And we're back! This is the second part in this series about our Honeymoon, so if you haven't read Part 1 yet, click HERE!
We enjoyed Bath and Bristol very much. I think next time we find ourselves in England, we'll head back over there, especially since it's relatively close to London. But we had to say goodbye eventually. Our next destination was London, but before we went there, we wanted to see Stonehenge.
Stonehenge
We thought about how we would get to see Stonehenge. We looked up what it would take to take the train out there, but ultimately, we decided the easiest thing to do would be to take the train from Bristol to Bath and hop on a tour that would drive us out there.
Our tour was great because it was very basic. They were there to get our tickets and to bring us there (and give us information along the way). But we didn't need to follow our leader like some groups did. It was also the tour company that allowed you to stay out at Stonehenge the longest. They let us out and told us to be back at a certain time. If you're looking to go to Stonehenge without a lot of hassle, check out Scarper Tours. They were great.
I probably mentioned that I kept a journal while we were traveling. More specifically, I was writing in my bullet journal. Here's what I wrote about Stonehenge (mostly because I'm not sure what else to add other than what I already wrote):
After visiting Stonehenge, we were taken back to Bath in the purple van we had arrived in. We got our suitcases (there was a place near the train station we left them in for the day, which was a good find and not that expensive) and then went and got lunch before catching our train to London. There's this chain in the UK that we really like. It's a grab-and-go food place called Pret a Manger (French for "Ready to eat") that has really yummy food! I wish we had a Pret here in the U.S.
London
Throughout our trip, we used AirBnB for places to stay because we like having unique experiences living in other people's places and we wanted to save a little bit of money that we could instead spend seeing and doing interesting things around the city (hotels are expensive if you haven't figured that out...). While we were in London, we stayed in a studio apartment that's set up for short or long stays outside of greater London. No one else lived there (just so we're clear). It was nice to come back to after a busy day in the city because it was a bit removed from the action, so you could come back and relax.
We had one day to spend in London because our second day we had something incredible planned (I'll get to that). Jack and I are museum people, so we decided what we really wanted to see (especially if they were things that I hadn't seen yet). One place that I did visit that I wanted Jack to see though was the Globe Theater. I teach Romeo and Juliet in my classroom and next year I'll be teaching Macbeth and even though teaching it was something I didn't think I would enjoy, it's actually become one of my favorite things. Drama provides a lot of flexibility and it's accessible to students who might not find the classroom super accessible in the first place. But to be in the place where the plays were performed and to see some of the costumes and hear the stories again was amazing. And really, when you go on the tour, the tour guides at the Globe are incredible. Knowledgeable, yes, but in my experience, also hilarious. So even though I'd taken the tour before, I was definitely not bored the second time around!
Next time we find ourselves in London (because I strongly believe there WILL be a next time), I'd love to actually see a show here. The stars just didn't align for this to happen this time around.
We were sort of on a timeline because one thing I really wanted to see was the Changing of the Guard because I didn't get to see that happen last time I was here. But we would find out as we were trying to find a spot that it wasn't going to happen this time around either because a certain U.S. President was in town and was therefore occupying all or most of the guards. Even when we leave our own country he still finds a way to put a damper on things.
But London is a big city with a lot to offer. So we figured out where we wanted to go next and started walking in the direction of the Natural History Museum. It was a beautiful day, so we didn't want to take the underground unless we really needed to.
The Natural History Museum was interesting. I think if I lived in London and had kids, we would bring them there for an afternoon one a month or something like that. My favorite part was about volcanoes and earthquakes and I wish I could have spent a bit more time there. The mammals and dinosaurs were neat too. I loved that I got to see a triceratops and a baby triceratops skeleton and I love that I got to see the skeleton of a blue whale as well! Both were enormous and it's hard to imagine creatures that big in the world unless you see them for yourself!
Our next stop was the V + A (Victoria and Albert Museum), which is just right across the street from the Natural History Museum. This one was my choice. It's a museum celebrating the arts... everything from sculpture, paintings, clothing... it was amazing. I have found that lately I'm fascinated by clothing when it's on display in museums. I think this is my art form of choice. I was I could sew better so I can partake. I think what draws me to it is that it's not just art, but it's functional too-- it's something that someone can wear and conduct their daily life in (in some cases).
Once we finished at the V + A, we still had daylight left, but not really any time to go into any museums anymore. That was fine though, so we decided to walk. I wanted to show Jack Kensington Gardens and the outside of Kensington palace and the pond. It's one of my favorite places... ever. So I wanted to share that. It was nice to make a new memory here though because I remember the last time I walked through this park, I was in excruciating pain because I had blisters on my feet that had burst (sorry for that image) and were being rubbed as I continued to walk anyway. I didn't have that this time around-- I was much more prepared with proper walking shoes. So I was pain-free and with the one I love the most!
That was our one full day in London and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Next time we're here though, we'll plan more full days because for Jack at least (and for me, even though I've been here once before and spent an entire week JUST in London), one day just isn't enough time. We feel like we've only scratched the surface.
