Great day with Darlene, Paul & their lovely daughter Isabelle.
Really frosty fun at Windsor Castle with these guys today. Young Isabelle is an aspiring international horse-woman and the family were here to attend a show jumping event at the Excel Centre and to take in the sights. We went through St Georges Chapel together where the low winter light showed up the amazing stained glass and high perpendicular gothic to it's very best effect. We shared a few moments sitting quietly in the quire before marvelling at Edward III's massive battle sword and studying the graffiti left by Cromwell's troops in 1649 when the castle was surrendered by the Royalist's to Cromwell's New Model Army.
The Coldstream Guards gave us a great show at the changing and played a very cleverly arranged Christmas medly to which the little kids on their day out danced madly. (see below)
We bailed a little early on the changing of the guard to beat the queues for Queen Mary's Dolls House where we marvelled at the tiny perfection of a world long gone. I always thought there wasn't a loo in the whole house but Darlene managed to spot one. Here's a photo somebody posted on the net of the house, it is huge, you'd need a ladder to reach most of it, especially if you were a tiny tot!
We had a break in the refectory with a warming cup of hot chocolate apiece and then did the State Rooms. Again the winter light in the Waterloo Room was amazing and we went through a different set of rooms to usual which look out over the privy garden, several of which I have never seen before. In the armoury we examined probably the smallest item in the this vast place, the musket ball which killed Lord Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar. It took some searching but I managed to find a photo of that too on the net
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As we came out into the upper ward we had to step back from the gate to let some of the guard pass. I have often seen this and was always slightly amused that the officer or NCO commanding the tiny troop had to stop and fumble with keys to open the gate. This time is was even more entertaining as the unfortunate soldier in charge had forgotten the keys entirely and, after frisking himself a few times had to march off on his own to summon a police officer to open it for him! Still, it gave us the chance to get some beautiful pictures in the frostyness of the winter light.
Police Officer having to unlock the gate for the forgetful NCO
Tomorrow the Sparks family have a day trip to the Cotswolds from London and next year they have more planned vacations in England. I do hope to guide them again. It's people like this that make hosting private tours the best job in the world :)
Safe travels Sparks, until we meet again!
Oh and here is Isabelle in action on No Matter What (Hugo to his friends) Roll on the Olympics 2028! Perhaps when the Sparks return we'll take a trip to Hever Castle and Isabelle can join in the jousting!
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