Bring 'Er to England: Whitby

A combination of heat and noisy seagulls made for an awful night's sleep. However, the kids awoke extra early, so Matt and I begrudgingly got out of bed.

Once we were all ready for the day ahead, we headed out to see the sights. We crossed the swing bridge, which was cool to watch open for boats going in and out. Naturally, the only photo I got was this one.

While the bridge is open

We walked up the 199 steps that lead to St Mary's Church and the gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey. We walked around the outside of the Abbey, but didn't buy a ticket to see it up close, as the kids were whining about most things.

Two piers flank the entrance to the harbor

Memorial for Caedmon, England's first poet

St Mary's Church

Whitby Abbey is famous for being the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. There was loads of vampire themed merchandise throughout the town, and Clara was thrilled to pick up a plush bat as her souvenir.

We walked back toward the town centre via a different route, but the kids were still unhappy in general. There was only a brief reprieve when we encountered some horses.

We looked at the sea and the whale bone arch, then hit a cafe for lunch. It was so hot, but there was a bit of relief when the breeze came off the water.

We went back to the cottage to rest. Matt and I had a little nap while the kids watched television. Then it was beach time! The kids played, gathered rocks, and had a great time, and even Matt got soaked up to his shorts. I only got my feet wet, and the water was cold but it was so nice in the heat.

Once we had our fill of seaside fun for the day, we stopped back at the cottage to rinse the sand from the girls. Hot and tired, we went to a pub very close by for dinner. The kids had water in pint glasses, pretending it was beer, and that they were a ship's crew defeating sea beasts. It's a good thing they were imaginative, because the food took more than an hour and a half to arrive. The kids were being patient, but we were very hungry.