We've been to London to visit the Queen, sadly she wasn't in!

Another early start to the day, spent exploring London.  We caught the bus in, actually two buses, to make our way in to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guard.  We had pole position in a reasonable spot to watch this ceremony which takes place every other day except when it rains.

Paul caught much of it on video, so not a lot to show you here. The crowds of people were amazing. I can't imagine what it would be like on a royal occasion.   Another jaw dropping moment standing in front of this!

 

Here are some of the lovely gardens near the palace adjoining St James Park.  I might try and copy these at home!

From the Palace, we took a short Westminster walk to have a look at Churchills War Rooms.  Here they have preserved the complex from which WW2 was staged. Everything has either been left exactly as it was , or carefully recreated from photos or from the memory of people who worked there.

This is Mr Churchill's bedroom where he stayed for only 3 nights during the war

This is a recreation of Mr Churchill talking to President Truman.

We would love to have spent longer there however time did not allow. What a fascinating place!

Next we visited St Paul's cathedral.  More jaw dropping!

There has been a cathedral on this site since 604 in one form or another and this is possibly the fifth to be built there. The latest one built between 1675 and 1711, after the previous one was destroyed in the Great Fire of London, was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and cost something like 50 million pounds to build. No photography is allowed inside the building, so we can't show you how beautiful it was.   We will just have to remember the mosaics depicting the creation of birds, fish and other animals in the Rounds, the paintings in the dome, the dark oak of the Quire, yes, spelt that way, and the heavily guided iron making up the High Altar. 

We stayed for Evensong which was lovely, mostly choral singing and some bible readings. Paul also climbed 578 steps all up to go up to the balconies outside.  I stayed and meditated because I was too exhausted to do all those steps.

I did however revive when we found this place. Liberty of London.

They don't call it retail therapy for nothing

 

Now we are sitting at our local, we had this for dinner.

And Paul is having this for dessert.

 

I'm not sure we are doing enough walking!!!