problems with her leg that were keeping her from walking easily. Mom described the problem and this new friend gave some advice on how to treat it (which totally worked, by the way). We chatted for a few more minutes before wishing them the best and heading off to continue our touring.

And as we walked away I could hear that Disney song playing in my head, "It's a small world after all..."