Our first sightseeing trip took us to the most important place in London for a family with preteens: King's Cross Station. The tube that runs closest to our house actually goes to King's Cross, so we just hopped the tube, making sure to "mind the gap," and we were there in about a half an hour. (There are signs all over the tube stations warning you to "mind the gap"--watch the hole between your train and the platform and preferably don't fall into it-- which give our children endless fodder for "talking British," a skill which Eryn is determined to polish before returning to the states.)
The first thing you notice when you get to King's Cross is that the station is HUGE. We podunk American's actually stood there in awe for a few minutes with our mouths open before venturing off to find platform 9 3/4, which isn't really the section of wall where that part of the Harry Potter movie was filmed. Apparently Ms. Rowling misremembered which station had a solid wall between 9 and 10, and King's Cross doesn't; the wall between platforms 4 and 5 were actually temporarily renumbered for the filming. So first we took pictures where the actual filming occurred, complete with the bridge behind us where Hagrid gives Harry his ticket, and then we headed off to find the picture spot where someone has actually labeled a wall close to the real platforms 9 and 10 and attached part of a luggage trolley. The kids had a great time taking pictures and then taking turns running at the wall. Really. None of them is headed for Hogwarts this year, I'm afraid, but we did end up with a couple of bruises and quite a few dirty jackets. I'm sure the station employees enjoy watching every kids that comes to the station running at the wall, though.
After leaving King's Cross, we hopped another tube and headed south into the middle of London, destination the queen's house. Buckingham Palace is massive and stately, and the grounds take up an enormous plot of land right in the heart of the city. It was a pretty dreary day, and we got there too late to see the changing of the guards (which happens every morning at 11:30). What we did see was the enormous palace, huge gates, hordes of people, and a couple of guards way up on the property. That was it, not even a guard with tall, fluffy hat. I guess we'll have to go back and see those things when one of you visit...hint, hint. All that aside, the palace is quite impressive, and even just seeing it from the outside is an experience. (If you visit in August or September, apparently the nice lady lets you tour her house while she's away on holiday, you and thousands of your closest friends.) We walked completely around the exterior palace walls, spent way too much time in the gift shop (have to remember to NOT let the kids go in places like that), and then went over to the Wellington arch.
The Wellington arch itself is about four stories high and is ornate and impressive, although in a little-known, low-tourist-attraction-rating sort of way. It's crowned with a huge marble carving of a chariot and horses (which I'm sure I have seen in pictures but wouldn't have had any idea where to find until we actually saw it sitting there on top of the arch). There is a smallish museum up inside of it that we spent all of about 10 minutes in since we get in free with our English Heritage membership card, and we enjoyed a quick view of the London skyline from on top, complete with Big Ben and the Eye. The Wellington grounds, though, did have something unexpectedly intriguing: an Australian war memorial that looks a lot like the Vietnam Wall in D.C. We actually spent quite a while at the monument and playing on the nicely-manicured lawns around the arch.After we finished at the Wellington Arch area, we took a leisurely 45-minute walk toward Hyde Park and the ever-famous Harrods so that we could have dinner in the eerie restaurant in the crypt (an real restaurant in an actual crypt in the old St. Martin's on the Green church). We got there with high expectations and very hungry children, however, just to find that it is being renovated and will open in the spring. Note to self; call ahead. We did discover, however, a wonderful Italian restaurant right next to it. One thing you can say for London, the restaurants may be extremely overpriced, but you can sure get some fantastic food! Some of the best and cheapest food in London, by the way, is served in the pubs, but they only allow kids until a certain time if they allow them at all.
Full bellies sure make for a nicer train ride home than empty bellies make for a couple-mile walk. :D
All things considered, we enjoyed the day immensely despite the weather, even though the younger kids complained that we didn't do anything. For Kyle, Jess, and I, just walking around London and seeing the little of it that we were able to see was exciting. And, hey, the kids got to see platform 9 3/4! What more could a kid want?!!? I would think knocking yourself senseless running into a brick wall definitely counts as doing something.
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