I had the great fortune last weekend to be a part of what was one of the most well-publicised and delightful weddings in many a year.
If I live to be 100+ I will never forget the fun, the excitement, the joy and the sheer exhuberance of the day and the people who shared it.
I learned a lot over those 2 days and this is a light-hearted look at some of the things I learned:
1) People still believe in fairytales – we love a good romance and the romance between a Prince and a Commoner still has the power to spellbind most of us!
2) Princess Diana is still dearly loved by millions of people – I heard hundreds of people speaking about her over the 2 days and many, many bloggers mention her in conjunction with their reporting of the day.
3) You don’t have to be British to be a Royalist – thousands of people travelled from all over the world to share in the day and wish this lovely couple a bright and happy future.
4) The British know how to throw a good party – all over the country people put out the tables and the bunting, blew up the balloons, cooked up a storm, put on a good bash and put the beer industry into profit for the next decade!!!!
5) The British are Top of the Pops when it comes to Pomp and Pageantry – the sight of those horsemen coming down The Mall, the sound of the horses hooves on the ground was overwhelming! The sheer power!
6) There are thousands of people who truly love the young Princes – despite their priviledged upbringing and the illusion of freedom, many people are aware that they live in a gilded cage and still have their wellbeing at heart.
7) We love that Kate is such a down-to-earth lass with no airs and graces – I loved the moment she stepped out her car at the Abbey and waved to the crowd, and then when she said ‘Wow’ as she stepped onto the Palace balcony and saw the crowds.
8) I learned that people are prepared to endure the most uncomfortable of nights for a good place to view the proceedings.
9) That people are essentially honest – we left our bags outside the tent all night and no-one touched them.
10) The Mall is very gritty and with thousands of people walking by the amount of dust generated could put the Sahara to shame!
11) That it is easier to sleep on the ground when you are 16 years old than when you are 56!!! 🙂
12) That people who are complete strangers are more than happy to share their worldly belongings and engage in conversation, even thought they don’t know you.
13) That even in this world of me, me, me……there are many generous people still around.
14) That the sun comes up real early at this time of the year and Buckingham Palace looks fabulous in the early morning light.
15) That I can survive without eating for longer than I thought 🙂
16) That I can hang on without going to the loo for 14 hours!!
17) That some people are very enterprising – the number of memento vendors I saw on The Mall the day before was entertaining!
18) That people are not afraid to dress up in ridiculous outfits and make a spectacle of themselves – bravo to all of you!
19) The words of ‘God Save the Queen’!
20) That the British on the whole are MAD…. mad/ly patriotic that is – there are many, many people in Britian who sang this lustily and with pride.
21) That they sang the National Anthem with equal pride!
22) That the Policemen on duty carry lunchpacks in little brown paper bags.
23) That my camera doesn’t work too well when its clogged with dust!
24) That pop-up tents don’t pop-down as easily as they pop-up!
25) That after only 3 hours of sleep a cup of tea tastes like nectar.
26) That despite only 3 hours of sleep from the night before, I was wide awake when the fun began.
27) I learned that I am truly grateful for my bed.
28) That my daughter is a real gem; prepared to give up her home comforts to accommodate her Mother’s mad impulses and sleep on The Mall.
29) That London is the best city in the world………but that I already knew! 🙂
What a fabulous event! Kate; or Catherine as she is now to be known, the Duchess of Cambridge looked absolutely radiant, just as every bride should!
I feel as if I have truly fallen through the rabbit hole, it was surreal! The Pomp! The Pagentry! The Ceremony! The Horses! The Traditions! The Colours! The Music! The Troops! The Flags! – only the British can do Pomp and Ceremony like the British! 🙂
Pomp and Pagentry on The Mall
Who would have thought when I sat in front of my TV that day back in South Africa in 1981, and watched the wedding of Prince Charles and the soon to be Princess Diana, that in just under 30 years time I would be in London and at the wedding of her eldest son; Prince William!
To say that I am thrilled and exhuberant to have been part of the fantastic event would be a total understatement. I could probably use every descriptive word in the dictionary and it still wouldn’t describe the fun, the excitement and the sheer unadulterated amazement I felt at being there.
two very excited people, on The Mall waiting for the fun to begin
Earlier in the month, in a moment of what can clearly be described as madness, I had decided to join the hundreds of other people who would be camping out on the Mall for the Royal Wedding.
my place for the Royal Wedding
You may recall, (or not), that I went along to mark this ‘spot’ a few days before which was great fun. Of course when I did arrive at The Mall on Thursday evening, the whole area was already filled with people camping out – note to self: take leave from duty when these events occur! In other words, there are other people just as mad who get there early too!!
