Wonderful Windsor Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Psalms 37:4:
Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

This was a joyous, fun-filled day! We were up and at ’em nice and early to take a journey by tube and train to Windsor Castle. I have Brenda to thank for choosing this location as I don’t think I would have ever thought to go here. She saw a PBS special on Windsor Castle and suggested this would be a fun place to go. It’s a royal residence where the queen spends much of her time. She basically “works” at Buckingham and “lives” at Windsor.

We got up early, ate breakfast, worked on the blog, straightened up a bit (well, Brenda straightened up a bit. Smile. She is a very neat person.) As we were leaving, I realized that I didn’t have my 7-day travel pass, the one we paid 29 pounds for that’s good on much of the transport around London, the one that was to SAVE ME MONEY. I looked in the 15 pockets and zippered compartments that are in the travel bag that Angie lent me, I looked in all my pants pockets, I looked under the bed, over the bed, in the closet, looked in coat pockets.  I did all this 3 or 4 times. So did Brenda. Oh well, it’s only money. So we left. 

We walked to Sloane Square tube station where I went to the ticket counter to buy a tube ticket to ride to Paddington Station where we would catch the train. I figured "Oh well, a couple of pounds and we’re off." EIGHT POUNDS FORTY PENCE for a one-day travel card. When the older gentleman behind the counter waited on me, he said, “Are you SURE you can’t find your travel pass?” I’m like “I can’t seem to.” I said, “Oh well, it’s only play money on holiday, right?” He said, “I’m sure your husband doesn’t feel that way.” I said, “Well, I don’t have a husband. The one with a husband did not lose hers!”  My penance paid, we got on the tube, the Circle Line, and rode to Paddington Station.  (I did think of my wonderful daughter, Ramona, and wanted to let her know that she comes by it honestly – the misplacing gene.)

At Paddington Station we stood in line to buy a train ticket to Windsor (not covered by the travel pass).  At the train station, Brenda’s credit card was declined. This is not a fun thing to have happen to you. They tried it 3 or 4 times, but no go. So we just decided we’d put things on my card and sort it all out later. After purchasing the tickets, we went to the lobby where there’s a big giant electronic board showing all the trains and their departure times and what platform you get on. We waited about 15 minutes and then we saw our train announced as leaving at Platform 11. We walked down to Platform 11 and I put my ticket into the ticket reader and went through. Brenda’s ticket was rejected. A train station employee was able to let her in manually but that was a little disconcerting, rejected twice in a few minutes! 

We got on the train (like a real train, not a light rail train or a subway train, but a choo choo train!) We rode up to Slough Station, got off the train and walked across the platform to catch another train to Windsor. 

 

On the train there was even a  “stewardess” coming down the narrow aisle with drinks and snacks for purchase. We didn’t purchase.  We disembarked at Windsor Station and made our way to an information center where an employee reminded us that the Changing of the Guard would take place at Windsor today at 11:00 a.m. (They alternate days between Windsor and Buckingham in October.) A band would be accompanying them and they would march up the street and into the castle. We could watch from outside the castle or from within. She made it sound like it would be more enjoyable to watch them march from outside the castle as the changing was just a brief little exchange of units.

So I grabbed a cup of coffee to drink while we would watch the guard.  But as we climbed to the top of the hill to get near where the guard would march, a castle employee said we should hurry up and enter the castle and then make our way back down to the lower yard courtyard to see the guard from inside the castle, because the changing was really more elaborate than we had been told. A band was going to do a performance and we would see better. So that’s what we did. We went through security (same as at the Mews. It’s a check your bag and walk through a scanner type security.), picked up some headphones for another audiotour, and hustled down the hill to the Lower Ward to wait for the guard. As we stood there waiting, there were about 100 school children (young, maybe 1st graders) who came marching in with their teachers in teams of 10 or so. They wore reflective vests and held hands. (Brenda and I thought this might be a good way for us to get around in crowds!)

Pretty soon, in marched the band (we found out later it was the Scottish band) and behind them the guard (we found out they were the Irish Guard). I really am not that familiar with what I was actually watching to be able to give you all the names and proper terms. Let me just say it was precise, dignified, ceremonial, impressive, beautiful, breathtaking, etc. There were quite a few people watching, but I know for a fact, we were able to see better and enjoy it more than had we watched it at Buckingham, a much more “downtown” type location. I’ve posted a few photos to give you a “feel.” 

 

After the ceremony, we walked back to the starting point of the tour, and one of the employees told us we could get a guided tour with a real person rather than an audiotape, so we joined up with Alun (Scottish spelling) and a small group, and we learned some fascinating details about this castle. 

It was built as a defensive castle and became home to kings and queens. You could read about its history online. 

After Alun had taken us through as much as he was allowed to, then we entered the State Apartments which are rooms that are used for state occasions and are furnished with all kinds of original art. As this is a residence and not a museum, they were not labeled like in a museum. We did have our audiocassette guides, but they didn’t identify every piece of art and/or furniture in the room. 

However, in each room was a castle employee who was thoroughly knowledgeable of every item in the room we were going through. Many of them really don’t like the audio guides as they feel they rush you through and you don’t get to know the place. One employee said, “Come over here and look.” And he showed us a sword that was used by King Henry VIII! He said “There it lies and you would never know unless I showed you.” To me it was almost surrealistic to be surrounded by that much history. I am ever reminded of how much more there is to learn. I certainly feel I need a refresher course on the British monarchs.

Because the queen was not in residence, having returned to Buckingham the day previous (and signaled by the non presence of her flag flying on the flagpole), we were able to also go into some of the semi-state rooms that are closed when the queen is in residence. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and if we were staying longer in London may have even returned for another visit.

On our way out, we stopped to have our photo taken with the sentry, which is allowed, however Alun had sobered us up about trying to make the guard laugh or messing with him in general. These are “real” soldiers, many of whom may have just returned from Afghanistan. They take their job very seriously and we should respect them. He said that was the first time the Irish guard had been at Windsor in two years, having just returned from Afghanistan. As you look at the photo, you may not be able to tell, but this was a young man.

I also went in to St. George’s Chapel (not exactly like the Indiana Campus chapel or a little chapel in the woods. I would term it a cathedral). Much of British history is associated with churches and cathedrals and chapels. Interestingly, Brenda doesn’t do chapels. (Smile)

We were through the castle by about 4:00 p.m. and were now ready for something to eat. We thought we might be ready for our afternoon tea now in a little less formal setting than the Dorchester. We asked a metropolitan policeman where he thought a good place for tea was, and he said around the corner at the Crooked Tea House, so that’s what we set off for. More in the next post.