Day 16 – London
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A day without Ate is a day that just isn’t complete. </3 It’s like I’m missing a part of myself, an important appendage. All her life we’ve stayed close together, never far apart save for a couple of days here & there when it can’t be helped. But other than that, the family has always been close-knit, closer than usual you could say.
Spent the better part of the evening last night crying when we got to the new apartment in London. Some more this morning when I saw 4 toothbrushes intead of 5 & counted 4 jackets & bags instead of 5. :'(( I hope I’m all cried out. I don’t want Ate feeling guilty just because her mom can’t handle her emotions. Must stay strong for her. Before she left we made a 21-by-21 bucket list so she won’t feel too overwhelmed & take her me-time as a challenge instead of an adversity. It includes: visiting europe, travelling alone, flying business class, living independently. Check, check, check & check.
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So thankful for loving cousins who watch out for us. My Kuya has been a constant source of strength & encouragement for our family. His mother-in-law recently passed away in the province but he made sure that Ate is picked up first & brought safely home as promised before he left to attend to his husbandly duties.
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Woke up late, Kap was rushing (as always) because he only paid for parking until 10:30 am hehe & he didn’t want to pay for more. So he kept nagging us to move it, move it. Parking here is free from 6:30 pm to the next day at 8:30 am, after that you need to pay by the hour, maximum of 4 hours straight then capish, ya gotta look for a parking somewhere else or you get a ticket. Ayaw na ni Kap ma-tiketan uli lol.
3rd attempt at Westminster Abbey, they say 3rd time’s the charm so FINALLY! Napasok din namin, hay. Entrance fee to the Abbey: 20 british pounds/pax or 1.3k each. BUY TICKETS ONLINE HERE.
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Sayang, Ate would have LOVED touring the abbey. She’s into arts, architecture, history & music. Shala ba.
Westminster Abbey is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church, in the City of Westminster London located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the most notable religious buildings in the United Kingdom, and has been the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English and, later, British monarchs.
Picture-taking isn’t allowed but hella Pinay that I am, pasaway! 😛
Henry VII added a Perpendicular style chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1503 (known as the Henry VII Chapel or the “Lady Chapel”). Much of the stone came from Caen, in France (Caen stone), the Isle of Portland (Portland stone) and the Loire Valley region of France (tuffeau limestone). Simply breathtaking. <3
Tombstone of Mary, Queen of Scotland. I’m a big fan of Reign so syempre FC ako sa kanya. Meanwhile, nasa tapat nya tombstone ni Elizabeth, Queen of England. Parang type kong saksakin dahil sa pagpapahirap nya kay bff Mary ko! ???? #doubledead
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Lunch break at Wasabi Sushi & Bento for some asian fastfood, hindi matunawan si Kap pag walang kanin.
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Taste of food here is really meh, but laman-tiyan & cheap (read: Kap approved). And we eat when we can, where we can. Bawal ang choosy or gutom ang aabutin. ;))
They seem happy naman. As long as they are well-fed & healthy, no problemo.
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Getting a long iMessage from Ate (see previous post) cheered me up considerably, and knowing she got home safe & sound was a load off my chest. No matter how old she gets I guess she will always be my baby & I will always, always worry about her well-being.
To perk up my sagged spirits of Day 1 of 12 without my sweetpea, Kap & the kids took me to SHREK near the London Eye area, yay!! \m/ It’s a great source of entertainment for kids. No photos were allowed but there’s a 4D screening & a walk-through in several rooms with actors delighting little kids. Mej mali lang ang napasukan namin for our age group, lol. No photos were allowed though, sorry.
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Being surrounded by kids at the ticketnet should have warned me of what lay ahead hehe. Sayang ang 27.50 pounds entrance per person (1.8k/person – highway robbery!). Buti nalang good mood si Kap hindi ako napagalitan.
Anyway, pampatay-oras din. And I do love Shrek. 😉
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Next stop, Dober St. & Harrod’s for some shopping. Ito na ang pagkakataon kasi gusto akong pasayahin ni Kap my Kap. He knows shopping is therapeutic mwahaha. Maybe I can milk this sadness thing a few days more! ;P
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If you’ve noticed the black woolen shawl I’ve been wearing everywhere, Kap bought that for me in Harrod’s 22 years ago on our honeymoon. And 22 years after I am wearing it again in Harrod’s. <3
My super fab find! This Givenchy Nightingale was marked at 60% off, nag-iisa nalang at the Harrod’s annual big sale! I snatched it off the shelf right away. <3 Happiness overload! Nagkataong terno pa sa ootd ko. 😉
Saw a monument at the lower level of Dodi Al Fayed & Princess Di, of course we needed to have a photo op with the people’s princess & the love of her life. #togetherforever Le sigh. <3
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At dahil ang pagaasawa ay dapat laging give-and-take (give si Kap, take ako), chinese food for din-din!
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Went back to Chinatown for a triple dose of Kap’s stress-buster after my shopping haul, lol.
Da bes talaga itong si Kap when it comes to tender loving care. Yabang ko kasi, I’ve acclimatized already Honey, I don’t need my shawl. Ayan, nangisay ako sa lamig bandang gabi. And even though he was shivering himself, he still took off his jacket & gave it to me. Sooooobra along pinagpala. Haba ng hair ko talaga!
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Going to Bicester Designer Outlets tomorrow, more shopping para daw make-recover agad ako trololol. Oh yeaaaah, I’m gonna milk this sadness bit with Kap like there’s no tomorrow. ;P
Long drive ahead, turning in now. Goodnight Ate, goodnight world. :-*
6 Comments
Love all your travel posts, Ms. Jane. Very helpful in planning a trip to Europe.
Ps. Love the bag and color, Ms. Jane! ❤️ Great find at 60% off. Did they have a lot of items on sale? 🙂
August 3, 2016 at 9:16 pmThank you Leanne! <3 We went at the tail-end of the sale na huhu kaya konting choices nalang natitira. Grabe naman kasi namamakyaw mga mainland chinese & japanese hakot lang ng hakot kaya bilis maubos. Buti nga naswertehan ko pa itong kaisa-isang treasure! 🙂
August 4, 2016 at 2:31 pmUy di ko napansin before, naka rubber shoes ka pala? Ditch your trademark footwear?
August 4, 2016 at 12:49 amHay naku Maria, hindi kakayanin ng fitflops ang major walking hehe. I need ultraboost for superpowers! :))
August 4, 2016 at 9:05 amI want an UltraBoost too but it is very hard to find.
August 4, 2016 at 1:36 pmHay naku meding so true! Katakot-takot na resellers ang kinontak ni babyson para lang maibili ako ng white ultraboost! @_@ Laki pa ng patong! Kaya dapat talaga suotin 24/7 dahil sa ey-fort hehe!
August 4, 2016 at 2:28 pm