God Eftermiddag,

Loved London – how can you not.  We stayed in Canary Wharf which is London’s new financial district (initial construction started in 1988!) and something right out of the “Jetsons” – the only thing missing was the flying cars.  Crazy construction going on everywhere!  We fully used all the transportation systems.  Travelled on the Thames Clipper to Greenwich, a neighbour to London, went on the sky tram over the Thames, walked through the tunnel under the Thames, went through the Cutty Sark exhibit, had a pint in the top 3 rated pubs and visited the Greenwich Observatory and straddled the Greenwich Mean Time line with one foot in the western hemisphere and one foot in the eastern hemisphere.  We went to the theatre and saw a musical (Book of Mormon), had tea with the Queen (a bit stuffy), walked through Hyde park, Green Park, many parks, and visited several more pubs!

Insights:

• Amazing transportation system and process – so easy to get around quickly
• Book of Mormon is a must see … not at all what you expect
• Londoners are as shocked about the results of the Brexit vote as we were and even more confused about the potential of Trump becoming president
• Every meal comes with chips (fries) whether you ask for them or not
• We would love to work here – deal with that next year!
• And…dang it!….. we still have too much in our suitcases!

Next up was 8 days in Malmo, which is Sweden’s 3rd largest city.  Malmo is a university town, ethnically diverse, culturally rich; a great place to raise a family, and has more bikes than we have ever seen!  Most of our time was spent with our 2 grandkids, Dylan who had his 2nd birthday while we were there and Charlie who is 2 months old and making herself known to the world!  It was wonderful spending a lot of time with them along with our son Chris and daughter-in-law My (as in her name, MY).  There was lots of laughs, giggles, gurgles, spills, tears, cuddling, playing, reading, making forts, and drinking wine.

Insights:

• Fran’s penguin impersonation put Dylan into fits of laughter every time
• Steve’s habit of pacing makes him perfect for settling down Charlie
• In Canada pedestrians have the right of way; London the cars have the right of way; and, in Malmo the cyclists have the right of way and there are lots of them everywhere!!!
• Spectacular Swedish fall colours
• It was great to be surrounded with young beautiful people!  
• We have shed more clothes and still our two small suitcases are bursting at the seams

So now its off to Berlin,  Prague, and Budapest!

Steve and Fran

“Making it so”

LONDON, UK PICTURES:

MALMO, SWEDEN PICTURES