We head to the bus stop to go to Buckingham Palace again for the Changing of the Guards. A woman from the Big Bus Company meets us to let us know that the Hop On Hop Off bus will not be stopping on our street today because of construction. So we walk to Buckingham Palace which surprisingly is just a short distance away! With all the one way streets plus all the construction in London, sometimes it is difficult to gauge the distance from one place to another on the buses.
When we get to the front of the Palace, crowds have started to gather in front of the gates and on Victoria's statue. I find a place for Beth in front of the gates since she has never seen this ceremony before.
I can't stand in one place for too long - my hips rebel despite two hip replacements. So I walked back and forth between the crowds at the gates and the crowds lining the street. What a sea of humanity - so many colors, tongues, sizes and shapes!
Gates at Buckingham Palace
We waited about 45-60 minutes before things got started. It was a hot sunny day. It takes about 45 minutes for the whole ceremony. I was sweating bullets by the time it finished!
Active duty soldiers are assigned to guard the Queen, Buckingham Palace and St. James Palace further down the road. Today there are 2 guards on duty in front of Buckingham Palace - if the Queen was at home, there would be 4. She must have forgotten we were coming. Troops have guarded the monarch and the palaces since 1660!
The old guard (going off duty) at St. James' Palace marches down to Buckingham Palace. The new guard and its band march over from Wellington Barracks, which is between our hotel and Buckingham Palace. They enter the gates of the palace. The band plays a few tunes. New sentries take over. The old guard from St. James' and Buckingham Palaces march back to Wellington Barracks. Some of the new guard remains at Buckingham Palace while some march back to St. James. All over.
MEM in front of Buckingham Palace.
Beth in front of Queen Victoria's memorial across from Buckingham Palace.
Statue on Victoria's memorial
After taking some pictures, we jump on the bus and head to Piccadilly Square to find the Vodaphone Store. I want to buy a phone to call home - Julie had given me one but I couldn't figure out how to work it.
Statue of a horse's head - no one could tell me its significance.
NFL in London?
Shop being renovated near Piccadilly Circus.
We get off in Piccadilly and check out the Eros Statue. Beth's husband had spent time around here when he was a college student.
We buy some magnets and postcards from a street vendor before walking down Piccadilly Street to the Vodaphone shop. After waiting in line for a while, I ask for a phone that I can top up as needed. There is a cheap one for 15 gbp. The clerk tells me that I will have to pay roaming charges if I use it outside the UK. When I say I am still interested, he says that he has no Sim cards and that I have to go to the Oxford Street Vodapone shop to buy one. I said forget it, and we decided to try to have afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason's - we have no reservations, but I wanted to have a formal tea once while we were here.
We went into this exclusive shop which was started in the 1700s. Queen Elizabeth II opened a tea room here last year. We head upstairs to the tea room. It must be my rucksuck and capris. The woman in charge can barely find the time to talk to us. "A cup of tea, Madame?" "No" I say - "Afternoon tea." She tells us that they have no openings at the moment but if we come back in an hour, they can accommodate us. I think she is relieved when I say no.
Most people know that I am very low key, very patient, BUT, boy was I PISSED by her attitude. I hate to have anyone look down on me - think they are better than I am. I even want to be sitting up in my coffin during my wake so no one looks down on me and says how good or bad I look. Everyone deserves respect. I am fuming!
We go into a pub a couple of doors back. I order tea and instead of a scone, fruit salad with ice cream to cool me off!! I try to let this anger go - it was not easy!! But the fruit salad and ice cream are delicious!!
Next time I'll go to Selfridge's!!
Pub where we had tea - a few doors down from Fortnum and Mason.
Very nice door man that we passed - he agreed to let me take his picture.
We jump back on the Hop On Hop Off bus and pass through Trafalgar Square. We decide to go to Tower Pier and grab a ferry back to Westminster.
Blue rooster in Trafalgar Square on one of the pillars.
Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery
New film about Princes Diana is coming out.
We get off at the Tower of London and grab a 99 - that is a vanilla soft serve ice cream cone with a piece of a Flake bar in the ice cream. We eat this as we look around this area of town. Then we walk down to the pier and jump on the ferry for a boat ride back to Westminster Pier.
Tower Bridge from the ferry.
Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast who saw action in WWII.
St. Paul's Cathedral from ferry.
Westminster from the ferry.
Pancake/Crepe vendor on the stairs to Westminster pier. When we were there in 2000, my daughter Mairead would get a crepe every morning - with Nutella I think!
We looked for directions re how to make an international call in this phone box - no luck.
When we return to the hotel, there is a message from my husband's cousin that her son would meet us at the hotel at 6:30 tomorrow evening.
We drop some of our gear and then walk around looking for a place to eat. Our pub is overflowing with business men having a pint or two after work. It is very noisy. They are also outside on the sidewalk with a cigarette in one hand and a pint in the other.
We finally decide on the Blue Boar next to our hotel - it is not as crowded as the other places. But it is more expensive.
When we finish eating, it is almost 10 pm. Time to head home, shower, and start packing up some things - we have to be at Gatwick Airport by 7:30 on Friday morning. We stop by reception and book a taxi - I couldn't face the Tube at 6:30 am for a journey to Gatwick.
So tomorrow is our last day in London - Westminster Abbey, Churchill War Rooms, and the Tower of London are on our agenda - and then we are meeting Patrick at 6:30. It will be a busy day!
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