Kesaloma

Koulujen kesaloma alkaa taalla Englannissa vasta heinakuun loppupuolella, ja jatkuu syyskuulle saakka.  Tuntuu vahan hassulta, etta meidan loma alkaa kun Suomessa ja Ruotsissa ihmiset ovat lomailleet jo kauan.  Onneksi kesakuussa ja heinakuussa kouluissa on kaikennakoisia kivoja tapahtumia kuten urheilupaiva, koulunaytelma, kesamarkkinat jne.  Tekemista riittaa ja kesaviikot kuluvat vauhdilla.

Kun asuimme Dubaissa, olimme joka kesa Suomessa ja Ruotsissa lahes kaksi kuukautta.  Dubaissa oli tuolloin n. 50 astetta lamminta joten lahdimme aina kuumuutta pakoon niin pitkaksi aikaa kuin mahdollista. Nyt kun asumme taalla Englannissa meidan on vielakin jotenkin vaikea ymmartaa ettei meidan tarvitse paeta taalta minnekaan.  Lomaa voisi viettaa taallakin.  Viime kesa oli meidan ensimmainen kesamme taalla (sita ennen olimme siis nelja vuotta Dubaissa) ja tuolloinkin lahdimme Suomeen samana paivana kuin koulu loppui ja palasimme vasta kuusi viikkoa myohemmin.  Suomen ja Ruotsin lisaksi ajoimme myos Sveitsiin ja Ranskaan lomailemaan.

Taman vuoden kesalomasuunnitelmat ovat edelleen vahan auki.  Olemme kuitenkin paattaneet lomailla myos kotiymparistossa.  Lorvailla kotona ja tehda pienempia reissuja taalla.  Ihan siistia ettei talla kertaa tarvitse pakata monen kuukauden tavaroita viidelle hengelle... :-)

Nama kuvat eivat oikein liity juttuun muuten kuin etta Lontootakin tulee varmasti koluttua kesaloman aikana...

These pics are not very relevant to the text but I guess they can communicate the fact that we will definitely hang out in London during the vacation, too...

The school year here ends very late in the summer, towards the end of July.  It feels a bit funny that we start our vacation when Scandinavians are getting ready to return to work and school.  Luckily the summer months at school are fun and there are lots of great events such as sports day, the school play, the summer fun day etc.  All of this will make the weeks go by fast.


When we lived in Dubai we escaped the summer heat there every summer.  We would spend about two months in Scandinavia because Dubai was just too hot.  Now that we live here in England we still tend to think that we need to leave for a longer amount of time.  Last summer was our first summer in the UK and even then we left the country as soon as the school holiday started, and returned six weeks later.  We spent time in Scandinavia and drove down to Switzerland and France as well.


This summer's vacation plans are still in the air.  However, we have decided to spend proper time here, too.  Lazy days at home and smaller trips in this country sound good to us.  It's also nice to know one doesn't have to pack two months' worth of stuff for five people... :-)

Nani & Ronaldo

Kiitos tati M, meilla on nyt talossa kolme portugalilaista futaajaa: yksi Nani ja kaksi Ronaldoa!  Synttarilahjatilaus saapui aamulla juuri ennen fudistreeneihin lahtoa ja niinpa riemu raikasi taalla jo aamukasilta.  Alex ja Colin halusivat laittaa uudet paidat heti paalle, mutta Liam pysyi viela tanaan ManUlle lojaalina.  Shortsit ja nappikset puuttuvat viela, mutta pojat olivat komeita uusissa paidoissaan... ja pelasivat harkoissa taas tosi hienosti!

Thank you auntie M, we now have three handsome Portuguese footballers in the house: one Nani and two Ronaldos!  The boys' birthday order was delivered early this morning and we had the happiest dudes when they discovered their new shirts from the package.  Alex and Colin wore their shirts right away but Liam remained loyal to ManU and saved his new shirt for later.  :-)

A special Hello! to our dear Portuguese friends (you know who you are)!!! <3

Colin turns six!

Our beloved middle boy Colin has now turned six and as a birthday treat we took all three boys to Legoland in Windsor.  We have bought the whole family Merlin passes this year which allow us to visit several attractions like Legoland in the UK, and as many times as we want to.  We like Legoland a lot.  It's neat, friendly, and suitable for smaller children like ours.

We had a great time in Legoland and Colin thought it was the best day ever... love you birthday boy!

