A cheeky trip to London

Cog's school decided they weren't teaching them today, no not the strike, that's next week. This was for 'target setting' - bless.  Anyhoo, we took the opportunity to do the tourist thing without the crowds and slipped down to London.

Kensington Palace was fantastic, Cog was free.  I was £16.50.  It was really interesting to walk around.  The current temporary display is the Queen's, Princess Margaret's and Diana's dresses.

I was surprised that my favourites were the Queen's.  Stunning.  She has/had such a tiny waist.

Victoria's dresses were also so very small.

I am always amazed that I am allowed to walk in rooms where Kings and Queens have trod.  To stand by the grand fireplaces, to look out of the same windows. Quite incredible.

As always our luck was in, it was quiet and we were 'accosted' by in character and costume grandiose people who asked if we were gamblers and could we play cards.

Cog and I ended up gambling away our houses and estates in a game of commerce.  Great fun.

The large 3d hanging that made you feel like you were stood inside the Crystal Palace fascinated me.

After we'd eaten in the cafe at the palace we went over to the Horse Guards Cavalry museum.  £6 for an adult and Cog was free again as I had a voucher with my train card.

It's fairly small but very interesting, we stood for ages looking at the real horses in the stables through a glass wall and catching brief glimpses of the soldiers.

I couldn't resist an opportunity to dress up.

This was quite incredible.  A soldier shot by a sniper in the first world war had the good fortune that the bullet went through his cigarette case, bible and half way through his French dictionary before getting no further.

From Westminster, we wandered down the north bank for a change and then caught a clipper down to the Tower.

It's lovely to see the iconic skyline.

The new ....

...and the old.


A lovely stop at my favourite Perkin Reveller for tea and scones before heading back to St Pancras.

We met HWMBO for the journey home, he hadn't had half so much fun stuck in the office.