Leaving the green isle and after sorting out Dublin airport by walking miles, discovered this Irish type pub at our boarding gate no less! Only the Irish!
Once at Heathrow it almost seemed too easy to get through all the red tape to get into the country (remembering we were coming from an EU country). No security, no pass port checking - Dave was actually so worried that we had missed a turning and asked a Boarder Control officer where we go for getting our passports checked. Once he heard we were from NZ he said we don't need to! We could have been major drug smugglers for all he knew ...... Anyway onto the underground and off at Kings Cross Station and into hotel 5pm which is just 1 min away from station, up a quiet street and a lovely green park opposite. Totally different to the crazy, rushing traffic outside the station. By 5.30pm we were off on the underground again and to Piccadilly Circus for our first show- Book of Mormon. We have seen it before, but just felt like a laugh or two, which the show duly provided in mass.
Piccadilly Circus was full of people, even at 10pm. and the buildings looked lovely with lights on.
The next day was a big 'lets see some sights' day - even ones we have seen before. Big Ben had had a spruce up for the coronation. Can you see the school kids behind me? I shuddered to think about taking kids on a trip like this with so many people around! All that Health and Safety stuff we would have to do! A stunning hot day in London.
We walked along the Thames, pass the eye, and across one of the many pedestrian bridges.
I saw the Royal House Guards on their horses, surrounded by tourists, poor things.
We walked past them and into their parade ground behind, which was where they had the Trooping of the Colour for the King's Birthday the week before (which I saw parts of on TV). There were still grandstands and fences up, which were starting to come down. Impressive to see how big the parade ground actually is.
After that we reach our destination which was Churchill's Underground War Rooms. We had heard about it on our last trip, but not actually gone. This was where we did something we know not to do - we hadn't gone online and got tickets for 'skip the queue', so we had to line up with all the other silly sods who were in the same boat. Took nearly 45min in the sun.
The war-room is by Whitechapel below, which is where the govt do their thing behind the scenes. Churchill wanted it to be close by so he could get to it quickly.
You go down underground and the first thing you see is this bomb hanging down to remind you why they needed these bunker rooms in the first place. Apparently the rooms were never targeted by bombs so its location was kept very secret from the Germans.
The cabinet and Churchill used this room for meetings when there was bombings happening around London.
This was the original wooden door of 10 Downing St when he was living there.
The bunk rooms of personnel who were needed down there. Very small and sparse.
Churchill liked his food, and had a flash dining room below just for him!
Obviously there were radio operators and typists etc needed down there.
This is the actual war room where troop movement and plane hits were monitored and put on maps with pins that were still up. How war happens before computers!
Churchill had his own office with a bed, which he only slept in 3x.
After a couple of hours underground it was up into the bright sunshine and over to St James park and guess what we saw ... horses! Police horses - what was funny was two of the police were eating ice creams and one was drinking coke on duty!
St James Park is lovely - full of leafy trees and a big lake with ducks and swans.
I noticed lots of people over by the lake taking photos, so looked and it was a mother swan and her fluffy goslings that were causing all the fuss. Mum is preening herself and you can't see her head!
At the end of the park, as we came up, we saw - wait for it ... more horses. This time army horse being unloaded at Wellington Barracks by Buckingham Palace.
So, onto the great building itself. You could tell everything had been touched up for the coronation - lots of gold paint must have been used.
Big Union Jacks hanging.
Me by the gate - can you see the guard in the background?
There were lots of tourists around and you had to fight to get a decent photo. Spot the Dave!
Looking down the Mall, with union flags flying from the Coronation. Quite impressive.
Entrance to Green Park on the other side of Buckingham Palace. We walked through here up to the underground and back to the hotel for a well-earned rest after 5 hours walking.
That evening it was to the show - Hamilton. We did not know much about it (except that it was fantastic) so while having dinner at a pub opposite the theatre we googled it and got the basic synopsis.
The theatre had just been renovated and was very flash, however no leg room for likes of Dave and small size chairs so squashy. I guess this was to fit more chairs in. The show itself was amazing - much better that I expected. Very good singers, back up singers and dancers all on one set which they used very creatively. There was a lot of rap and blues music but we knew that before hand. Well recommended to see, but do your research on the story line first or else it would be hard to follow.
Next day was a very long one. Left at 10am for Harrods and got home at 10pm! Harrods was the first stop to have a look and you soon realise how poor we are! There were hardly any customers in the main part which I can understand with the prices of things - even in the home ware dept. $6000 for a gorgeous light-fitting! We managed to find the gift shop which was quite busy.
After that it was a casual stroll through Hyde Park, another park near Buckingham Palace. It was huge, once again with a big lake and horse riding areas and walking, running and biking tracks.
