Welsand's in London

Buckingham Palace in the rain

On this day we took the tube to Green Park which we walked through to get to Buckingham Palace. It was grey and raining a bit, but the flowers were starting to bloom and it was a beautiful walk.

Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guards ceremony is a must see when in London. We got there more than 30 minutes early and still did have the ideal spot to view the ceremony. It is really a popular event during snow, rain or sleet... I still think it is such a unique event that it is worth experiencing a bit of poor weather. While we were waiting for the start of the ceremony, Grandma T. took Sophie to see the police on their horses. One of the officers was extremely kind and rode over to Sophie so she could pet his horse. That was the talk of her day...

Next we walked around the corner of the Palace to visit the Royal Mews which just opened for the season days earlier. One of the finest working stables in existence, the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace provides a unique insight into the department of the Royal Household that provides transport by road for The Queen and other members of the Royal Family. The Royal Mews houses the State vehicles, both horse-drawn carriages and motor cars, used for coronations, State Visits, royal weddings, the State Opening of Parliament and official engagements. Visitors can see the Gold State Coach which was last used during The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002 to carry Her Majesty and Prince Philip to the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral. It is gorgeous! The highlight of the visit!

For most of the year the stables are home to the working horses that play an important role in The Queen's official and ceremonial duties. They are mainly Cleveland Bays, the only British breed of carriage horse, and the Windsor greys, which by tradition always draw the carriage in which The Queen is traveling.

Next, we walked through St. James Park (a beautiful and popular park) to Trafalgar Square going through the Admiralty Arch. Trafalgar Square is a well known area which holds Nelson's column (unfortunately it was undergoing some type of restoration so our guests didn't get to see it properly). The 165 ft. column commemorates Admiral Lord Nelson, Britain's most famous sea lord who died heroically at the Battle of Trafalgar against Napoleon in 1805. It dates from 1842. It is a key symbol in Trafalgar Square. Admiralty Arch, a triple archway, is another familiar site in London, designed in 1911 to honor Queen Victoria. The side arches are used daily, but the center arch is only opened for royal processions, making a beautiful setting for coaches and horses trotting through.

Finally it was time for lunch. We hit a local British chain called Garfunkel's, where my mom and Jean ordered a traditional British meal of fish and chips. The meal lived up to their expectations! On our way to the restaurant Sophie fell asleep and napped throughout our entire meal. After we finished eating, my mom and Jean set out to get their shopping taken care of at the Crest of London store across the way. I relaxed while I awaiting sleeping beauty to awaken and eat her lunch...30 minutes later Sophie had awaken, eaten her lunch, and many pounds had been spent and lots of gifts purchased! My mom and Jean walked back into the restaurant with many bags of gifts to bring home to loved ones. Ahh...now back onto to the tube, a short walk, and eventually we will back to our flat (in hopefully under an hour...).

posted by Chris @ 4:22 PM