Castles, Abbeys, Rain, and Funny Hats

Day 2 - Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, Soho, and Leicester Square

Every day in London seems busy, and being Easter weekend, it was busy on steroids. We started with a 6:30 alarm call, breakfast at 7:15 and on the bus at 8 (actually 8:30 since the bus was late). Westminster Abbey is right in the heart of the city beside the Parliament buildings, but this time we went in by bus. The Abbey is old and beautiful, with burials and monuments to monarchs, famous politicians like Churchill, and scientists and authors like Newton and Dickens. Our local guide was great and provided plenty of stories to help us make sense of the place, especially amid the wall-to-wall crowds. This was busy even for the locals! Sadly, no pictures allowed inside.

We hopped back on the bus to try to catch a glimpse of the changing of guard, but all we could manage was a view of the new regiment coming out of their barracks heading to Buckingham Palace.



A nice bus ride to Windsor for some lunch and free time in the shopping district on the high street, and then into the castle, but only after a long wait through the entrance and security. Security is no small thing, as the Queen is in residence at the castle this weekend!

We managed to get through St. George's chapel and the royal apartments, a series of rooms set aside for the public to get a sense of the grandeur that the kings and queens of England live in. The rooms house a collection of weapons and artefacts collected over centuries of the monarchy. If you want to see the bullet that shot Horatio Nelson, this is the place.

After Windsor it was back into the city for supper, and then a meander through Soho and Leceister Square. Narrow cobblestoned streets and many Broadway-type theatres give the area lots of character and energy. A few last-minute souvenirs, a walk to Waterloo station, and it was a train ride and good bye to London. Tomorrow we get on the bus for Stonehenge and Lacock Abbey, in a much different part of the world!