you gotta get there early
So, there I was, rucksack strapped on, the pop-up 2woman tent that I had purchased the day before in another ‘moment of madness’, (I am not safe with a credit card when I get excited about something!!) in one hand, a bag of food in my other hand and my stomach churning with excitement, wandering about looking for a spot to camp out! I was delighted that my daughter had decided to join me for the night and she was to arrive a wee bit later.
our 2-woman pop-up tent prior to being popped-up
The Mall was a sea of tents, and camping chairs, plastic ground sheets, and thousands of people either already set up or just milling about. And dust!!! Without further ado, I set off to find a reasonable spot and chanced upon a row of ladies who had already set up their chairs right against the barrier. There was a space behind them with a clear view of The Mall in front, a good view of Buckingham Palace and most importantly a good view of the balcony where the couple would appear after the ceremony! And hopefully for a kiss!! In the event we got two, and in the event I missed both coz by the time it happened we had crowds of people in front and many were up on shoulders and that was that.
The Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace - a sea of heads below
The souvenir vendors were out n force and we had people selling flags, badges, buttons, hats, scarves and two enterprisng young ladies on Barclays Bikes selling t-shirts
enterprising vendors selling t-shirts; getting around on Barclays bikes
One thing is for sure, the Barclays Cycle Hire were making a roaring trade, I saw dozens of bikes being used that afternoon and night! I set myself up behind the ladies who were from Somerset, got to chatting to folks around me and leaving my bags with the ladies in front I went walkabout for a bit. Not too far mind, I had a spot to keep! If you moved away for more than a few minutes, your spot was gone! My question about where to go to the loo was answered as soon as I arrived.
portaloos for a party
There were people from all over the world, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, America, Japan, Germany, Poland and UK citizens from all corners of the country. I saw Piers Morgan being interviewed, I watched reporters reporting, I got to see David Cameron go walkabout,
David Cameron on The Mall, being interviewed by Tim Wilcox
but I missed William and Harry’s walkabout near Clarence House. In terms of distance it is a 5 minute walk, in terms of the night I could just as well have been on the moon….it was impossible to get anywhere near the place.
Soon my daughter arrived and we put the tent up! Now here is the thing, there is something I learned over this episode; a pop-up tent ‘pops’ up a lot easier than it ‘pops’ down again! After numerous fruitless attempts on Friday morning to get it back in the bag, we gave up, strapped it together and that was that!
a fruitless attempt to pop-down the pop-up...........
I was almost happy to see the back of it, however, since it did cost £60, I didn’t just toss it! But it was a great little to tent to sleep in (probably what saved it’s skin), and in due course, at about 10pm we snuggled in, sleeping mats rolled out, sleeping bags spread out and hallelujah my daughter brough a couple of pillows along! All the comforts of a 5-star hotel and we had a view like none! 🙂
settling in for the night.
By this stage we were covered in dust, The Mall sidewalks are after all sand and grit, and despite repeated washing of my hair when I got home the next day, I can still feel grit in my hair. My pores, despite a real scrubbing under the shower still feel clogged. The sand got in everywhere, and by the time I got home Friday night my clothes, the tent, the sleeping bags, my rucksack and my trainers collectively contained at least 90% of the Mall’s gritty sidewalk!
dusty tents on The Mall
The excitement on the night was palpable. It never ceases to amaze me how at these events people who are total strangers get chatting and laughing together, the normal British reserve is no-where to be seen. Reporters from different countries and TV Stations were roving around, looking for interesting people to interview. And by interesting I mean the people that were dressed for the occassion. There were Brides, a Queen Victoria, ladies in hats fit for a Queen, Union Jacks disguised in all manner of items; painted on faces, hats and t-shirts. We had scattered sing-songs, hundreds of flags waving about and the atmosphere was electric.
do not press my button.........
I managed to sleep for about 3 hours between the hours of 1am and 4am through the noise, the shouting, the tramping feet that constantly kicked and knocked our tent, the lights, the shouting, the singing and the occassional Porta-Potty truck! We had Police milling about keeping an eye on the crowds and may I say that I was totally impressed; no aggression, no fighting, no bad behaviour and everyone was in a very jolly mood.
We woke really early the next day, and my very clever daughter went off to find us some tea and breakfast. Lesson #1 dont bother to bring food next time….just buy when you are there! Never has a cup of tea tasted so good! And the croissants even better. We also had red-velvet cupcakes for elevenses!!
very early the next morning
By 7am the crowds had swelled to enormous proportions, we had unsuccessfully packed up our tent, packed away our accoutrements and got ready for a party. The air was electric and in no time at all the party got under way. Wills and Kate went walkabout, The Queen walked by and waved
the 'Queen' goes walkabout
and The Mall looked like something out of Glastonbury.
the crowds at 7am the next day
We had Pomp and Pageantry like you cannot believe. The Police were out in force, armed Police, yer man Plod and the Metropolitan Mounted Police, in regiments and groups all there to Protect and Serve!
