Family outing

It's 6:55 and we have spent the whole day with each other and nobody has gotten hurt.  I can't remember the last time the three of us spent the entire day together without someone taking a personal time out for an hour or so. 

The day started out sunny and Sadia met us around 10:15 to help us navigate the bus system as we headed off to Covent Garden.  I think it would have been faster and easier to go via the tube, but Selim wanted to ride the double decker bus.  I had told him that today was his day so I needed to keep my word.  I'm still working on the whole patience thing some days.  I really wanted to get to the destination.  I should have kept the bhajan in mind, as long as you keep doing Simran, the destination will come to you by itself.  For some reason, I was having trouble enjoying the journey when I should have been able to.  I was in London, the sun was shining, so what was my hurry?

Due to construction, we ended up changing buses and walking a lot.  Nedim was in a wacky mood.  He bought a great hat "for Selim" but I think it is more a joint father/son hat.  He kept doing silly things and saying, "Take my picture!"  Sigh.

It was around 11:30, we got to  Covent Gardens.  We saw the cute pink taxi, and the performers -- the gold man and the pirate.

Then we went into the London Transportation Museum.  What a hit.  There are lots of modes of transportation to climb on, a big ticket to punch fun stamps on throughout, and even talking horses.  Selim loved pretending to drive the bus and the tube. 

Sadia took a picture of Selim and I on an old train.

After the museum and its gift shop, we met Nedim outside at a restaurant.  The sky was rapidly darkening and the wind picking up.  But we were bold and adventurous and ordered food anyway.  I had the most delicious celery soup with garlic croutons.  I could go back and have that again a few more times. 

We had just finished eating when it began to rain in earnest.   The tube station was too crowded, so we ended up walking up to Leicester Square to catch a bus.  I had to take a picture of the Palace Theater, just because of the shoe.

We got back, had tea and within a half hour, the sun came back out.  After a while Nedim, Selim and I headed out to Regents Park and Sadia headed home.  We had a great walk down by the water, past a mosque, and found a playground.  Then we came back home where Nedim has fallen asleep and Selim is trying to find a kids show.  However, the soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona might have to suffice.

I'm going to put a picture of Selim here of when he was asleep the other morning, just so I can see his regular curls.