Rakas keskimmaisemme Colin on juuri tayttanyt 6 v. ja hanta juhlistaaksemme veimme koko perheen Legolandiin Windsoriin.  Tana vuonna meilla on Merlin-kortit joilla paasee sisalle moniin eri nahtavyyksiin ja huvipuistoihin ja niin monta kertaa kuin haluaa.  Legoland kuuluu tahan diiliin myos.  Se on hyva, silla tykkaamme Legolandista kovasti.  Se on siisti, ystavallinen paikka joka sopii loistavasti pienille lapsille.

Legolandissa oli kivaa ja paiva oli synttaripojan mielesta paras ikina... rakas Colin!

Muutama kuva

Selailin viimeaikaisia valokuviani hieman ajassa taaksepain ja ajattelin laittaa tanne muutaman kuvan soposta Abinger Hammerin kylasta.  Kylahan on ihan pieni, mutta sitakin sopompi.  Todellista englantilaista idyllia.  On hienoa, etta taalla on niin erilaisia paikkoja ja maisemia joissa vierailla.  Ihan hetkessa voi siirtya Lontoon hulinasta pieniin maalaiskyliin tai merenrantakaupunkeihin.  Ilmankos meidan lista vierailukohteista vaan kasvaa... :-)

I went through some of my photos from a few weeks back and thought I would share a couple more pics of Abinger Hammer as it's such a cute village.  It's tiny but still full of pretty English charm.  What I really like about this place is that it's so versatile... the UK I mean.  One moment you're in the buzz of London and the next in the most beautiful countryside... or a lovely coastal town.  No wonder our list of places to visit just keeps growing... :-)

Ihmetellaan...

... mita kaikkea Lontoosta loytyykaan.  Tukat tuulesta sotkussa, pilvinenkin Lontoo on meista upea!

Mihinkohan sita seuraavaksi suuntaisi?

London is beautiful even on a grey day (and windy, as you can see from the boys' messy hair).  There's so much to see and do, where should we aim next!?!

Lahipubissa

Ihan meidan kodin lahella on kaksi kivaa pubia.  Lahella, mutta sopivan kaukana ettei niiden meno hairitse meita ikina.  On mukavaa kun voi vaan kavella nurkan taa "tuulettumaan".  Yleisesti ottaen pubeissa taalla on tosi kiva ilmapiiri.  Ihmiset tulevat syomaan, ottamaan muutaman juoman, ja juttelemaan toisten ihmisten kanssa.  Pubeissa jarjestetaan tietokilpailuja, niihin voi menna katsomaan jalkapalloa tai muuta urheilua, ja ne on sisustettu niin etta niissa viihtyy pidempaankin.

Me kavimme Martinin kanssa toisessa lahipubeistamme muutama ilta sitten naapuriemme Janen ja Austinin kanssa.  Rupateltiin oikein kunnolla, syotiin hyvaa pubiruokaa ja juotiin olutta ja viinia.  "Steak and Guinness Pie" oli yummy!

We have two super nice pubs close to our house.  It's so easy to drop into them for a lovely evening out.  These pubs like so many others here have a great atmosphere.  People come to pubs to eat, to have a pint or two, and to socialise with other people.  The pubs are active in organising events such as quiz nights, and people can drop in to watch sports.  The interiors are cosy and inviting.

The other night Martin and I went to one of the pubs around the corner from our home.  We had our lovely neighbors Jane and Austin with us.  We chatted for a long while, ate some good pub food, and enjoyed some beer and wine as well.  Martin and I had "Steak and Guinness Pie" for the first time and it was really yummy!

Oli siis kiva ilta!

What a nice evening it was!

Roar!

On Sunday we went to see the "Lion King" musical at the Lyceum in London.  We had tickets for the whole family plus our visitors from Finland.  We want the boys to experience the many amazing historical and cultural things London has to offer, and thought "Lion King" would be the perfect first major musical for them.

The musical was absolutely fantastic.  Elton John's music combined with some amazing performers and the stunning visual side of the show made it oh so enjoyable!  The children sat beautifully throughout the show and really loved it.  They were amazed by the whole thing and thought it was magical. :-)

We are already talking about which musical to watch next...


Before "Lion King" we had lunch in a pub on Wellington street.  It was nice to sit outside and see lots of people enjoying their day in London.  :-)

Lion King -musikaali ja pubilounas sunnuntaina Lontoossa.  Suosittelen!