The Metropolitan Mounted Police
They also took no truck with disturbances and if you didn’t obey instantly when they told not to climb into the trees……… !!!!!
As the hours went by, the excitement rose, cheering and clapping, flag waving and music, helicopters, marching soldiers, mounted police, armed police, people pushing and shoving allwanting the best vantage point they could get…. and then the Procession began…….
Katie, Katie give me your answer true, I’m half crazy just for the love of you. It was a stylish marriage, We used my granny’s carriage, and you looked sweet, good enought to eat, so glad you said I do!
the newly married couple; Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - William and Catherine
The big day had finally arrived, one of the most anticipated events in the last 30 years!!! At first light the campers started to wake, spectators began to arrive and the dust rose into the air in swathes!!! and we kept an anxious eye on the weather!!
As the morning progressed the excitement mounted and the crowds swelled. They had been expecting an estimated crowd of 600,000 on the Processional route, in the event it swelled to over 1million!
I do believe that the reality of the importance of the occassion had started to sink in as the day wore on and as the excitement set in……this was our future King who was getting married! Diana’s eldest son and 2nd in line to the throne! How could you not be there!!!
The Mall was closed off, the Metropolitan Police, lunch packs in hand, started spreading out into their marked positions. Armed-Police marched by, some heading for the roof of Buckingham Palace, snipers and marksmen all positioned on the corners of the Palace roof. Suddenly we noticed that the Royal Standardwas aloft!
The Royal Standard
Reporters reported; interviewing anyone they thought looked suitably attired or somewhat crazily quirky- and there were many to choose from!! Street sweepers went by to roudy applause, the crowd cheering anyone who walked by. We had Mexican waves, we had cheering, we had more and more people trying to squeeze into tiny spaces, the flag waving increased in intensity and the volume of sound swelled to deafening proportions. And you did not dare to leave your place to go to the loo!!!
Suddenly the music from the Abbey burst forth from the speakers lining route and we cheered! And then the procession began………
When the first of the Mounted Police rode by the sound swelled, when the Marching bands went by, the cheers escalated, and when the first of the Royal Family; Princes William and Harry left Clarence House the crowd roared!
With frequent glances at watches or phones, we impatiently awaited the girl whose day this was! Our Kate! Our Queen in waiting!! The excitement built by the second and we watched anxiously for the flags at the top end of the circle to start waving and for the crowds to start cheering. The Mall was filled with Marching Bands, Mounted Police, Regiments of the Crown, cars and coaches; Ambassadors, Minor Royals, and then Tah Dah!!! the Queen and Prince Philip went by and the crowd cheered,
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on their way to Westminster Abbey
flags waving energetically. Suddenly time had marched on and there was the car with the Maid of Honour; Pippa Middleton and the bridesmaids, and now we knew for sure that within seconds the girl we had been waiting to see with bated breath and rising anticipation was on her way. The excitement rippled like electricity through the crowd!!
And suddenly the level of sound rose with an enormous roar!!!! Kate was on her way! And finally there she was, looking radiant and exquisite, every inch a Royal Regal lady; born for this position.. smiling beautifully behind her veil she elegantly waved with evident happiness! Her father beaming proudly at her side. The crowd cheered and cheered, tears flowed and we all had one thought on our minds; her future. There she was, one of us, and within the next hour she would be one of them! Our future Queen-in-waiting, and she looked it!
the bride; radiant and beautiful - Kate Middleton
Within seconds the car was gone, enroute to Westminster Abbey and the moment her life would change irrevocably! She would soon become one of the most photographed and talked about women in the world, on a par with our Diana and we all loved her! Loved her because she had brought a sparkle to William’s eyes, a lovely girl who loved him, and it showed!
As the music flowed from the speakers the crowd fell silent and you could almost hear a pin drop as the crowds waited for the ceremony to begin.
Next we heard the voice of the Archbishop of Canterbury; and as William said ‘I will’ the crowds cheered, but that was nothing compared to the roar of the crowd as the soft trembling of Kate’s response came through the loudspeakers. Deafening! She said ‘I will’ and the country roared! What a brilliant moment; a historical moment, a moment that set the seal on a future that we can only imagine, and never truly comprehend! And I was there!! I will never in all my life forget the feelings and the emotions I felt in that moment, and as she said ‘I will’ the sun shone out from behind the clouds, just a short burst and I knew that Diana was there!!!