Warner Bros. Studios
The day had finally arrived. I've been dreaming of this day since the first time I was in London. When I visited England on my own, I did Harry Potter related things (visited the real Platform 9 3/4, went to the reptile house at the zoo, etc.), but I did not do the studio tour. This time, I was determined to do this.
I was a little nervous because we were taking the train out to Watford and weren't 100% how we would get to the studio once we arrived at the station, but it turned out to be way easier than we ever anticipated. There is a fleet of double-decker buses covered in Harry Potter imagery that take you from the station to the studio and back when you're finished. I never should have worried. Of course they'd make your visit to the studio as easy as possible. And yes, we road on the upper deck in the front of the bus :) Who knows when I'll get that opportunity next!
And then the magic began. I didn't even have to enter the studio to feel it, but once inside, I was on cloud nine. The studio has sets that are still up and every once in a while, they'll shift the focus so that there are certain sets, props, and costumes that are on display. So when we visited, we probably didn't get to see everything. I know at the time I'm writing this, there's a focus on Gringotts and how that was filmed, but when I went, the focus was on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which happens to be one of my absolute favorites in the series. So I didn't see a ton related to Gringotts, but they had costumes, props, and set pieces related to the Triwizard Tournament. It was incredible. I'm just going to spam you with photos because I think that's the easiest way to share my experience at the studio.
I was on cloud nine the entire time we were at Warner Bros. studios. It was incredible to be completely immersed in this world that I dove into as a kid and then the movies that I analyzed to death as a teenager (literally, I think I broke my copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire because I would backtrack to try and see how they set up and executed a particular scene. I was walking on the sets that were used in the movies and it was so surreal... and then the costumes were amazing and it was really trippy to see them in person... wow... it was a lot to handle.
We had lunch there too, which was fine, but we made sure to try out butterbeer. My first butterbeer. It was okay. I think it was creme soda and it had marshmallow fluff on top. It was sweet and kind of nice, but definitely not something that I need to have every day.
Really, this was the best way to end our stay in England. Our trip was far from over, but the next day, we said goodbye and jetted off to the Netherlands. But I'll end this post here.
Thanks for reading!
--Jude
We enjoyed Bath and Bristol very much. I think next time we find ourselves in England, we'll head back over there, especially since it's relatively close to London. But we had to say goodbye eventually. Our next destination was London, but before we went there, we wanted to see Stonehenge.
Stonehenge
We thought about how we would get to see Stonehenge. We looked up what it would take to take the train out there, but ultimately, we decided the easiest thing to do would be to take the train from Bristol to Bath and hop on a tour that would drive us out there.
Our tour was great because it was very basic. They were there to get our tickets and to bring us there (and give us information along the way). But we didn't need to follow our leader like some groups did. It was also the tour company that allowed you to stay out at Stonehenge the longest. They let us out and told us to be back at a certain time. If you're looking to go to Stonehenge without a lot of hassle, check out Scarper Tours. They were great.I probably mentioned that I kept a journal while we were traveling. More specifically, I was writing in my bullet journal. Here's what I wrote about Stonehenge (mostly because I'm not sure what else to add other than what I already wrote):
"Some people come to Stonehenge because they feel a kind of spiritual connection to it. It's not 100% known why Stonehenge was built. Discoveries are still being made as are excavations in the area. Stonehenge is aligned with the sun on the solstices which is significant. Some people thought it was used for sacrifice (unlikely) and some people thought this place was built by druids (also unlikely, although it seems to have become more significant to modern day druids). It appears to simply be a place of worship. A sacred place."The other neat thing about this area is there were several burial mounds close by and you can walk near them. You have to off-road it though-- there's no walking path. You walk through the dried grass to one of the three and then you can choose to catch the bus back (yes, there's a bus that drives the mile or so from the visitor center to Stonehenge) or walk back to the visitor center.
After visiting Stonehenge, we were taken back to Bath in the purple van we had arrived in. We got our suitcases (there was a place near the train station we left them in for the day, which was a good find and not that expensive) and then went and got lunch before catching our train to London. There's this chain in the UK that we really like. It's a grab-and-go food place called Pret a Manger (French for "Ready to eat") that has really yummy food! I wish we had a Pret here in the U.S.
London
Throughout our trip, we used AirBnB for places to stay because we like having unique experiences living in other people's places and we wanted to save a little bit of money that we could instead spend seeing and doing interesting things around the city (hotels are expensive if you haven't figured that out...). While we were in London, we stayed in a studio apartment that's set up for short or long stays outside of greater London. No one else lived there (just so we're clear). It was nice to come back to after a busy day in the city because it was a bit removed from the action, so you could come back and relax.
