On tonight's episode of 19 Kids and Counting: World Tour, "Royal Duggars"...
- Upon arriving in London, the Duggars head to the extravagant 51 Buckingham Gate hotel, built to accommodate royalty. The children enjoy playing in the bidet. "This my sink," explains Johannah, pointing to the regular sink. "And this is James' sink," explains the little Duggar, as she motions to the bidet.
- Jim Bob and Michelle practice driving on the "wrong" side of the road with "fixer" Kelly, who admits that she is a bit nervous. (A fixer is someone who coordinates film and television shoots.)
- According to Michelle, Jim Bob is a much better driver, but she is more cautious. "Michelle was excellent," praises Kelly.
- Meanwhile, the children enjoy traditional English high tea. "I don't think we did it the right way," admits Jill. "This is a disaster. The Duggars do not do high tea," jokes cousin Amy.
- While gathered around the breakfast table, Jim Bob and Michelle give their kids a reality check. "Be extremely grateful to everyone that you see here," reminds Michelle. "This is not normal. This is a very special way to be treated...We need to make sure to express gratefulness."
- "This is not real life," reinforces Jim Bob. "In just a short time here, we will be back to Arkansas, and we will be cutting grass and scrubbing toilets."
- The family piles into a double-decker bus to sight-see. First stop: Buckingham Palace. Can you believe that the royal residence is 100 times the size of the Duggar home?
- "London is one of the prettiest cities we've ever been in," says Jim Bob.
- A highlight for the ladies is a trip to the Hectic Hat Hire. This eccentric hat rental shop has designed hats for Kate Middleton, the royal wedding, and Hollywood movies. Everyone has a good time trying on different hats and practicing their British accents.
- After braving the London Eye, the Duggars enjoy a traditional English meal at the Wheatsheaf Inn. On the menu are Bangers and Mash, Bubble and Squeak, and Toad in the Hole. "Maybe it's the sounds of the animals that we're going to eat?" suggests Josiah, jokingly.
- Despite the Duggars' apprehension, the food turns out to be delicious. "It was some of the best...I've ever had," says Anna.
- The last item on the agenda is Stonehenge. After conducting an engaging tour, archeologist Jilian C. Richards surprises the family with a VIP walk through the center of the stones, which were arranged over 4,000 years ago.
- Next Sunday: the Duggars in Israel!
Another great episode-- one that truly shows how wonderful this family truly is!
ReplyDeleteI was in London almost 30 years ago (yegads!) while I was first starting high school and it was an extraordinary experience, but nothing quite like what the Duggars had! The highlight was being inside Westminster Abbey. We also went to Canterbury, home of the "Canterbury Tales." Maybe someday I will be able to return, but it is so incredibly costly, I doubt it will be anytime soon. :-)
I live in the midlands of England and trips to London have always been a treat whether for pleasure or to visit family who live there. Out of what the duggars saw I have only seen buckingham palace but there is also the cenotaph war memorial,Downing street and Madame Tausseads waxworks to name but a few. I am glad they enjoyed our capital city and only wish I could have been there at the same time to catch a glimpse of them.
ReplyDeleteI used to live in London! A year in Stockwell, then 3 years in Vauxhall followed by 2 years in Morden (so all in South London) and I loved it! We moved away when we had the children, but I still enjoy visiting London now and then. I'm glad to hear the Duggars had such a great time!
ReplyDeleteLily and Ellie!
ReplyDeleteI noticed some typos. In the place where you gave the definition of a "fixer" you used who twice. Also, when you meant to say the last item on the agenda, you said "The last item on the item on the agenda."
Hi Bayley!
ReplyDeleteThanks for catching those typos! We proofread before posting but still managed to miss them. Will definitely be more careful next time. What would we do without our loyal readers like you?
Have a great week!
Lily and Ellie
I liked being able to travel with the Duggars and not have to leave my house. But when Jim Bob made his remark about real life it didnt sound right to me but I understood the meaning. By them being on vacation in London it wasn't real (or normal) to them. But I did like the episodes.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed listening to Jim Bob talk to everyone (while in London) about how well they were being treated and how that is not the normal way to be given such preferential treatment. He told them to be so grateful because soon they would head home and all would go back to normal with jobs and cleaning toilets. I think he wanted to impress on the children to be thankful and humble not feeling entitled. When they travel anywhere even in the USA while being filmed, they do get very special treatement (such as going to NY for their pregnancy announcement) and it's nice that they see that as very special and are not proud.
ReplyDeleteGreat episode and brought back many wonderful memories of London and the British Isles: high tea, Buckingham Palace (and the changing of the guard), Tower of London (and seeing the crown jewels), eating in wonderful local restaurants. The London Eye wasn't there then but I did go across the top of the Tower Bridge.
ReplyDeleteStonehenge was cool. Would love to hear their reactions to actually being able to go close to it.
Driving was very wild. I was glad that in the car everything (turn signals, clutch, gas, break pedals, etc) was in the same place, just in front of the opposite seat (I had worried that it would be mirror-reverse, as if everything flipped over instead of just moved over). Every time I made a turn, I'd say to myself "Left to curb, left to curb" (meaning keep the left side of the car along the side of the road not the middle of the road like here) so that I wouldn't turn into the wrong lane. I did kept getting into the left side of the car - to no steering wheel, then feeling like at idiot as I would get out and then get in the other side.
It would be interesting to find out what else they saw that didn't make it into the show.
I have never been to London, but I have to say that this family doesn't seem any better than the families that keep having children to stay on Welfare. Obviously I don't know them, but it seems to me that they are taking advantage of their fame, and that is why they continue to have children.
ReplyDeleteI especially enjoyed the London part.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I thought was odd, was when one of the 4 older girls referred to their Dad as Jim Bob. (Not Dad)
Guess I really noticed this as when he is on his intercom phone at home he always says children. (never kids)
Thats ok, but thought it was odd one of his -- called him by Jim Bob.
I think it was very lucky of The Duggars to get to go to England! Jim Bob is such a funny guy and is a lot like my Dad in away! I have heard of Fish and Chips and Toad In A Hole but the rest of the food sounds different but in a good way. Jinger and Anna share one of my biggest fears heights. If I am really high up in the air I start having panic attacks! I hope The Duggars had a great time in England.
ReplyDeleteI live in England! Double decker buses are a common occurrence actually ( we have them as school buses) and it was very funny watching the Duggars reactions to the menu as was watching Jim Bob cope with roundabouts! I've been on the London Eye before but I was scared to death!
ReplyDeleteI live in the West Midlands England, and I can promise you, Toad in the hole is lovely. I would recommend you visit Yorkshire. I've only been there twice, but it's beautiful. The Bronte's village is gorgeous, and the moors are beautiful, especially at sunset. Also there's a Viking museum and it's just so pretty and lovely. Duggars, if you ever think of traveling all that way to visit again, I would really recommend you go there. Also, I realise I'm commenting here years after the last comment, but having only recently watched this particular episode. Thanks for reading
ReplyDeleteHeidi
Having lived in west London all my life (40 years) I have visited all those tourist attractions but it's still wonderful to revisit and to watch others enjoying them as much and I feel very proud of our amazing capital
ReplyDelete