The rest of the service passed in a flash as we sang the National Anthem and then the words of ‘God Save the Queen’ rang out, voices raised in lusty jubilation, patriosim at it’s very best. Soon the formalities were over and as they left the Abbey, once again the sun shone out, the rays no match for the smiles on the faces of these two young people, happily in love and happy together!! William proud, and Catherine, as he had said at the altar; “beautiful”.
The exhuberation as the carriage procession made it’s way along the Mall to Buckingham Palace, along the Processional Route was electrifying, powerful and emotional. I got so excited by the magnificence of the horses, barely controlled at galloping-trot or whatever style of motion it is called; overwhelming! You could feel the energy of the moment, the sheer power as the carriage swept by, preceded by these magnificent creatures that looked as if they would break loose at any second!
all the Queen's horses and all the Queen's men...........
The smiles, the radiance of the bride, regal and royal, the elegant wave of a dainty hand and the pride on William’s face!
All too soon they were gone, followed closely by the rest of the wedding party; Pippa and the bridesmaids, Prince Harry and the page-boys, the Queen and Prince Philip in their glass coach, then Charles and Camilla with Mr & Mrs Middleton, and then the coaches with other members of the Royal Family.
Once they were all safely tucked up inside, a wave of humanity surged along The Mall, controlled, yet eager, thousands of people preceded by Her Majesty’s forces heading for the Palace. It’s is a sight so surreal, it’s hard to imagine. The crowds moved inexorably forward and the crush became almost too much to bear as people surged forward in their desire to stand below the balcony where the newly-married couple would soon appear.
a mass of humanity along The Mall; heading for the Palace for the balcony scene
I so remember the moment Diana and Charles stepped out onto that balcony almost 30 years ago and the feeling that came with it, and now here I was just metres away about to watch her son step onto that same spot his parents had stood all those years ago.
And of course the main reason for the excitement………..the kiss!!!!! Would they? Or would they not? But they did, and the crowd went wild, kiss her again they cried and he did, to a roar of approval and jubilation like no other!
the newly weds - William and Catherine; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
The heavy drone of the fly-past competing with the roar from the crowds; and then it was all over. The Royal Family, preceded by the Queen left the balcony to continue their celebrations in private. I loved the moment, as seen on TV, when Catherine walked out onto the balcony; her gasp of surprise was delightful.
And I cannot begin to tell you how fantastic it was to be standing there, part of this celebration of such momentous importance and joy. It is something I will never, ever forget! A day to be remembered and celebrated, I hope, for decades to come!
OK, so next time I say that I won’t be blogging for X number of days or till after whatever…..don’t believe me!!! 🙂
If I had thought my day could get any better since my daughter told me she had uploaded my 3 Days in London itinerary yesterday morning….I had no idea just how!!!
I nearly fell right off my chair with excitement when I saw one of my photos on their page!!!! 5th photo down! how exciting is that!
and then just while I was jumping up and down with sheer excitement my phone rang!! and it was my brother and sister-in-law to tell me that I am an Aunty 2 times over since mid-March; they’ve adopted 2 little kiddies, and on top of that they are expecting a new arrival at the end of August!!!
Then later on my daughter suddenly decides we should buy a tent for our camp out on Thursday night to secure our place for the wedding on Friday…..so I guess I will be collecting that Wednesday afternoon!
And then to finish off a marvellous day…. at exactly 23:48 and with 11 minutes to spare I placed my order for my 2012 Olympic ticket selection!!!! hooray!!!!!!!!!!!
How absolutely fabulous, Tuesday 26th April 2011 will go down in history as one of my best days!!!
thank goodness I am a woman!!!! I can change my mind 🙂
Ok, so yesterday I said I wouldn’t be blogging again till after the Royal Wedding…..but hey!!! guess what? heehee, here I am again!
And the reason for this is coz two very exciting things happened today that I simply have to share:
1) My first London Itinerary went live!!! whoo hoo! Thanks to the herculean efforts of my wonderful daughter, who is a genius, the 6 Hours in London Itinerary was uploaded and went live this morning. A special edition for the wedding.
2) I received my ‘Prince William and Catherine Wedding Coin’ – Royal Wedding Crown in the mail this morning!! A commemorative coin to mark the occassion of their 29 April 2011 wedding!!!
Royal Mint edition of the Royal Wedding coin
The itineraries have taken a year to get up and online. Firstly coz I was paralysed by fear; fear of it not being perfect, fear of it not being good enough and the fear that no-one would like it or find it useful!!! But, thankfully my daughter gave me a good metaphorical kick in the ‘you know what’ and hurry scurry I edited the itinerary that had been waiting for the last 12 months to get completed and downloaded! Nothing like the excitement of a British occassion to get me going. 🙂
and the thrill of receiving my coin was the cherry on top!!! I applied for one a few weeks ago never expecting to actually get it, since they are only printing 50,000 and I though for sure that they would already be sold out. Also you had to apply with no guarantee of getting one, so when I open the bulky envelope this morning and realised what it was…..I nearly went ballistic.
