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Hoodwinked by Robin in Nottingham

Hoodwinked by Robin in Nottingham

“It’s a citywide game of hide and seek”, says the hoodwinked2018 website in Nottingham, England!  Well, the Robins are hidden and you have to find them….on the Hoodwinked Art Trail.  Many of the Robins are in the City Center, which is exactly what it says….the center of the city.  If you are in this downtown area, you will see several of them just by walking around.  But, once we started finding…

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New darts representing two countries of our heritage. #darts #irishdarts #englishdarts #newhobby #familydarts #familythatplaystogether #familythatplaystogetherstaytogether https://www.instagram.com/p/BtK4tAUlTGi/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=148yx7k9val8e

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Checkin out the jungle vibe at Wild Island's new black light gokarts. #glowkarts #wildisland #coconutbowl #familyfun #renonv #nevadanv #homemeansnevada (at Wild Island Family Adventure Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsPxDQslDml/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=622caz7bqv91

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Art on the backside of the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco. You can see several pieces along this street which is directly across the street from the Golden Gate Theater. Best to view by day. #thewarfield #streetart #wallart #warfieldart streetmural #sf #sfbay #sanfrancisco #citybythebay #ileftmyheartinsanfrancisco (at The Warfield) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpfgy7Ug2PI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=wwf70nfu4seb

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"The set of Waitress at the San Francisco Golden Gate Theater. We just LOVED it. Was a little racy but overall a great show. Bought our tickets through VividSeats and they were excellent. #sugarbutterflour #waitressmusical #sanfrancisco #thecity #goldengatetheatre https://www.instagram.com/p/BpcbNf_A_kb/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1jf2mpv728bw0

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I left my heart in San Francisco! This week we attended a Broadway play on tour in the City. It was amazing! Another reason to love San Francisco. #heartofmoscone #sf #sfbay #sanfrancisco #citybythebay #ileftmyheartinsanfrancisco #mosconecenter #waitress https://www.instagram.com/p/BpYryVFgPYY/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1c7q7gw6gs29m

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It's a work trip that brings me to SF this week but a bonus to meet San Francisco 49er Joe Staley. #workbenefit #49ers # #sanfrancisco #sanfrancisco49ers #joestaley #oracleworld #oraclecloud #oraclecloudworld https://www.instagram.com/p/BpStfrbgG2a/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1nzhtqtbwjfok

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The Bay Bridge as you come down off of it in San Francisco. I always love this peekaboo view. #citybythebay #sanfrancisco #thecity #sanfranciscobay #sanfranciscobayarea #baybridge #sanfranciscobaybridge #bridges #viewofthebay #travel #worktravel #oldstompinggrounds https://www.instagram.com/p/BpREEC8AGqf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=j83m0hffrbp8

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Outside an office I was in today. #nofun #landlordhasasenseofhumor. https://www.instagram.com/p/BoxmQkVALsO/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1gonkgsh0dqe0

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Tower of London. Former fortress.  Former palace.  Former Zoo.  Former prison.  Current keeper of the Crown Jewels and cool tourist attraction! We loved visiting the Tower of London.  Up close and personal in this castle.  Right next to the Thames.     #toweroflondon #whitetower #london #uk #exploringlondon #exploringengland #tourist #touristspot #londontourist #londontouristspot #castles #englishcastles #crownjewels #familyvacation #formerfortress (at Tower of London)

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On an evening stroll, we walked down to the Houses of Parliament.  I love the colors on the stone at this time of night!  The whole building is beautiful and the architecture is really amazing.  I am constantly captivated by the details of some of these really old buildings.  Walking here in the evening was also a bonus as the hustle and bustle of day time was non-existent.  And, since it doesn't get dark until after 10pm at night, people are out and about well after what you would expect at home. #london #exploringlondon #exploringengland #familyvacation #england #uk #housesofparliament #tourist #londontourist #touristspots #londontouristhotspots  #nofilter #phonephotography

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Unlike in America where ice is in abundance and we can get everything ice cold, the Europeans don't have the need to serve water and soft drinks above room temperature!  It was so hot while there (which is unusual) and we drank so much water, but it was all room temperature, at best!  Even our sodas were not cold most of time so instead, we sought out Whippy!  Whippy is soft serve ice cream and they sell it everywhere, especially out of little food trucks.  Thank goodness for the Whippy because it was the one really cold thing we could count on!  They sell Whippy and Whippy with Flake.  The "Flake" is a roll flaky chocolate and everyone sells it.  You can eat the stick of flaky chocolate or crumble it on your ice cream....or you can give it to your teenage son :) #london #exploringlondon #exploringengland #familyvacation #england #uk #tourist #whippy #whippywithflake #softserveicecream #noice #warmwater (at London, United Kingdom)

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On Tower Bridge in London.  If you pay to take the tour across, you will get to experience a portion with a glass bottom!  While there, the draw bridge opened up and we saw a boat pass through.  Afterwards, we stood on the glass and got some pics.  Even I got on the glass here!  My boys, who have no fear of height, got into it a little more. #london #exploringlondon #exploringengland #familyvacation #england #uk #tourist #touristspots #towerbridge #glassbottom #towerbridgetour #tourbridgeglassbottom #tourbridgeoflondon #highplaces #drawbridge #londonbridge

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If you venture over to Abbey Road, the one made famous by the Beatles, in London, you should also check out Abbey Road Studios...and just outside the studio is a graffiti wall for fans.  This is a small snapshot.  Be advised that Abbey Road is a busy spot and cars are zipping through non-stop.  A Beatles imitation is a hard one to complete on this Zebra Stripe! #beatles #abbeyroad #abbeyroadzebrastripe #zebrastripelondon #abbeyroadstudios #london #beatleslondon #exploringlondon #exploringengland #familyvacation #touristspots #londonstourist #offthebeatenpath (at Abbey Road Studios)

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At the top of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.  You can get the great view from here too....225 steps to the Whispering Gallery, another 119 to the Stone Gallery where you get a nice look around from outside, and another 152 gruelling steps to the Golden gallery where you get a  panoramic view of London.  When we went, they were closing early, so we made a fast ascent, with no opportunity to stop and take a breather!  We did have a small wait at the Stone Gallery but then the real work began!  It's a great view and when the lines are long, advance tickets let you walk right in.  You cannot, however, by your tickets online on the day you want to go.   #stpaulscathedrallondon #stpaulscathedral #london #exploringlondon #londonchurch #londonchurches #exploringengland #uk #uktravel #uktourist #londontourist #londonhotspots #familyvacation #goldengallery #stonegallery #whisperinggallery (at St. Paul's Cathedral)

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Across the Thames from the City Cruises boat departure is the London Eye and London County Hall.  We stayed in the London County Hall building in the Premier Inn.  It was a great location.  Down the road from Waterloo Station and the London Eye.  A few blocks away from Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament. #london #england #uk #exploringlondon #exploringengland #londoncountyhall #londoneye #citycruises #citycruiseslondon #onthethames #westminsterabbey #bigben #housesofparliament #waterloostation #premierinn (at City Cruises)

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Getting around London is pretty easy using public transportation.  You do a lot of walking below ground and some people will tell you it is probably faster and a shorter distance to stay above ground!  We took the tube (the Underground. aka the subway) all over London and loved it!  So easy but you do walk a lot and take a ton of escalators and/or stairs. We used this handy app called "Moovit". It tells you everything you need to know, as you go through your journey.  I'll be writing more about it with tips and tricks on my blog soon. #realjourney #theunderground #thelondonunderground #thetube #londonunderground #londonsubway #londontransit #familyvacation #exploringlondon