This morning we awoke to rain beating on our hotel window. Mick had us booked for a tour of Kensington Palace the current home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge AKA Will and Kate. It had recently had a £12 million refurbishment which still appeared to be going on.
Mick used his travel pass to get us 2 for 1 tickets so after breakfast out came our wet weather gear that we had brought with us and we headed off. We didn't have umbrellas but that soon changed as Lyn went into M & S to buy one as soon as we arrived at the High Street Kensington tube station. Mick declined as he thought we had enough to carry already.
We left the station in the pouring rain and took the 15 minute walk down the road and through Kensington Gardens to the Palace.
Due to the rain, photography outside was impossible so we didn't manage to get any photos of the building from the outside or during our walk through the immaculately kept grounds which were extensive.
After getting our pre-ordered tickets we headed to the very nice restaurant for a coffee fix before starting the tour.
Each of the areas of the palace had guides who were conversant with the history of the area they occupied and beyond.
We found the rooms far too dark for our liking making it difficult to see the displays clearly so we used our phone torches to examining some of the intricate work in the displays. Flash photography was not allowed so most of the pictures Mick took sans flash, which was all of them, suffered from camera shake.
It was an interesting tour and obviously restricted to the areas not currently being lived in.
After a couple of hours we headed home and having found a volunteer at the front door with a battery powered people mover, got a lift to the front gate and then a bus for two stops to the underground station.
Unfortunately it was still pouring with rain.
Some overground trains have a Quiet Zone carriage where no mobile phones and loud talking are allowed. A pleasure to be in these days. Why is it that mobile phone users think everyone else is interested in their conversation.
Mick used his travel pass to get us 2 for 1 tickets so after breakfast out came our wet weather gear that we had brought with us and we headed off. We didn't have umbrellas but that soon changed as Lyn went into M & S to buy one as soon as we arrived at the High Street Kensington tube station. Mick declined as he thought we had enough to carry already.
We left the station in the pouring rain and took the 15 minute walk down the road and through Kensington Gardens to the Palace.
Due to the rain, photography outside was impossible so we didn't manage to get any photos of the building from the outside or during our walk through the immaculately kept grounds which were extensive.
After getting our pre-ordered tickets we headed to the very nice restaurant for a coffee fix before starting the tour.
Each of the areas of the palace had guides who were conversant with the history of the area they occupied and beyond.
We found the rooms far too dark for our liking making it difficult to see the displays clearly so we used our phone torches to examining some of the intricate work in the displays. Flash photography was not allowed so most of the pictures Mick took sans flash, which was all of them, suffered from camera shake.
It was an interesting tour and obviously restricted to the areas not currently being lived in.
After a couple of hours we headed home and having found a volunteer at the front door with a battery powered people mover, got a lift to the front gate and then a bus for two stops to the underground station.
Unfortunately it was still pouring with rain.
Seen in a shopping centre. A machine to give your phone a 15 minute charge for a £1.
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