So that’s my tale for today………..see you maybe before the wedding, maybe not!!! depends on what other exciting things happen in my life. In the meantime – Bye for now.
Bearing in mind that I had said when the wedding was announced that I was NOT going to buy any paraphenalia or memorabilia, I now have the coin and the hat!!! what’s next I wonder? Thankfully the wedding is only 3 days away now and there is not much time left for me to go mad and break the bank!!!
this spot has been reserved for Cindy Eve who is @notjustagranny 🙂
whoo hoo!!!!! 🙂 with only 4 sleeps to go I am way beyond excited now!! I keep jolting out of sleep in the middling hours of the night, when it is still dark outside – my heart racing with excitement and the Royal Wedding on my mind!!!
I have finally persuaded my chica to join me at Buckingham Palace for the Royal Wedding celebrations, and against her better judgement….. to sleep over on The Mall with me the night before. 🙂
Today I went walkabout along the Royal Wedding routeto revisit favourite places and to reserve my place on The Mall. A large part of The Mall has been pedestrianised and the barriers are already lining the sidewalks. There is a real sense of anticipation in the air and one of my favourite celebrities was seen at the Palace interviewing a Royal Correspondent! And finally I know for sure….he is a real person!!!
Piers Morgan at Buckingham Palace
London is bustling with excitement, the bunting is up, the sun was shining and love is in the air. In preparation for the Royal Wedding, London has donned her finery with Regent Street lined with marvellous flags,
Regent Street all dressed in finery
Admiralty Arch is dressed in her finery, and high above the west tower of Westminster Abbey can be seen the Sovereign’s flag.
the Queen's flag above the West Tower of Westminster Abbey
the ‘Boris’ bikes aka Barclays Cycle Hire bikes are everywhere to be seen as visitors to London make the most of the fabulous weather and cycle about town. The fountains at Trafalgar Square have been emptied…. ? and the 2012 Olympic Clock ticks on!
the 2012 Olympic Clock ticks on
I bought a hat for the occassion….do you think it is suitable?
my hat for the Royal Wedding....
and now with only 4 sleeps to go to till wedding of the century; the much anticipated wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on 29 April 2011……this is your London correspondent signing out till after the 29th. 🙂
I will be tweeting on the 28th and 29th (or for as long as my battery lasts). Look out for the updates on @3days_in_london and the hashtag #RoyalWedding and #3dil – hope to see you there!!!
A couple of months ago I accidently attended the ‘Wicked’ Halloween event at St Pancras, where I got to see Lee Mead. The Woodland Trust had their table and banners up and as I do, I picked up the brochures to have a look at. I, like many other folk in this country are keen to ensure that we don’t lose the marvellous ancient forests that still exist, albeit in small little pockets. The Woodland Trust are doing what they can to protect and replant.
So I read the brochures, and as 2011 year is my ‘increase my contribution to the world’ year I decided to include them on my list and submitted the form to become a monthly contributor.
I had no other expectations beyond that. So imagine my surprise and subsequent delight when I received a package in the mail the other day with a wee certificate that tells me I now have a tree dedicated to me!!! 🙂 How cool is that!!!
Woodland Trust Certificate
The tree is situated at Water End, Cople, Bedfordshire. The village of Cople is to the east of Bedford and the woodland is part of the area known as ‘The Forest of Marston Vale’ – a project to plant up to 30% of the vale with trees as part of the reclamation of the extensive former workings of the brick making industry. In December 1999, 5,200 trees were planted; including oak, ash, field maple and cherry.
So of course I had to investigate and find out more about Cople…….my first port of call without question: google!! 🙂
This is what I found: (via this website) The Great River Ouse is 1.5 miles away. The village has a population of around 800 people, there is one pub, one church, one primary school (ages 4 to 9) and one garage which no longer sells petrol. The only village shop closed in 1995, but there is a shop in the nearby village of Willington and a major supermarket 3 miles away. Cople has traditionally been a farming community but farming no longer offers work to many people. Most inhabitants work in offices and factories in nearby towns including Bedford, Sandy, Luton and Milton Keynes. The name COPLE derived from the phrase “Cock Pool” which was a place where chickens were kept and that Cople was mentioned in the Doomsday Book. The centre of Cople is dominated by the splendid All Saints Church. One of the most beautiful churches in Bedfordshire. The Church was originally built soon after 1087 by the De Beauchamp family and later became part of Chicksands Priory. The list of Vicars dates back to 1237.
