Windsor Castle & London

March 28 (Wednesday)

Wake up is at 7:30 and we're at breakfast at 8. Breakfast is buffet of croissants, toast, muslix, brown rice crispies (that look like small rabbit turds), yoghurt, fruit (grapefruit & peaches), orange juice, milk, coffee, and tea. Again we're on the bus by 8:45 and out the door.

"my lovely lot ... ladles & jellyspoons"

Once we're off the bus he gets us into Windsor Castle quickly, and orients us as to what we need to look for, then he sets us free to explore the castle apartments (where the Queen entertains heads of state and dignitaries), watch the changing of the guard, tour St. George's Chapel, and then head into the town below the castle to have lunch (and shop, somebody's always shopping!).

Windsor Castle

Windsor's keep - the oldest part of the castle

Joel, doing his thing.

Joel's still doing his thing

Kyle, Tasha, & Tara on the steps of St. Pauls Cathedral

Everyone, on the steps of St Pauls

Callum, on the wobbly bridge

After lunch we're off again to London. The tour here is mostly from the bus windows as we're pressed for time (the story of our lives!). It's hard to identify all the places we see, but we learn the difference between the north (prestigious and proper) side of the Thames, and the south (low brow and dirty – Southwark – pronounced “Suf-uk”). Crossing over the Thames on the current version of London Bridge (there have been at least 4 – and it's not the Tower Bridge, which people often mistake as London Bridge), we stop at St. Pauls Cathedral and enjoy the sun on the front steps. Here we also find out that in London you can get into a national art gallery for free, but you have to pay to tour churches (it's the opposite in France!). After walking halfway over the “Wobbly” bridge and back, we get back on the bus to get dropped off near Westminster Abbey in order to spend an hour or so exploring.

Some of us head for Trafalgar Square to chill. Some of us head for a tour of the Churchill War Room. Some of us head to the National Gallery. Some of us head off to shop (of course)! At 5 pm we meet back at Westminster Subway entrance for our first experience on the Tube (subway). It goes well the first time, as we don't really have to push our way on. (Later on that night we'll have at least two chances to push and squeeze in and violate our personal space!).

 Stephen & Graham in front of Buckingham Palace

Supper is at the Young Prince William Henry where we have a traditional English pub meal – bangers and mash (which is three pork sausages served over a mound of gravy covered mashed potatoes (with peas on the side) and apple pie and ice cream for dessert) – for meals this trip has been hitting it out of the park. After supper we all head back to the Tube and travel over to Victoria Station, which is where 18 of us head off to see Wicked, and the remaining 17 explore, shop, and find parks, etc. to pass the time.

GQ Darcy on Westminster Bridge

The Apollo Victoria Theatre

After the show we meet at Victoria Station and take the Tube back to Waterloo Station, where we take the train back to Feltham, and our hotel. A good, but rushed day. We all wish we'd have more time to tour some of the major sites. A few of us found our way to Buckingham Palace, and some got into Westminster Abbey, but when you're here you realize how much there is to see and do here. It's overload really. Most of us will want to come back to have another look. Watch out for lots of “when we were in London” stories when we get back.