London Day 2

Our second day in London we took a Tour Bus trip to see Stonehenge and Windsor Castle.  Joseph did some research and discovered that taking a tour bus was the cheapest and fastest way to see these two sites.  Stonehenge was something Joseph really wanted to do on our trip so we made it happen. 

I love these row houses!  I just love seeing the building 

styles and imagining how people lived years ago.

Bus selfie!

Day 2 was our rainy day.  It sprinkled while we were on the bus traveling to Stonehenge and Windsor Castle, but the rain always stopped when it was time for us to get off the bus.  We were so lucky!

Stonehenge is old.  It is a World Heritage Site and scientists think it dates back 5000 years.  It is an impressive site when you consider these rocks are huge, weigh tons and the builders managed to haul these rocks miles to get them to this point.  Scientist think that Stonehenge is a type of seasonal clock because there is a particular stone that is in perfect alignment during the Winter and Summer solstices.  

We couldn't get very close to the stones because over the years tourists have damaged the existing rocks writing on them and chipping parts off them.  I included different shots of the rocks as we walked around Stonehenge.

Windsor Castle.  

This is the castle where Queen Elizabeth II prefers to live.  While Buckingham Palace is aesthetically pleasing to view it is drafty and not comfortable so the Queen only lives at Buckingham when she is hosting people of importance in the government.

I love seeing these big buildings, but I couldn't imagine living in one of them.  I would get my 10,000 steps each day without a problem if I lived in a castle!  I have decided that I really need to change my mental picture of a castle.  I always imagine a palace like Neuschwanstein Castle that is gorgeous and one building.  Most castles I'm realizing aren't that way.  There are many buildings usually with a moat, courtyards, and interior buildings surrounded by a large wall.  Our toured was probably a quarter or less of the buildings that make up the castle grounds.  Our tour included the State Apartments and St. George's Chapel.  It was all very beautiful and elaborate.  

I'm including a map of the Castle grounds:

St. George's Church where Harry and Meghan were married earlier this year.

Fun little tidbit:  Meghan and Harry announced that they are expecting a baby the day before we arrived in London so it was in the newspapers and I heard chatter about it from the locals!

Such a large church for just the people at the castle!

The Queen's RAF.  

Don't get in the way of the Queen's soldiers.  These men guard all of the monarch's houses and castles whether she lives in them anymore or not.  The soldiers have 3 2-hour shifts each day where they just stand or walk up and down their assigned area.  They carried assault rifles with long bayonets on the end.  They don't mess around and if they come in your direction move or be mowed down!

In the village of Windsor there is a little "sweetie" shop as our tour guide called it.  It was a fudge shop where you could get a sample of fudge and watch the fudge making process.  We stopped in and the fudge of the day was salted caramel.  It was good.  I had fun chatting with the Fudge-Smith in training.  She was quite the character and I learned a lot about fudge making.  I guess fudge is cooked multiple times before it is deemed perfect.  Most fudge is melted down 3 times while adding more cream each time.  

Our last few of Windsor Castle.

The London Eye and City Hall buildings lit up at night.  I think night time with this view was my favorite time to walk across the Westminster Bridge.