Guess I am going to have to visit Cople and find my tree!!! 🙂
…….and my daughter!!! As mentioned in a previous post, yesterday was my birthday and I had the joy of spending this special day with my daughter and enjoying a couple of adventures in London.
one of my favourite views of the City of London; just a glimpse
I slept over at my daughter’s house the night before and our day started with a lie-in (unusual for me with the type of job I have), then tea and cake (chocolate of course) in the garden. The weather was perfect , already warm and the heat a precursor of the temperatures ahead. After a lazy morning we set out on our adventure: first into Twickenham to Sweetie Pies Boutique Bakery for tea and cupcakes. Along the way we stopped to smell the roses
if only I could have captured the heavenly perfume.......
and admire the wisteria, now in full bloom just about everywhere you look! Of course this is the easter weekend too so naturally we had easter cupcakes!! 🙂 We sat out in the courtyard, in the shade and enjoyed our tea, chatting away enjoying the slight breeze that wafted by.
tea and easter cupcakes at Sweetie Pies
From there we headed off to Richmond and onto the first train out, into London Central for the next leg of our adventures – first a guided tour of The Guildhall in the City of London, then a guided Shakespeare Trail. Exciting!!! We alighted from the tube at Temple thinking to get a bus from The Royal Courts of Justice to St Paul’s Cathedral to meet our guide. We were ever so slightly behind schedule, so when we got to Strand and discovered massive roadworks going on in the area had pretty much wrecked any chance of getting a bus, our hearts sank. However, not all was lost and quick as wink we hopped into a London Cab and within 5 minutes we arrived at our destination. Love that you can just hop in a cab in this city!!
getting about the City in a London Cab
We met up with the lovely Zoe who is a City of London tour guide and set off for the Guildhall. I have been to the Guildhall a couple of times before but never on a guided tour! So cool! I wish I could have recorded all the interesting little snippets she told us! Suffice to say it was brilliantly interesting and I loved all the little details she pointed out. The Guildhall is so worth a visit, it is fabulous inside: the memorials are fabulous works of art and the stained glass windows; breathtaking
stained glass windows at The Guildhall
After the tour, we parted company briefly with our delightful tour guide and headed over to the Guildhall Art Gallery for a look at the Roman Amphitheatre and it was fun for me to play tour guide for a wee bit and show my daughter around. We had a quick look at some of the beautiful paintings on display and marvelled at the talent and work put into these paintings, some of which look like photographs the detail is so perfect. In fact in many ways they are better than photos coz they have texture and depth. Then it was a quick look at the massive painting in the foyer of gallery, stunning!! Exiting the Gallery we saw a wedding party; the outfits were a glorious spectrum of rich colours, and what a perfect day for a wedding!
We then strolled across the city back to St Paul’s to meet up with Zoe again who would be conducting the Shakespeare Trail. Along the way we discovered all sorts of interesting things and items of historical note. I love just walking about this city, you just never know what you will find!
a world of discovery; historical sites
This time we were joined by a young man and the four of us set off on a jaunt around London and through the portals of history, to discover more about Shakespeare and the places in London he frequented. There was however, one piece of information that gave me quite a jolt……Shakespeare pre-dated the current St Paul’s Cathedral!!!! I just never really even thought about it and just kind of assumed that this was the building that he saw on his daily walks.!!!! And…..in order to cross the river to the Globe Theatre he would have had to use a ferry!! How about that!
don't pay the ferryman till he gets you to the other side... Globe Theatre is just to the left of the bridge on the other side of the river
The weather was perfect, hot and sunny and the city was quiet/ish with not many people about. Wonderful.
We learned so much that I can’t even begin to tell you everything, so instead I will give you a brief run down and suggest you book yourself on one of the tours for a more comprehensive view of Shakespeare and the London of his time.
London in Shakespeare’s time was miniscule in comparison to the size it is today, and the great urban sprawl we know wasn’t even a figment of his imagination I am sure, and the Great Fire of 1666 would have destroyed much of what he did know. Our first stop was the remains of Roman walls discovered during excavations for new buildings, I constantly marvel at how these places are largely preserved and not ripped out…..thank goodness. Zoe gave us a glimpse into what London would have been like in Shakespeare’s day; pretty grubby and smelly by all accounts!!! Not at all the romantic images we tend to carry around.
