Osborne House

Despite staying so very close to the Isle of Wight many times, this year was the first time we decided to go over and visit Osborne House.  We got the ferry from Lymington,  which was easier than I thought it would be.

 The queues for tickets were long and depressing and initially flashed me back with a PTSD horror of the Versailles experience. But they cleared fairly quickly and I was amazed then at how the people dissipated and there was room to move around and see things properly. 

The house was nice and plenty to see.  Many state rooms  but within them were one or 2 special paintings and pieces that made me go "ooooh that's the original"

 I loved this. 

I was taken by the mirrors that slide into the walls and across the windows, I guess for night time as the views from windows were amazing.

 The children's dining furniture.  Opulence in miniature.

 3 cots, 2 replicas made up before the original was discovered in a store room.

The crib is the original used by Victoria and Albert.

 And I was in awe of being 'allowed' to view items touched by Royal hands until I saw the internal gates (from the time when the house was used a naval convalescent home) and a little bit of republican in me started to pop out at the class divider.

 All the same looking at her desk

 and bath

 and dressing table

was quite something.

 But left me thinking she would be turning in her grave at the thought of the public trampling through her home.

 The republican finally snapped at the celebration of the Empress of India and the display of it all as though it were something to be proud of still rather than the historical shame it should be.












We ate in an over priced and badly staffed 'restaurant'  proving that English Heritage are still fail miserably at something the National Trust do incredibly well.





















We had a wander around Swiss Cottage where the privileged children learnt to be more like 'normal' people and bake cakes and play war games in readiness for decimating the population of Europe under their leadership later.










And a potter around the museum of collectables











The plumbing hadn't changed!

John Brown got a mention which cheered me.

 And we walked down to the sea

 The bathing hut had been found being used as a chicken shed before it was restored.

 I rather liked sitting where a Queen had sat.






















Over all it was a good day out.

Helped by the fine weather.  Not helped by poor eating, drinking and toilet facilities.

I'm pleased we went and I wouldn't go back.

And that is also exactly what COG said about it when she came back from a school trip there years ago. 

So now I understand!