London Calling

Took the girls to London for 6 days - visiting old friends and old haunts, and it honestly left me wondering why I was in such a hurry to leave the place both times I lived there (1995-1999, and again from 2004-2007). In hindsight, I think for both stints it was the fact that I was working at a job that I did not enjoy - funny that both times it was PeeWee who rescued me out of London - the first time to go to La Reunion for a year, and the second time to move to Rennes.

The girls had a blast. Manolee has no real memory of London other than what she sees in pictures, but she was able to appreciate the double decker buses and the Princess Diana Playground in Kensington Gardens (on the one day that it did not rain during our stay). Twice we enjoyed lovely Thai food at the best pub in London, Churchill Arms, where we were welcomed with hugs and kisses (it helped that we used to go there at least once a week when we lived there) and I introduced the girls to Indian food (Hana loved it, Manolee hated it). Hana got to catch up with a number of her friends and even got to go back to the Lycee where her 1st grade teacher recognized her right away and was very happy to see her.



I was getting grumpy towards the 4th day because I had done nothing for myself, just chauffering the kids around from one place to the next. Then our good friend K (in whose place we were squatting btw) took me and Manolee to Westfield, supposedly the biggest shopping mall in Europe - and my mood lifted considerably. The mall itself is very American and very well done - and best of all, Manolee behaved impeccably, letting me try on shoes and browse for nearly one whole hour.

Now we are back in Rennes, back in rain...!!