MR. DARCY!!!!!!! (Need I say more)

Day Seven: Europe or Bust

This morning I woke up with sunlight streaming through the window, glinting off polished wood and lighting up the canopy over my bed. I decided that, as beautiful as Coombe Abbey was in the gloaming, it was even more lovely in the light of dawn. After packing all our bags we went down to the most wonderful breakfast I've ever experienced. In the hotels in England, they don't just serve a continental breakfast. They serve a continental breakfast, and an order-from-the-menu breakfast, and a fruit bar, and a tea table, and (in the case of Coombe Abbey) a table dedicated solely to pastries and cheeses. In other words, breakfast at the Abbey was one fit for kings and queens. We made full use of the service, too. We ate bacon, eggs, sausages, cereal, two different kinds of hashbrowns, apple pastries with camembert cheese and smoked cheese, chocolate pastries with butter, eggs benedict (my new favorite breakfast dish), blueberry waffles, smoked salmon, goose-egg omelettes, tea, coffee, apple juice and milk.

Was it amazing? Yes.

Did I feel like I was going to die afterwards? Also, yes.

But it was worth every bit of suffering and I'm pretty sure that, when I come back to the states, Ihop will no longer hold any appeal. I've been ruined for breakfast foods!

Upon leaving the Abbey, we headed straight for Chatsworth House. For those of you who aren't familiar with Chatsworth house, it's the house of Mr. Darcy from the film Pride and Prejudice. For those of you who aren't familiar with Pride and Prejudice, you need to reevaluate your life because you're living it wrong.

The house was a dream come true, and not just because I was fangirling the whole time. Let's just say that the English are much more chill about... well everything. Chatsworth House was full of priceless tapestries, beautiful artwork, famous sculptures and many other ancient and incredible artifacts. If a house like that were in the states, every exhibit would be roped off and protected, no photographs would be allowed, the security guards would be stiff-necked and judgemental and children would be frowned upon as they skipped from room to room. But this was not the case at Chatsworth. In the first room we were greeted by a jolly, uniform-clad woman full of laughter and jokes. She told us about the house, the artwork and the happy-to-help guides in every room. She then turned to Morgen and began telling her about all the fun things for kids placed throughout the house. Morgen's task was to approach the guide in every room and receive a card with the important person and facts that were related to that particular room. In some cases there would even be a little game to play. All through the house we found the guides answering questions, cornering people to give them information and even helping to take pictures. It was great! But the really great part was the house. It was grand and beautiful, a magical mixing of history, grandeur, artwork, architecture and technology. I loved every bit of it. At the end there was a gift shop filled with random artifacts related to the featured artist, the duke and duchess who owned the house and the house itself. But there, in the center of the shop, was what I had been waiting for. The bust of Mr. Darcy that was used in the film. Below the bust was a sign stating the character and the actor and then the statement: Please do not kiss! It was difficult, but I restrained myself...

As amazing as all of that was, my VERY favorite room was the library. Not only did it contain floor to ceiling bookshelves and a side room of more floor to ceiling bookshelves and a little balcony with even more floor to ceiling bookshelves, but it also held a piano. A real live piano. On which I played the theme for Pride and Prejudice. It made my day, especially when a bystander went up to the guide afterward and said, "Nice touch, the piano player. She's really good." I'm pretty sure I was walking on air. (Video is coming soon, but the Wi-Fi in my flat leaves much to be desired).

After we toured the house we also got to see the gardens, which I had been greatly anticipating. There were beautiful statues, magnificent water fountains, and trees and rocks that were perfect for climbing.

From Chatsworth House it was only a short drive to Stanage Edge - another location featured in the Pride and Prejudice film. Arwen, Morgen and I had a wonderful time leaping over rocks, climbing up and down the cliffs, taking theatrical photographs and scaring Mom half to death.

We would have stayed there all day if we hadn't had such a long drive ahead of us to the Lake District where we would be spending the next few days.

I'm going to sign off because I'm actually writing this in the car and we're about to go drink tea like posh people.

I love you all!