Re: European Family Vacation
Here is a tentative plan/idea - I am going to Morocco as you know May 28 - 30 (no chance of you pushing the trip up one day?) I was then going to go to St Petersburg. I could skip Russia and you can meet me in Morocco on the 31st/1st - we'd stay there until 3rd - Madrid 3-4th, (or skip Madrid and go straight to Pairs and use those days for S.France) Paris 4-6th, London 6 -7, 7-9 Venice, 9-10/11 Florence, 10/11 London to pick up you family.
What do you think of that idea? Alternatively, I could just meet you in London 1st and we can do the same trip ( minus Madrid and Morocco and replace them w/S. France /St Tropez) starting w/Paris - coming back to London for your bro one day ?
Re trips for your family - I would have them go to Oxford for the day - stay overnight at the Manoir Quatre saison and then the next day drive up through the Cotswolds. I can plan the route - where they would stop to shop, lunch etc, ending up at Stratford, they can take in a play + stay overnight. I'd use Edinburgh as a base for Scotland - why Scotland - and where were they thinking and what were they thinking - do they have friends there? Need more info to be able to suggest something. Now that I have definitive dates I will check and see what fun stuff is going on and let you know so that you can plan stuff for your Mum to do like the open air concerts etc if she likes that stuff.
Re something in London - I can take your Mum and you to the Palace + 2 sisters + Niece + Nephew - if you want (it's the best thing I can organize)- Do the dinner for your bro b'day the same night (which ever day you pick that we are in London) - do you know where - if not I can make a suggestion - you need to let me know what type of place he likes - people spotting, posh English, trendy etc?