We missed a very important British icon last year, so we visited Westminster Abbey. On our last visit we walked to Westminster Abbey, but the line was so long we didn't go inside. This year we planned better and arrived at Westminster at 10 AM when it opened--no line! We paid our admission and walked right in. Now an active Anglican church, the site was originally an abbey and retained its name. The building is a beautiful gothic church whose history stretches back over 1000 years. Nearly every English king and queen dating back to Edward the Confessor (1065) is buried here. Many were also married here and you'll probably remember the most recent royal wedding of William and Kate in Westminster Abbey. The Abbey is also famous for its Poet's Corner, a chapel where many of England's famous literary giants are buried and memorialized. We couldn't take pictures inside Westminster, but you can read more about it and see pics of it at http://www.westminster-abbey.org/.

On Saturday there is a Farmer's Market in downtown Richmond and men in white play cricket on Richmond Green . It's a great opportunity to get out with the locals, wander around the shops and market and have a drink at one of the pubs on the Green while watching the locals play cricket. We really don't understand the game, but we're getting a bit better at figuring it out.

Then, on Sunday we went to a very traditional Sunday dinner at the home of our new friends, Neta and Johan. They are the parents of the couple who own our apartment and are originally from Croatia. Since we had recently spent a month in Croatia, we exchanged memories of this beautiful country. Neta worked in fashion and Johan was a very exclusive caterer, and they shared stories and pictures of people they have know during their working careers, including famous people like Muhammed Ali and other stars and celebrities. The meal they prepared and served us was just amazing. We began with champagne and strawberries, with appetizers of smoked salmon salad in endive leaves and baked mushroom cups . Dinner was typically British with a salad of greens, salmon, shrimp, and avocado, served with a white wine. The main course was a beautiful roast with potatoes, vegetables, and Yorkshire Pudding served with a Spanish red wine. Dessert was a strawberry tart served with ice cream or cream and liquors and port. It was a beautiful evening with new friends. We walked down Richmond Hill to our apartment happy and content with full tummies and light hearts. Oh...and on the way to our apartment we passed Sir David Attenborough's house (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/10326457/Sir-David-Attenborough-Richmond-is-my-favourite-place-on-Earth.html). It's the light blue house on the hill. We always look for him, but haven't seen him yet.