Next stop was the remains of the historical site of a wee church where Shakespeare was likely to have worshipped: the Parish Church of St Olave’s. We learned some delectable tidbits about his connections to this church and one of the families he was closely associated with. We also got to see the site of the lodgings where Shakespeare made his home in later life, just over the road from St Olave’s. On our way to the next stop of the tour we walked past the remains of St Alban’s Church and I finally discovered a) the name of it and b) that it is now privately occupied!!! How amazing is that! To live in the remains of an ancient church, albeit only a very small part of it. This area of the city is closely associated with The Museum of London (in my opinion the best museum in London and totally underrated) and the road we briefly walked along; London Wall marks the boundaries of the Roman City. Of course the area is now filled with towering skyscrapers and busy roads, but you can still catch glimpses of Roman, Mediaeval and Tudor London in hidden corners.
Our next stop was the ancient site of St Mary Aldermanbury Church, now a tiny little park, where you can find relics of the original walls, and Love Lane where you will find a decorative memorial with a bust of Shakespeare looking towards the River (a good 5-10 minutes walk away), as well as a carved marble book depicting his first folio; published according to the ‘True Originall Copies London 1623’. Compiled by John Heminge and Henry Condell, close friends of Shakespeare’s, these two gentlemen are in fact buried at this site. The memorial commemorates John Heminge and Henry Condell – fellow actors and personal friends of Shakespeare.
memorial on Love Lane
Next it was back to the Guildhall where once again I was surprised and delighted to discover the links that Shakespeare had with the Guildhall, albeit not very pleasant links.
Also to be found at the Gallery are the busts of four famous citizens of the city: William Shakespeare, Christopher Wren, Oliver Cromwell and Samuel Pepys.
Heading back towards St Paul’s Cathedral we next discovered his associations with Carter Lane, The Cockpit Tavern, St Andrews-by-the-Wardrobe Church and many other interesting snippets and fascinating sites. These are places that we tend to walk past without even the tiniest clue of what went before. At the King’s Wardrobe we parted company with Zoe and meandered once again along ancient lanes to take ‘sup at one of the oldest pubs in London; with links to Charles Dickens!!! Guess who is next on my list! 🙂
The Centre Page, near St Paul's - for the best darn chips and onion rings in town!
We enjoyed a delicious meal of Burger and chips with onion rings for CJ and baked spud with bacon and cheese, chips and onion rings for me. A draught of apple cider (juice) slaked our thirst!!! Replete, we strolled down to the riverbank passing a headless man along the way,
a headless man......
then we meandered along the Thames Path. I love these views of the river!! By now the horizon was black with rain, and the wind whipped the rushing incoming tide into a frenzy of choppy peaks and troughs! As we hurried along (not too fast mind), we felt spots of rain, but not enough to discourage a number of stops along the way to take photos!
rain on the horizon
By then we had come full circle and reached Temple station where I said goodbye to CJ, she heading into the underground and me on my way to Charing Cross. I discovered a memorial to Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the entrance to Inland Revenue, And then the rain came down and I got soaked along the Strand! 🙂
Charing Cross - the story
A marvellous day and what an adventure! I have created a short video with more views of our wonderful city that you might enjoy.
p.s. you will notice some of the photos have a wide border….it seems I am having some HTML issues. I have no idea why it’s doing this!! So, if you do….please let me know 🙂
For some reason I have always loved my name and my birth date. Now this is not from any egotistical aspect, merely that my name is quite lyrical and somehow my birthday, especially the April bit (not so much the year anymore 🙂 ), appeals to me.
Back in South Africa I was an autumn baby. April is the start of autumn in the Southern hemisphere, and as far as seasons go it’s not too bad. Of course what it did mean is that growing up I could never have a ‘pool party’. Not that that was an issue since we didn’t ever have a pool in our backyard, but it was the thought of the delightful possibilities of having a ‘pool party’ that appealed to me.
My birthday usually signified the slow slide into winter and was a time of chilly winds and mornings, not t-shirt type of weather at all. Not that I minded, since I am a ‘wrap up warm in lots of layers’ type of person; one of the reasons I love the UK so much!
So when I came over to the UK, it was to the sudden realisation that I was no longer an ‘autumn’ person, I am now a ‘spring’ person!!! and how marvellous that is. I adore spring in the UK and it has become quite my favourite time of year. Of course I still do love autumn and that season in the Northern hemisphere is something to behold. So lucky me, I have the best of both worlds.
Now a little secret here…..I never progressed very far in school and left as soon as I reasonably could without being considered an uneducated dunce! 😉 haha!! In fact I left school in what is Standard 8 (should have been Standard 9 but I failed one year! What was that I said about being a dunce?). heehee!! ( f.y.i. Standard 8 in South Africa is Grade 10).
So the sum total of that is I never got to study any of the subjects that were on the higher curriculum, one of which was Shakespeare! or the classics for that matter, not that it matters now, since I can read up on whatever I wish, coz thankfully I did learn to read!!! and we have google!
