Week 2 of Summer Break will probably be one of the most memorable weeks of the entire year! The ten of us boarded a plane last Saturday with the final destination of Manchester, England! The jet lag is real and I think all of us would agree that we were more like zombies than humans the first day as we started our adventure. We successfully rebounded quickly and made many memories in some of England's most beautiful and historic cities!
Day 1: Travel Day and Stockport, England
We traveled through the night which meant little sleep on the plane and trying to grab a cat nap when possible as we moved to our hotel and explored the local town of Stockport which would be home base for the next eight days. Stockport offers easy access to the bus and train transportation systems that allowed us to see many cities in a short amount of time. We had to deboard the plane on the tarmac which made for an interesting introduction to Manchester. The airport had been without power just a few short hours before our arrival. It is hard to imagine what would have happened if we had arrived a few hours sooner. I am so very thankful for God's protection and provision on this travel day! We toured downtown Stockport as we waited for our hotel to be available. We got to walk through an air raid shelter which was especially interesting to my history-loving kid (Zander).
Day 2: Bakewell, England
When your last name is Bakewell, you have to take a train and bus ride to explore this city. Known for their Bakewell Pudding and Bakewell Tart, we tried all the yummy treats as we walked around the town. We ate lunch at the Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop and got to try the Bakewell Pudding Gin that dad has been telling us about for years. It was made even more special as I was able to celebrate my 41st birthday in this town. Zack and I even put a lock on the bridge to seal our love.... 16 years of marriage and about 20 years together.... excited to keep this streak going strong! ;)
We took a bus and metro link ride to Manchester to see the Imperial War Museum (which was incredible) and check out the Manchester United Stadium (which was definitely a highlight of the trip). My soccer-loving boys (i.e. football in England) loved putting their feet on the pitch, seeing the locker rooms and getting to walk around the perimeter of a stadium they see on television.
Day 4: Tatton Park (in Knutsford, Great Britain)
We wanted a mansion experience and this stop did not disappoint! We toured the gardens, enjoyed a self-guided tour of the mansion and walked around a working farm. The kids enjoyed a maze (that I was afraid we would get lost in) within the gardens, the cellars of the mansion and all the baby animals at the farm (including chicks, a calf and a kid, i.e. baby goat). Our cell phone provider had an outage for any international travelers specifically in the European countries which caused a little challenge with navigation getting back to the train stop as I was unsure the taxi driver had received my texts and calls but after navigating those logistics, we were back on track! There was never a dull moment moving 10 people from one location to another!
Day 5: Liverpool, England
Originally, Linds and I planned a ferry ride as a way to explore this historic city. However, when the ferry was experiencing technical difficulties, we had to pivot and enjoyed a bus tour of the city instead. We got to see the Beatles statue and enjoyed lunch at a local Liverpool Pub that was recommended by the bus provider. Linds and I enjoyed coffee drinks most days as it is tough work moving our family around while planning for the timing and transportation logistics to get from one place to another. I will always remember our late night planning sessions to ensure each day ran as smoothly as possible for this trip. :)
Day 6: London
One of my favorite days of the trip! Dad arranged a bus tour that hit all the highlights I would have wanted to see with only one day in this world renown city! We checked out Big Ben, Westminster, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Hyde Park, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower Bridge and even walked across the London Bridge (and it did not coming falling down;)). Maddox was all about the food this day! We enjoyed a delicious pizza lunch right near Buckingham Palace (Pizza Pilgrims) as we waited out the crowds who had gathered to watch the changing of the guards which happens daily between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. We got to see the changing of the guards from afar but I am glad we walked back to the palace for a closer look!
Day 7: Stockport, England
After a very busy day navigating trains, the Tube and a bus system in London, we opted for a low key day to end our trip before heading home. It was also the only day that had even slight precipitation which was crazy considering how wet you typically hear England is. We all enjoyed a movie (Inside Out 2) at the local cinema and then the girls went for afternoon tea at the Pear Mill Vintage Tea Room. It was so fun to have the girl time and also not have as many people to be responsible for as we took a short bus ride to this destination. The Kennedys and Houstons finished out the day with drinks at a local pub and dinner at Zizzi while Grammy and Grandpa watched the kids... thank you for the date night!! :)
The travel day took us about 22 hours of elapsed time from when we started our journey to the bus station in Stockport at 6:45 a.m. and arrived back home around 10:00 p.m. that evening. With the five hour time difference, we were all feeling how Maddox looks in the picture below! It was such an incredible trip with memories made among three generations in our family. We took this trip as a "legacy trip" in remembrance of our grandparents, the original Bakewells. Thanks to dad's planning and my parents' funding of this trip, we were able to make memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I have always valued presence over presents, and this trip was a perfect example of that! Some of my favorite memories will be playing cards on the train rides, watching Uncle Boomer and Zander play chess, our boys playing and giggling into the late hours each night, and eating delicious food all along the way. The company was second to none and the cities we visited will always hold a special place in my heart.
Tapas at Berretto Lounge (one of my favorite meals) with Cherry Bakewells with the OG Bakewells ;)
Another milestone hit while I was gone... I ran at least 1000 miles during my 40th year of life. I am clearly getting older as the calendar shows each year, but I am thankful I have the strength and dedication to continue doing something I love!
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