London, Day 5

The fifth day found A and me leaving London for the day via train to see the town and castle of Windsor.  During the last few minutes of the train ride, we glimpsed the castle through the trees.  Seeing it that way first made it seem like something magical hidden.  However, once we disembarked in Windsor and made our way to the castle - it wasn't hard to find because it was where everybody else was going - it was clear that the castle was no secret at all.  A huge line greeted us.  You can see a bit of the line in the picture below.  The crowd ran down the sidewalk along the base of the castle wall and around the castle corner and out of sight.  Maybe I should've expected a huge line.  After all, summer is peak tourist season, and the website for Windsor Castle had clearly said that late morning was the busiest time for the castle and that you ought to come in the afternoon if possible.  I was still surprised though.  So many people.

Besides the people in line, even more people were just milling about, not in line for the castle but not going anywhere either.  I asked a man directing traffic what everybody was waiting for, and he said that the changing of the guard was about to happen.  He said that in a few minutes police would clear the streets and then the guards would march through.  So A and I added our bodies to the horde of tourists and waited for the event.  Within about ten to fifteen minutes, it started.  First I heard drums rattling around a rhythm, then brasses pumping out a tune, and then the guards marched out of the gate.  The band was first.  There were about a dozen of them.  They marched down the road, blaring their instruments, somehow dignified despite their towering black fur hats.  Next came guards bearing guns.  Again, there were about a dozen of them.  And that was it.  That was the end.  The entire thing took two minutes or less.  After all that fuss and all the people crushed in on each other to see it, I was astonished at how short a time it took.  It was rather funny.

After the changing of the guard, everybody left the sidewalks and spilled back out into the streets again.  A and I went to a park next to the castle.  We'd hang out there for a while, we decided, and then come back and see how the line looked.  

The Long Walk, a path winding through the park

The park was nice and had fewer people and the shade from the trees helped offset the heat which was as intense as the day before.  After walking around the park some, A and I went to a pub for lunch.  It was called The Horse and Groom.  It was across the street from the castle, and the upstairs room where we ate had windows looking directly out on the castle.  Some actors in period-style costumes were doing some sort of reenactment on the hill at the base of the castle wall to entertain the people standing in line.

After lunch, A and I wandered around the shopping area of Windsor.  There were a lot of stores but the only one we went in was Waterstones, an English bookstore chain.  They had the same editions of classics as Daunt Bookstore.  I took more photos of them.

After that, A and I figured we ought to go to the castle now.  Even if the line wasn't shorter, we should still at least get a place in it.  If we didn't, we might not get in before the doors closed at 5:30.  So we walked back to the castle.  The line hadn't shortened.  It was just as thick as ever.  It did not look appealing.  However, A had noticed another line of people earlier that day queued up along a different wall of the castle.  Now that line was gone.  We figured it was worth asking about.  I went over to a lady directing people around and asked her if this long line was for pre-purchased ticket holders.  She said no, it was only for people who hadn't bought their tickets.  I asked her what to do if we already had our tickets.  She said we could go right in!  I could've wept I was so relieved.  Well, maybe that's an exaggeration.  But still!  

We went right in, filed through the security - there was a line for that but only a short, quick-moving one - and then were walking into the first castle courtyard.  We strolled from one courtyard to another, the stone walls towering over us, looking sturdy enough to hold out several armies at once.  Then we went into the staterooms.  No pictures were allowed in the staterooms, so you'll just have to trust me when I say they were lovely: large open spaces, sweeping ceilings, fancy artwork, and objects and treasures collected from all over the world.  There were suits of armor, gold-covered dishes, portraits of probably famous people, and hundreds of shields bearing coats of arms.  In one long gallery room decorated with shields all over the ceiling, a man was giving a demonstration with medieval weaponry.  It was geared toward kids but was still interesting for us, so we stayed and listened.  He had a couple of tables holding swords, shields, helmets, armor, and a bunch of different kinds of arrows.  He explained how each one was used, let people hold and feel the swords and arrows, and had kids try on the helmets.  I learned some new stuff about medieval weaponry which was cool.  When he was done, we walked through the rest of the rooms and then went to the Chapel of St. George which was also within the castle walls.  I think that was where the royal wedding earlier this year took place.

After the castle, A and I wanted to get afternoon tea.  We couldn't go our whole London trip without a proper English tea service.  So we stopped in at a restaurant called The Tower and got a cream tea: a pot of green tea with lemon (unlimited refills, which was fantastic), finger sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, strawberry jam, mini chocolate and lemon cake squares, a mini donut, and a little cup of berry and orange custard.  It was absolutely delicious.  I wish afternoon tea was a thing in the States.

After tea, we hung out for a bit in Alexandra Park, which was just down the road.  We sat under a big tree and journaled and read and people-watched (people-watching fellow tourists can be rather amusing) and then got a quick bite for dinner before catching the train back to London.  We got chicken and mushroom English pies for dinner.  They were absolutely delicious as well.  How does everything taste so good?  I'm going to have to learn how to make some of these things once I get home.