Day 28 Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey

Today was our turn to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Our B & B was much closer that we thought. The show starts at 11:30 am so we started off right after breakfast at 9 am to arrive early and get a good place to stand. Well, we arrived at 9:30 am and had to just stand and sit on the steps by Queen Victoria, watching all the other tourists. Those marble steps were cold to sit on so don't come so early unless it is summer!

The gate was impressive but the crowds milling around were the most fun. The family right in front of us was from France and we had a nice visit with a Michigan couple carrying the same Rick Steves' guide book.

We headed to Green Park and saw this "green" building along the main street. It was pretty cool with all the vegetation climbing up the building from bottom to top.

Westminster Abbey was the last tourist stop for today. We decided to take the guided tour and hopefully learn a little bit. It is a beautiful church where kings and a couple of queens have been crowned and buried (29) since 1066. The original Abbey was dedicated in 1065 by Edward the Confessor and the first Coronation was William the Conqueror on Christmas Day, 1066. Of course the original church is gone but Henry III stated building this church in 1245. The last Coronation was Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Who will be her successor?

Even with the 90 minute guided tour there was so much to see that we only learned a little bit of the almost 1,000 year history. We did stay for evensong. It was a nice ending to the day.

We had dinner tonight at the above pub after stopping earlier in the week for High Tea, a very English tradition. It is a mid afternoon snack which includes tea, of course, and small sandwiches and scones with jam and thick clotted cream. Delicious dinner and delicious High Tea!! I think I will need a maid when we get home! We walked almost 6 miles and even bought London tee shirts! I am looking forward to Shakespeare tomorrow, our last day.