Is it really the end of March?? This past month has been a frenzy of busy schedules, visiting house guests and tourist attractions galore – and I’ve loved every minute of it. As I had hoped, the warmer weather in London has resulted in a more consistent work pattern for me as a horseback riding instructor; as the weather gets nicer the wave of tourist’s visiting London increases and everything about the city grows busier. Included in this influx of tourists hoping to enjoy some sunshine in London, are our friends Jim and Emma and Andy, Mike's brother, all who planned an overlapping trip to come visit us over the course of the past few weeks.
Trying our best to be good host/hostess' we traveled all over the city, showing Jim and Emma both the major tourist attractions and the places we frequent often. Graced with gorgeous, sunny and warm weather throughout the course of the past week, trips to the parks, city tours and BBQ's on our balcony were better than we could have hoped for! I worked a few days last week in the blossoming Hyde Park where flowers are blooming up everywhere, but Mike took the week off from work and was able to enjoy the week in its entirety.
With a small bed and breakfast operating in our apartment, we took a short trip to Amsterdam to give everyone a break from our close knit quarters, while also taking advantage of the opportunity to travel with friends. Greeted by an abundance of canals, bicycles and coffee shops lining the city streets, Amsterdam proved to be as enchanting as I had imagined. Lucky to have great weather again, the buzz of the people and the beauty of the culture further enhanced the relaxed atmosphere that I’d expected. With a one of a kind liberality, the sunshine and fluorescent signs shared their spotlights and illuminated the vibrant city squares upon all hours.
Beyond the bars, restaurants and coffee shops, we also visited the Anne Frank House and Van Gogh Museum, both which proved to be as spectacular as expected. We left Amsterdam just two days after we arrived and headed back to London with our small entourage. After a brief moment to catch our breath and regroup, Andy arrived on Friday night and made his way to Islington. We spent the weekend taking excursions across the city sight seeing and we even managed to get tickets to the Queens Park Rangers vs. Bristol soccer game.
It has been absolutely great to have friends and family here with us in London - familiar faces and introducing them to our new city which we call home. The wonderful weather truly added to the fun and we look forward to the future months to come. More sunshine and more visitors!!
“I am not an adventurer by choice but by fate”. – Van Gogh
