London-Krakow-Budapest

So...our original intention was to post some pics along with a few stories. However, I seemed to have forgotten the cord connecting the computer to the camera, so uploading pictures has thus far proved difficult. We will hopefully find this cord very soon, and pictures will accompany the text. We are currently in Budapest, and are planning on leaving for Ljubljana, Slovenia in a couple of hours. We have not purchased our train tickets yet, so hopefully it is not sold out! The trip so far has been fantastic. In London, we stayed at a very nice bed and breakfast run by a very nice couple. We hit most of the major sights - Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Parliament, etc., however the highlight for us was a very unexpected surprise on our last day in town, Saturday, June 11th. We had headed into town to take in the Churchill War Museums before leaving, and came upon very large crowds and what appeared to be the remnants of a parade. Unbeknowst to us, it was the queen's birthday and there was a large celebration! We found out there would be a flyover at Buckingham Palace and a possible appearance by the royal family. We scurried over there with the masses, and managed to get a fantastic spot. The flyover was amazing and had 4 sets of planes and helicopters. And, yes, the royal family made an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham including the newlyweds, Kate Middleton and Prince William. We got some fantastic photos which we hope to share soon.... Krakow was a whirlwind as we were only in town a day and a half. We had a great walking tour around Old Town. Krakow has the largest square in all of Europe - it truly is huge! We also managed a quick trip out to the salt mines. These mines were one of the most spectacular things I have ever seen - particularly the cathedral, which is carved completely out of salt, the altar, statues, etc...all underground. The salt mines are more than 700 years old. My brief description does not do them justice, however, pictures will help.... Budapest has been alot of fun for us. We spent a half day at the thermal baths and both felt completely relaxed afterwards. There is definitely something in the water.... We have really focused our time on understanding the communist times here and the transition to democracy in 1989. It truly is fascinating especially when thinking of everything the people here have been through when I see them walking on the streets. They have truly endured so much here... Budapest is a fantastic city, however, being one of my favorite I have been to. It is sad to be leaving. But, we must cut this short now as we are on a community computer, and I like to respect the etiquette... hopefully pictures next time!