We had one day to spend in London because our second day we had something incredible planned (I'll get to that). Jack and I are museum people, so we decided what we really wanted to see (especially if they were things that I hadn't seen yet). One place that I did visit that I wanted Jack to see though was the Globe Theater. I teach Romeo and Juliet in my classroom and next year I'll be teaching Macbeth and even though teaching it was something I didn't think I would enjoy, it's actually become one of my favorite things. Drama provides a lot of flexibility and it's accessible to students who might not find the classroom super accessible in the first place. But to be in the place where the plays were performed and to see some of the costumes and hear the stories again was amazing. And really, when you go on the tour, the tour guides at the Globe are incredible. Knowledgeable, yes, but in my experience, also hilarious. So even though I'd taken the tour before, I was definitely not bored the second time around!
Next time we find ourselves in London (because I strongly believe there WILL be a next time), I'd love to actually see a show here. The stars just didn't align for this to happen this time around.We were sort of on a timeline because one thing I really wanted to see was the Changing of the Guard because I didn't get to see that happen last time I was here. But we would find out as we were trying to find a spot that it wasn't going to happen this time around either because a certain U.S. President was in town and was therefore occupying all or most of the guards. Even when we leave our own country he still finds a way to put a damper on things.
But London is a big city with a lot to offer. So we figured out where we wanted to go next and started walking in the direction of the Natural History Museum. It was a beautiful day, so we didn't want to take the underground unless we really needed to.The Natural History Museum was interesting. I think if I lived in London and had kids, we would bring them there for an afternoon one a month or something like that. My favorite part was about volcanoes and earthquakes and I wish I could have spent a bit more time there. The mammals and dinosaurs were neat too. I loved that I got to see a triceratops and a baby triceratops skeleton and I love that I got to see the skeleton of a blue whale as well! Both were enormous and it's hard to imagine creatures that big in the world unless you see them for yourself!
Our next stop was the V + A (Victoria and Albert Museum), which is just right across the street from the Natural History Museum. This one was my choice. It's a museum celebrating the arts... everything from sculpture, paintings, clothing... it was amazing. I have found that lately I'm fascinated by clothing when it's on display in museums. I think this is my art form of choice. I was I could sew better so I can partake. I think what draws me to it is that it's not just art, but it's functional too-- it's something that someone can wear and conduct their daily life in (in some cases).
Once we finished at the V + A, we still had daylight left, but not really any time to go into any museums anymore. That was fine though, so we decided to walk. I wanted to show Jack Kensington Gardens and the outside of Kensington palace and the pond. It's one of my favorite places... ever. So I wanted to share that. It was nice to make a new memory here though because I remember the last time I walked through this park, I was in excruciating pain because I had blisters on my feet that had burst (sorry for that image) and were being rubbed as I continued to walk anyway. I didn't have that this time around-- I was much more prepared with proper walking shoes. So I was pain-free and with the one I love the most!
That was our one full day in London and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Next time we're here though, we'll plan more full days because for Jack at least (and for me, even though I've been here once before and spent an entire week JUST in London), one day just isn't enough time. We feel like we've only scratched the surface.
Warner Bros. Studios
The day had finally arrived. I've been dreaming of this day since the first time I was in London. When I visited England on my own, I did Harry Potter related things (visited the real Platform 9 3/4, went to the reptile house at the zoo, etc.), but I did not do the studio tour. This time, I was determined to do this.I was a little nervous because we were taking the train out to Watford and weren't 100% how we would get to the studio once we arrived at the station, but it turned out to be way easier than we ever anticipated. There is a fleet of double-decker buses covered in Harry Potter imagery that take you from the station to the studio and back when you're finished. I never should have worried. Of course they'd make your visit to the studio as easy as possible. And yes, we road on the upper deck in the front of the bus :) Who knows when I'll get that opportunity next!
And then the magic began. I didn't even have to enter the studio to feel it, but once inside, I was on cloud nine. The studio has sets that are still up and every once in a while, they'll shift the focus so that there are certain sets, props, and costumes that are on display. So when we visited, we probably didn't get to see everything. I know at the time I'm writing this, there's a focus on Gringotts and how that was filmed, but when I went, the focus was on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which happens to be one of my absolute favorites in the series. So I didn't see a ton related to Gringotts, but they had costumes, props, and set pieces related to the Triwizard Tournament. It was incredible. I'm just going to spam you with photos because I think that's the easiest way to share my experience at the studio.
I was on cloud nine the entire time we were at Warner Bros. studios. It was incredible to be completely immersed in this world that I dove into as a kid and then the movies that I analyzed to death as a teenager (literally, I think I broke my copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire because I would backtrack to try and see how they set up and executed a particular scene. I was walking on the sets that were used in the movies and it was so surreal... and then the costumes were amazing and it was really trippy to see them in person... wow... it was a lot to handle.
We had lunch there too, which was fine, but we made sure to try out butterbeer. My first butterbeer. It was okay. I think it was creme soda and it had marshmallow fluff on top. It was sweet and kind of nice, but definitely not something that I need to have every day.
Really, this was the best way to end our stay in England. Our trip was far from over, but the next day, we said goodbye and jetted off to the Netherlands. But I'll end this post here.
Thanks for reading!
--Jude
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