Photos From The London Eye

Hiking in Helena

While in Helena to take photographs of my parents for their 30th wedding anniversary, I went on a morning hike with Carrie and her two dogs, Vinny & Winnie. 

Mom made this fresh strawberry smoothie for me when I got back!

Food

Today's theme is European food:

Salad in Paris with ham, cheese, carrots, peppers, and the brown pieces are cooked potatoes. I loved this dish, but it cost about $20.

I tried one of these pistachio and berry pastries in Rouen, France. Also, very tasty.

I would never order such a meal. Pam had this for lunch in Rouen, whereas I had a savory ham, cheese, and apple crepe.

This little piece of bread came with a meal that cost me $225. Yes, you read that correctly, and no, it was not my intention to spend that much on a meal - ever.

Fresh breakfast croissant from the bakery near Fourges, France.

One of many, many cheese markets in France.

This is Prince Harry's favorite dessert called Eton Mess. I had this after an Italian meal of pizza at a fine restaurant on the water's edge in Liverpool, England.

We all know this fine establishment, MCDONALD'S!!! This was a great comfort meal, even though it looks very different than the traditional American McDonald's food. I loved it.

Enjoying my first experience of afternoon tea at Harrod's in London. It is precisely as wonderful as I always dreamed. 

30 Years

Today is my parents' 30th wedding anniversary. I had the privilege of taking photographs of them in Helena today. There are so many more great ones.

In the Capitol building, where they first met as Legislative Auditors.

Sharing ice cream cones downtown on the walking mall.

We re-created this wedding portrait in the same place at St. Mary's Church.

After the Weekend

I was off the grid this weekend (Fri-Sat-Sun), exploring Glacier National Park. Photos will be coming, but in the meantime, here are more photos from Europe.

Cross detail on the front of St. Anthony of Padua. This is the church where my Grandma Ruth and Grandpa Wendell were married in Liverpool in May 1945 before immigrating to the US.

Flowers at Monet's Garden in Giverny, France.

Parliament and Big Ben as seen from the top of the London Eye.

Black swan in the pond at St. James Park in London.

Monet's Garden where he painted the famous water lilies. 

Borough Market in Central London. These pitchers are full of Pimm's, a traditional Summer English drink with cucumber, lemon, mint, and raspberries. We shared a pitcher with Dawn on the High Road in Chiswick. I love it.

Setting up for lunch outside in the garden in Hampton Poyle, England. Pam and I loved this yellow juice (ginger apple juice).

The steeple at the church just inside the front gates at Versailles Palace in France.

The pond in Monet's Garden in France.

This was hands-down, the BEST dessert I have ever had. It is a traditional French macaroon with fresh raspberries and a raspberry whip inside. This finished off a not-so-great lunch in Paris.

The beautiful sun peeking through in Paris. It was our warmest day of the holiday, with temperatures in the 70's.

Europeans love wine, but they also love to recycle. This is a bin at a park in Paris. There is no open container law there, just like Butte.

Versailles Palace in France. This is where Marie Antoinette lived when she married French royalty.

Cathedral gargoyle up high in Rouen, France.

This is off the beaten path in a village in the French countryside.

Dawn & Jac have a duck pond with about 15 ducks. There are three whites that look alike.

In No Particular Order

Auntie Pam as we leave Versailles Palace in France.

The trees were trimmed like this, lining the dirt road for miles.

Matilda (3) at Kew Gardens in London.

Snails covered the pathway on our nature walk near Oxford, England.

Gulls in the pond at St. James Park in Central London.

Looking up from underneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Pier in Llandudno, Wales.

Auntie Lily & Uncle Harold honeymooned here.

The London Eye as seen from the East.

This is after we rode it once around for 30 minutes.

Beautiful topiary outside my cousin's home in the area of Chiswick in London.

Pam and I in the reflection of a bin with a carousel and the Eiffel in the background.

We were in the snack line for crepes and ice cream.

French puddings through the window in Rouen, France.

There are loads of these little patisseries everywhere.

A lamb in the pastures behind my cousin's cottage in Hampton Poyle, England.

The Shard is the tallest building in the European Union and opened for visitors on 1 February 2013. It is 72 stories and we visited The View at the top. At 30 GBP, it'll cost you.

Radishes at the market in Rouen, France.

Candies in the window in Rouen, France.

Grandma Ruth liked these.

St. Paul's Cathedral as we approach from the River Thames, after visiting the Tate Modern and crossing the Wobbly Bridge (formally the Millennium Bridge).

Roses at the market in Rouen, France.

Pam saying goodbye to a resident kitty at our bed & breakfast in Northwest London. Pictured behind her is Eileen Kenny, our hostess. We really enjoyed the breakfast here and it made the hour+ commute into Central London worth it.

Selfie taken near the water's edge in Liverpool, England.

Freshly-baked croissants at the cottage in Hampton Poyle, England (near Oxford).