The windows were all done up with designer's takes on Disney Princesses. Having no interest in Disney Princesses combined with the dresses not being that pretty and everyone else taking pictures of them, I saw a really spectacular picture of the sky and took that instead.
James and I started out at Buckingham Palace for Changing of the Guard. Scroll down for those pictures.
Victoria Memorial. This thing is huge. Queen Victoria must have thought mighty highly of herself.
James liked this Queen. Somewhere along the line, I know there is another picture of him and Tangle with a Queen Victoria statue, maybe in Winnipeg? This one was a lot less climbable than that.
Still part of the Memorial. There are beautiful Victorian fountains all around it and it's got it's own moat.
We then went to St. James's Park, right beside Buckingham Palace. It's a really beautiful urban park.
The animals are friendly and will eat out of your hand. I'm not willing to give a squirrel a chance to bite off my fingers so I opted not to do this. Plus, I can't advocate for animals eating from people/people food. They become too dependent on this, it's not good for them and it creates a false sense of security for people. One day they're going to feed a squirrel a peanut in another city and that squirrel is going to think their finger is another peanut, bite them and give them rabies. No thank you.
It's the Queen's Jubilee year. There are many monuments to commemorate this, but the topiary crowns them all.
St. James Palace
Heading to Hyde Park, I decided to walk along Constitution Hill. This is the street that runs right beside Buckingham Palace. It is tree lined and the walls to Buckingham Palace are highly secure. In addition to having a slimy moss on them, there is what looks like deadly wrought iron along the top. There is CCTV literally everywhere in London. You're constantly on camera, especially near a palace.
The Olympic Torch ran along here - this was a hand off spot. The Marathon also ran along here. I believe it was the finish line.
Hyde Park was gigantic and I went there for two reasons. I wanted to see where Arthur Dent and Fenchurch flew, and I wanted to see the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. Those pictures will come as part of the Princess Diana post.
Steve asked why James did not go in the phone booth. Simple: it smelled like pee.
My accommodations were amazing. I stayed in a flat in Islington, as previously mentioned. I only paid $25/night. I was two blocks from a tube stop, a block from a Sainsburys, in a really lively, eclectic and safe part of London. The street was quiet and the hosts were amazing. I had full run of the flat if I desired it, but I really only needed it as a bed and a shower.
I used AirBnB for this and I would do it again in a second, anywhere I travel.
I stayed in the room right above the door (there are two flats in this house).
Leaving London was a treat. I nearly missed the coach because the Megabus website gave very bad information. It said I needed to be in a building totally other than the one I actually needed to be in. I eventually found where I needed to be and drove through the country side of England for a few hours before getting to Port of Dover to catch the ferry to France.
There really are white cliffs.
No bluebirds, however.
There are, however, nushy peas. The English have found a way to make peas into a starch and it is delicious.
This is the closest James and I will ever get to a cruise. Going across the English Channel.
For Mom.
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