There is a NZ memorial there with these metal carved pous (poles) -each with a different carving on it and written words.
As we were looking at them, down the road comes yay!! Kings Guard horses riding past.
Anyway these are some of the carvings and words.
Apparently Prince William laid a wreath here on Anzac Day (not this wreath tho!)
So out of Hyde park and a walk down the Mall which looked different from yesterday. It took a while to realise that all the flags had been taken down overnight. Can you see the crowns at the top of each pole?
St James Palace
Can you work out who is who in this carving?
At the end of the Mall looking back at Buckingham Palace.
At the end of the Mall is the Marble Arch (which was featured in the Coronation) and then Trafalgar Square. This was undergoing road works everywhere which spoiled Trafalgar Square especially.
Discovered this great place hidden down side streets - Chinatown! Lanterns with union jacks!
Any guesses where we are going?
You may know but Dave is a Harry Potter nut and has read the books and watched all the movies many, many times. So there is a play that JK Rowling wrote called Harry Potter and the Cursed Child". It is in two parts - so you go to a matinee starting at 2pm to watch the first part and then back at 7pm to watch the 2nd part. It was so well done with lots of magical tricks happening on stage that you kept wondering - how did they do that? Very clever and great acting.
It was back to Chinatown for dinner - the best meal we have had since the river cruise (or maybe the Scottish steak place in Belfast?) Lots of little restaurants and cheap as.
The theatre at 10pm. Still lightish outside - just going to dusk.
Last Day - Windsor Castle day and fly home day.
We left our bags at the hotel and Dave sorted out two trains for Windsor Castle which was on my 'must-do' list since seeing it so many times over the last few years with weddings and funerals of the royals.
Took one and half hours to get there. This was also when the super rugby final was on back home - Dave is an avid Chiefs supporter and I am a Crusaders fan. Dave was constantly on his phone getting the up-dates of the score (except in the underground cause no internet works there). He was fine on the over land train until the Chiefs lost at the last minute and then of course he sulked for a couple of hours after! I just kept very quiet in my celebrating.
It was also Ascot Day, so we kept seeing these flash as girls in gorgeous dresses and men in morning suits with waistcoats and tails and tophats waiting for the train. It was going to be 28C and all I could think of was how uncomfortable the guys are going to be.
Windsor Castle itself is in the town of Windsor and very busy.
We booked a time to go in, and so walked in quickly after some strict security protocols which were much worse than Heathrow!
As we were walking up the hill to the main part, they closed off the pathway behind us, so we sat in a shady spot to watch the changing of the guards go by. They have an Irish wolfhound as their mascot and it was leading in the front. Can you see it?
Once we were at the top there is a viewing place where you can look down on the parade area and watch the changing of the guards with a band playing. Very cool. Behind them are the apartments where Charles and Camila stay and they were there that day.
Windsor Castle has lovely parklands around it, which you can see from above.
We went inside and saw all the official rooms with art work by all the famous artists of old. Out one window there were two flash cars pulling up outside Charles and Camila's apartment area. People were jostling around the window to look, including me, but you couldn't take any photos. A security guy explained there were guests arriving to meet before they were all going with the royals to a lunch at Ascot (not far away). Anyway two couples got out and greeted each other - I think it was Beatrice and her sister and their spouses from the looks of it. Very flash outfits with hats etc.
On the way out photo time with the guard. and then a walk to find the 'Long Walk' also featured in royal weddings and funerals. Not sure how long it is (3 miles?) but got told Ascot is basically at the end of it. Was not willing to walk it in the heat.
Offical gates to Windsor Castle
After our excursions we had a cold beer (hard to find in UK) at the 'Prince Harry'.
Windsor is a lovely little town, but as you can see spoilt by too many tourists coming to see the castle.
So back on the train, back to the hotel, pick up bags, back on train to Heathrow, drop bags off and then relax until plane left at 10pm. Very long day and even longer trip home! Looking forward to cooler weather, kids and dog!
All in all amazing trip, but was asked what was the best part and I couldn't say. Each part, river cruise, France, Wales, Ireland, London were all so different and all so memory -making they can't compare. Any regrets? Only Cliffs of Moher which we couldn't see as it was covered in sea-mist! Everything else went to plan, no hiccups with flights, bookings, luggage, trains,cars, money ....... I can see myself as a travel agent in another life, as most of this trip was done by moi! Dave was amazing at finding places and negotiating airports, train stations, and with dealing with money. Plus he had the extra hassle of being bag handler as well as I couldn't most of the time. Very happy but very tired. Until next time - I wonder where our next travels will take us???
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