Using Playgrounds to Explore the City

So we landed Saturday morning, had that afternoon and the next day to unpack and find some groceries - and then Spouso was off to work and I was home with the kiddo. The goal was to explore the city to find the neighborhood where we will live - but doing that with a toddler turns out to be difficult. So - instead we fell into a little groove of seeking out a different playground every day in a different part of town and snapping pictures of whatever I could on the way. We started out with the closest option, and slowly moved further out each day until we hit the limit of his willingness to sit in a stroller by the end of the week.

skeptically playing in Barnard Park

really nice row houses in Islington

trying out a boat in Shoreditch

Regent's Park

more Regent's Park 

Passing by King's Cross Station

Passing by a pub in Islington

up to a big green park in Highbury

a train playground in Highbury

back to Barnard Park 

Finally - the weekend arrived. With an extra pair of hands - we could easily explore further, using the bus and trains to extend our reach. We still had to stay close to playgrounds, but snuck in some touristy stops on the way. 

starting out with St. Paul's Cathedral

adventure playground in Barnard

catching a pub for lunch

Tower of London

an evening tour of the Tower of London

Tower Bridge and checking out boats on the river

Tower Bridge

exhausted snack break

so tired after a solid 2 days of walking

first tube ride

 Quick Thoughts:
- English playgrounds are different than American ones - there aren't any rubber floors or plastic bars - things are rough and real.
- There are a million neighborhoods here. We've seen a good dozen or so - but it's frustrating to think about all the other options we haven't even thought of.
- We're getting really caught between the age-old question of being close where there are lots of great restaurants and stuff, or being further out where things are cheaper and bigger.
- This is exhausting. We're covering 20,000 steps a day - everyone wants a nap and a break.

- There is no ADA here - the tubes are not handicapped or stroller accessible - which makes everything much more difficult.
- We need to finalize ASAP and start looking at houses this week. Yikes!