Five Countries Four Marlboroughs: Guards and Theatre!

Woke early again - why does it seem like it is always daylight in London? The sun rises around 430am and sets around 10pm - there really is only 6.5 hours of darkness which to me is just strange and a bit annoying. The kids wake up at the sunrise but thankfully are being good little boys and going back to sleep. We all had breaky in our room, having an apartment with a kitchen has made meals easy and saved a fortune. Is it wrong to eat cherry pie and brie for breakfast?

The six of us hopped on the tube (we all LOVE the tube and have become very confident in getting around) and went to the Changing of the Guards Ceremony at Buckingham palace. Along with every other tourist. We lined up for about 30 minutes and then the soldiers came marching along to the band wearing their red tunics and bearskin caps. The kids were actually more into it than what i thought - and so was I! We then went to the Buckingham Palace shop and I must have been swept up in the moment as i bought a teacup, tea, xmas decoration (oh goodness) and some pencils with gold crowns on top for the kids.

Terry and I then took the kids to see the matinee show of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory at the Drury Lane Theatre. This has just started previewing with the official opening on the 25th June. The theatre is the fourth on the site with the original theatre dating back to 1663. I have never seen such a fantastic show in all my life - come to think of it - I don't think i have seen a major show before! Everything from the acting, the sets, special effects, sound was just perfect. Nigel Planer (who played Neil from the Young Ones) was in it and nearly all of the kids acting were 11 -Will's age. At the end of the show I was blinking tears - it was just so amazing, we were so lucky to have been there and i was completely lost in the moment. Having no clue on theatre etiquette I was really hoping someone would give a standing ovation so i could too! The next minute, a guy stood up a few rows down and that was my cue to get up and the four of us clapped and cheered. I clapped until my hands hurt. I asked Will to rate it out of 10 and he said 11. We were so lucky to buy tickets on the day - great seats right up close in the stalls, money well spent. Terry said to me at the end - I bet your mate Ron would have loved this!

Tonight we are having a quiet night as we are off to Brussels on the Eurostar tomorrow. Four days in London and we just love it.