Unbelievable! June 13, 2009

O.K. After the Queen left, more people started to pack in. It turns out what I saw was only the first part of the event. The Queen and her family went to Westminster for a Celebration and Blessing Service.

An hour later, the Queen and the ENTIRE Royal Family came back! Everyone except the Queen disappeared into the Palace. The Queen stayed outside by the gates to review the troops. She's quite a trooper! She about 83 years old, I believe. Next, she went into the Palace and then they all started coming out onto that famous balcony. It's the same balcony where Diana and Charles shared that awkward kiss after their wedding. We all, the Queen and William and I, stood there and watched an incredible military flyby. The beautiful horses came back, the band played, more soldiers in even more outrageous uniforms marched around, and the reserved, understated English whooped and hollered! I took 172 pictures!!! Thank goodness for digital cameras.

Next, I took a tour of Apsley House which was given to the Duke of Wellington by a grateful nation. It is right next door to the entrance to Hyde Park. I wasn't sure if it would be worth it, but I paid extra to go up into the Wellington Arch. While I was up their innocently taking some pictures, a NAKED bike race came by!!! I'm not kidding! There must have been 500 people in various levels of nakedness riding through Hyde Park and down Constitution Hill. This would never happen in Fort Worth! I'm not sure it would happen in New York. I took a few pictures of that, too.

What a day!

Sherrie

P.S. This day reminded me of that famous quote, "When one is tired of London, one is tired of life."

The entire Royal Family

The bobby who offered to buy me a pint!

Everyone had a good time.

The entrance to Hyde Park.

 

The Naked Bike Race!!!!!

You'll never guess where I am! 6/13/09

At Buckingham Palace!
I just saw the Queen!

And, Prince William!
And, Prince Harry!

I joked around this morning at breakfast that I was going to see the Queen, but I never thought it would really happen!!!

There's the Queen, in the blue hat!

When I got to the Palace, there were all these people, all very quiet of course, lined up along the walkway. I asked one of the 100's of bobbies standing guard with submachine guns what was going on. "It's the Queen's birthday, madame." He told me that they were about to begin the "Trooping of the Colors" which is the annual celebration of the Queen's birthday. "Well," I thought, "I might as well stick around for a while." Just then hundreds of soldiers in dress reds came riding up on these gorgeous horses. Some of them dismounted and started marching around in some sort of formation. Then, the band, on horse back no less, started playing. Next, a line of Jaguars and Bentleys started driving up the gravel road and in through the Palace gates. Finally the fancy cars all started parading out, and there came the Royal Family riding out in open carriages! Wow! I had a great spot as close to the Palace gates as I could get. I took a ton of pictures, and I think I got a good one of the Queen. A very nice man standing next to me let me ask him about a million questions.

Wow! I never thought I would ever get to see the Queen!!! What a day. And, it's not even noon.

Sherrie


The troops marching around in their fantastic, bearskin hats.




Here's the band playing as they process ON HORSEBACK! Bet that
took a little practice.



Nobody does Pomp and Circumstance better than the British!



A minor Royal with his Bobby escort.




It was hard to get pictures because EVERYONE was taller than me.

London, Day 1, June 10, 2009

The lions of Trafalgar Square AND Big Ben!  This is really London!

I'm here! I started crying as soon as I got out of the airport. Everything is just so British! I would not have been surprised to see Inspector Morse walk up to me at Heathrow. Then as I rode on the tube into London, I saw houses just like the one that Harry Potter's Uncle Vernon lived in. And, growing wild along the embankment were poppies and daisies--the kind we have to baby to get them to grow.

A very nice lady, who was returning to London after spending a month in Fort Worth, befriended me on the plane. It made the time pass much quicker. But, let me tell you, they don't call it the red eye for nothing! That flight is no fun! Scott is right; we are all cattle to the airlines. My "dinner" made those old Banquet t.v. dinners look like a feast!

Well, I spent the first day getting lost. I thought I was pretty prepared, but there are all these little streets that aren't on any of the maps I studied, and the traffic is sooooooo fast. It's amazing that jet lagged tourists aren't killed right and left. But, the cars stop fast, too. It took me a while to get my bearings, but now I know where my hotel is in relation to The British Museum, so I'm set.

Today, I'm taking the Big Bus Tour. That should help me figure out where the big landmarks are. And, I am keeping an eye out for a store. I sure miss Walmart! Isn't that sad!!!

Mother, will you forward this on to Scott and Pam and also send me their email address? I forgot to put it in my I-Pod. Oh, by the way, my phone is not working at all. I think I will buy a temporary cell phone today. They are quite cheap compared to ours.

Well, I'm having a great time! Today, I need to find out how to use the buses because there is a tube strike going on for the next two days. Ah, travel is always an adventure!

Sherrie

Driads (water nymphs) in the fountain at Trafalgar Square.




No. 10 Downing Street. I couldn't believe we could get this close!

Rush hour traffic on Pall Mall between

Buckingham Palace and The Admiralty Arch.

The Admiralty Arch on Pall Mall