Catch up!

Hey all, obviously we have been putting sight seeing and sleeping on top priority vs writing in here, but our time has continued to be amazing!
London worked out perfectly couch surfing with Kristy, a teacher in Slough-just west of London- who is over here for a year or two teaching secondary school. We arrived exhausted to her flat friday after the long night on the bus- still feeling rather drugged by tylenol pm. She let us into her place to sleep before an afternoon of seeing London.
We made it downtown, by way of figuring out HOW expensive it was to travel into and out of the city.
It was a BEAUTIFUL Friday afternoon for our ¨self guided¨ tour of London starting at Victoria Station/ Buckingham palace through to London Bridge- really not that cool to see :(. We walked by way of Westminister Abby, Parliment area, parks, the London Eye, Big Ben and the most inventive versions of the ¨silver¨ man where you give them money and they move, dance, talk, bicycle... they have stepped it up a notch. The English pubs were PACKED and everyone was wearing their sheik black outfits. Feeling rather confident on the subway system- English putting us back in our comfort zone- we found Bond street :)
Friday night we met up with Kristy and her friends to see a night out Windsor style- complete with Christmas music in the club! They are apparently very into the movie Love Actually and so no matter the season, Christmas music from the movie is appropriate.

Saturday Kristy took us around Windsor in the daylight- only 10 minutes by train. We saw the Windsor Wheel, a smaller millenium version of the London Eye for only like 8 Euros! We didnt try it. The Queen was in the castle because her flag was flying, no royalty sightings this time though. We got lunch in a pub right across the street from the castle where we tried ¨brown sauce¨- not bad but not good...- and Josh got his official English breakfast complete with baked beans.
We walked into Eaton, which is so close to Windsor you literally cant drive directly between them, where Eaton College is. The mandandatory dress code was hanging in some shop windows- a full suit complete with tails! Cant imagine wearing that to class.

Saturday afternoon we found out there was a soccer game at Reading (pronounced like the color red), about 30 minutes by train away vs Queens Park so this was our chance for Joshs soccer game. We actually had tickets to a Manchester United v. Everton in Liverpool, but couldnt get there for the game (too far in distance for too much money). These teams are like minor leagues though and still over 20,000 people were in the stands! The game ended in a tie 0-0 but we met friends at half time and caught onto the clapping cheers and therefore consider ourselves real Reading fans :)

Sunday we left Slough at 8:30am for a train ride through Wales, to the Fishguard Harbor (at almost 3pm) and then onto a ferry to Ireland. The first hour or so on the ferry was a blast; I checked out the amazing and windy coastline of Wales, joined Josh watching the soccer games, and explored. It was like a mini cruise ship with shopping, bar, food court, TVs, cabins, kids areas...The sea was rough though and after a pre-made sandwhich lunch and helping a little boy who threw up all over the floor, I lost my own sea legs and lunch. We were very glad to arrive in Rosslare, Ireland and after an hour bus ride we got to Waterford!
Waterford in the oldest town in Ireland founded by the Vikings in 800 something and now famous for their crystal (we didnt go in the factory though).

Leaving Paris tomorrow for Bordeaux- hopefully then will catch up on Ireland and Paris!
Picture links for those with out facebook:
Germany: Frankfurt and Hildesheim: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2150899&l=1a7ec&id=19714949
Berlin: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2151693&l=301db&id=19714949
Stockholm: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2151839&l=e9c39&id=19714949
London: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2153972&l=7827b&id=19714949
Amsterdam: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2153974&l=5a920&id=19714949Advertise
Belguim; Brussels, Brugge, and a Ghent park bench: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2153978&l=74d2f&id=19714949
Ireland: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2154959&l=90c12&id=19714949
Paris: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2154975&l=8c7f1&id=19714949
I hope those work, Good Night