Paris July 08

We took the Eurostar across to meet Marks parents to celebrate Di's 60th birthday, had a fantastic weekend staying right near Versailles

Mark just after biking around the Arc de Triomphe! did an amazing bike tour guided by Cathy Sims.

Di's 60th celebrations

More fireworks: went to amazing show which is like cirque du soleil mixed with fireworks at Versaille

Saw some amazing chateaus and french gardens, this one is at vicomte.

The english countryside - out and about on wknds

Here are some of our various attempts in pursuit of finding the allusive english summer...

First up we visited Richard in Cirencester in the cotswalds. This was spring - Rich was keen for his first wakeboard of the summer...

settled for a stroll in some of the quaint Cotswalds villages instead.

The magic roundabout in Swindon, 6 in 1 - go figure!

Thames upstream of London - Wind in the Willows country, pretty but still far from being nice for a dip

Mark taking in the seaside!

The seven sisters

Beachy head - near eastbourne

London 08

So after Ireland, we hit the UK which was the end of road as we settled down in London.

I now know why people seem to dissapear after they stop travelling - setting up flats, jobs etc. all took a wee bit of time and effort and free time for blogging became rare, and you forget to take your camera everywhere you go. Anyway here's some snaps we did manage to take:

We arrived in London just in time for Marks birthday celebrated at one of the Oldest english pubs for Marks Birthday

inside the pub

greenwich

up the london eye with marks parents

chanced upon the rehearsal for trooping of the colours - amazing pagentry!

The buggy for you know who... just need some photoshop magic

and voila this is what the real day looked like...

Instead of watching out for queen I befriended the beefeaters at tower of london.

Watching Nadal play doubles at the Artois champs at the Queens Club (very british tennis)