The Knepper's European Adventures!

This trip has been on the top of my "list" since we got to Europe almost two years ago. We finally managed to squeeze it in under the wire! We decided to wait until spring time in hopes to score some nice weather. We were successful and enjoyed some sunny skies over London! As a bonus, some friends of ours, the Lustenbergers, live just outside of London and they rolled out the red carpet for us. They have three daughters which made this trip extra fun for Leena and Taryn. A win/win for everyone!

Outside the Tower of London. The Tower has served as a castle in wartime, a monarch's residence in peace time, and, most notoriously, as the prison and execution site of rebels.

Approaching the entrance. Back in the day, lions used to roam around the grounds.

Inside a courtyard in the London Tower. The men who guard the tower currently live here.

Standing over the moat of the Tower of London.

On a Beefeater Tour!

One of the Tower of London guards.

View of the Tower Bridge from the grounds inside the Tower of London.

In front of the Tower Bridge.

Tower Bridge family shot.

Standing under the famous London Bridge.

A side shot of St. Paul's Cathedral.

The front of St. Paul's Cathedral. Notice one of the towers is missing a clock - damaged from WWII.

We had dinner at one of the oldest pubs in London, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. Charles Dickens used to frequent this place! It was here that I discovered that I do NOT like British beer. It tastes flat to me.

We got an early start on Day #2 and enjoyed a London hop-on, hop-off bus tour.

View of a pretty building from the bus.

Just love these old phone booths! They are all over the city!

St Martin-in-the-Fields Church located in Trafalgar Square.

The girls in front of Nelson's Column in the center of Trafalgar Square.

Admiralty Arch - built over a road that leads to Buckingham Palace.

The girls stop to look at the Horse Guards. The Horse Guards are mounted troopers of the Household Cavalry who guard the official entrance to St. Jame's Palace and Buckingham Palace.

Shortly after we arrived to look at the Horse Guards, they had a "changing of the guards". These horses were so pretty!

Outside the famous Downing Street.

Look kids... Big Ben!

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

Hanging out in Parliament Square with Westminster Abbey in the background.

Side shot of Westminster Abbey.

In front of Westminster Abbey.

Taryn posing with a column in front of Westminster Abbey - it is a war memorial for Westminster School students who died in the Crimean War.

Standing over the Thames River with the London Eye in the background. It costs £19 per person to ride. That is almost $30 per person!!! Needless to say, we were happy just to watch it go around!

A shot from the other side of Big Ben and Parliament.

View of the London Eye, Big Ben, and Parliament.

A dragon greets you as you enter the London city limits.

On a boat cruise of the Thames River. The Tower Bridge in the background.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

The girls on the boat cruise. Big Ben behind us.

These friendly reminders probably saved our lives!

Calling on the Queen - Buckingham Palace.

In front of Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace.

In the gardens! Amazing flowers!

These old buses and taxis are still around in London.

This is as close as I got to shopping at Harrods. Just ran out of time. Took this shot from our bus tour!

While out sight-seeing all day, the girls kept asking "when can we go back and play"? The girls actually took a few seconds to pose for this shot - Amanda, Taryn, Virginia, Leena and Gillian.

Day 3 and the Lustenbergers joined us for a tour of Hampton Court Palace. Here we checked out the labyrinth in the garden which was planted in the 1690s.