16th November Buckingham Palace, Royal Mews, Westminster Abbey, Scrooge

Today I headed to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard. I didn't check the website as to when it was on, so what I saw was not the grand event that it usually is, but there were a troupe of guards on horses and there was a changing of the guard event that happened inside the palace grounds. Buckingham Palace has served as the official residence of Britains sovereigns since 1837 and is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch. The Palace has 775 rooms which include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms! It is a working building and the centrepiece of Britains constitutional monarchy. The Palace is also the venue for great Royal ceremonies, State visits and Investitures. On the day that I visited there was some activity in the courtyard and it was for an Investiture ceremony where an individual who has been awarded an honour receives their award in person from the Queen.

Next I headed around the corner to the Royal Mews. I hadn't been here before and I thought it would be interesting to see some of the Royal carriages. The Royal Mews provides road transport for the Queen and members of the Royal Family by both horse-drawn carriage and motor car. There are many different carriages that are used for Royal and State occasions, State Visits, Weddings and the State Opening of Parliament. I saw the Irish State Coach that the Queen travels to the State Opening of Parliament, and the Australian State Coach which combines traditional craftsmanship with 20th century technology...the seats are heated and the windows are remote-controlled!  The most impressive carriage was definately the magnificent Gold State Coach used for Coronations. It was built for George III in 1762 and it weighs almost 4 tonnes and needs 8 horses to pull it. It has carried every monarch to their coronation since 1821. As I was leaving the Royal Mews the lady at the gate asked me what my plans were for the rest of the day...I told her I wasn't sure but I still hadn't been to Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London or Madame Tussaud's. She turned up her nose at Madame Tussaud's and suggested I head to Westminster Abbey which was in walking distance from the Royal Mews. So off to Westminster Abbey I went.

Benedictine monks first came to the site of Westminster Abbey in the middle of the tenth century and established a tradition of daily worship which continues to this day. The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the final resting place of seventeen monarchs icluding Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. It is also the place where some of the most significant people in Britains history are buried or commemorated. I saw the burial place of Geoffery Chaucer (poet), Henry Purcell (composer), Sir Isaac Newton (scientist), Charles Darwin (naturalist) and Charles Dickens (novelist). The Abbey is one of the most important Gothic buildings in Britain and is a treasure house of paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles and other artefacts. After spending a couple of hours it was time to head back to the apartment to get ready for the theatre.

Tonight I was seeing 'Scrooge'. It is on at the London Palladium so I walked to Picadilly Circus and then along Regent Street. I found a nice restaurant near the theatre and ordered fish and chips for dinner and a glass of wine. Then it was time for the show. I decided to see this because I love the story 'A Christmas Carol'. Tommy Steele played the part of Scrooge and was very popular with the English audience. I enjoyed the show...and it certainly got me thinking Christmas! It's very lively in central London on a Friday night so I walked back to the apartment rather than get the tube. Lots of police out tonight though!