So where am I going with this? Well here’s the thing. I learned about Shakespeare at some stage of my life (don’t we all?) and of course his sayings and quotes and stories are quite well known, aka Romeo and Juliet! But more than that I did not know! So when I came to the UK, it was quite a surprise to discover that this dude shared my birthday!!! and not only that, he also died on that date!! how weird is that?
William Shakespeare - born and died April 23rd
So, now of course when I celebrate my birthday I always think of ‘our Will’, and remember that he shares such an auspicious day with me! Of course I have thoroughly enjoyed discovering all the places he hung out in London, and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is one of my favourite sights in London (of which there are many). My daughter and I have visited Stratford-Upon-Avon (his birthplace) and walked through the house where he was born (which was beyond awesome).
In London you are quite unable to miss the man, he is everywhere. I have seen him in so many places, that if you didn’t know who he was before, you would most assuredly get the message that this is one important dude! So who is Shakespeare? Here is a wee biography courtesy of wikipedia (of course).
William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564; died 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon”. Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later known as the King’s Men.
He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare’s private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed to him were written by others. Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the 16th century. He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, considered some of the finest works in the English language. In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated with other playwrights.
William Shakespeare was the son of John Shakespeare, a successful glover and alderman originally from Snitterfield, and Mary Arden, the daughter of an affluent landowning farmer. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and baptised there on 26 April 1564. His actual birthdate remains unknown, but is traditionally observed on 23 April, St George’s Day. This date, which can be traced back to an 18th-century scholar’s mistake, has proved appealing to biographers, since Shakespeare died 23 April 1616. He was the third child of eight and the eldest surviving son. Although no attendance records for the period survive, most biographers agree that Shakespeare probably was educated at the King’s New School in Stratford, a free school chartered in 1553, about a quarter-mile from his home. Grammar schools varied in quality during the Elizabethan era, but the curriculum was dictated by law throughout England, and the school would have provided an intensive education in Latin grammar and the classics.
And as if that is not enough!!!! I also discovered that I share a date with……….St George! He who slays dragons. St George’s day is 23April!! Which in a weird way is quite apt, since I have often been referred to as ‘a dragon’ and one of my very ex-boyfriends put up at sign at the entrance to my house in R.S.A. ‘Never mind the dog, beware the dragon’. He didn’t last long! 🙂 The boyfriend that is, not the dragon!!
So what do we know about St George? Well first of all he is the Patron Saint of England; of course!! heehee. Secondly he is a Saint (I can’t lay claim to that title for sure), and like the bard, he is everywhere to be seen.
Saint George and the dragon
Saint George (ca. 275/281 – 23 April 303) was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic (Western and Eastern Rites), Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox churches. He is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. His memorial is celebrated on 23 April, and he is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints.
Many Patronages of Saint George exist around the world, including: Aragon, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, India, Iraq, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, Serbia and Russia, as well as the cities of Genoa, Amersfoort, Beirut, Fakiha, Bteghrine, Cáceres, Ferrara, Freiburg, Kumanovo, Ljubljana, Pomorie, Preston, Qormi, Rio de Janeiro, Lod, Barcelona, Moscow, Tamworth and the Maltese island of Gozo, as well as a wide range of professions, organizations and disease sufferers.
The episode of St George and the Dragon was a legend brought back with the Crusaders and retold with the courtly appurtenances belonging to the genre of Romance. The earliest known depiction of the legend is from early eleventh-century Cappadocia, (in the iconography of the Eastern Orthodox Church, George had been depicted as a soldier since at least the seventh century); the earliest known surviving narrative text is an eleventh-century Georgian text.
In the General Calendar of the Roman Rite the feast of Saint George is on April 23. St George is very much honored by the Eastern Orthodox Church, wherein he is referred to as a “Great Martyr”, and in Oriental Orthodoxy overall. His major feast day is on April 23 (Julian Calendar April 23 currently corresponds to Gregorian Calendar May 6) and that very coincidentally is the birth date of my youngest sister!
We, my daughter and I will be celebrating the day with a visit to Sweetie Pies Boutique Bakery in the morning and in the afternoon going on a walk……check it out!! heehee!!!
And, in order to celebrate not only my birthday, but Shakespeare’s too, as well as Saint George’s Day I have created a short video. Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Hatfield House. This is the follow on to my previous post about the Henry Moore exhibition that I was so lucky to attend on Monday 18th April.
Hatfield House as viewed from the entrance via the Old Tudor Palace
Stepping back in time through the enormous heavy wooden doors I got goosebumps running up and down my spine, my legs and arms! You know that feeling you get when your scalp crinkles….thats what it felt like! Awesome!
the entrance hall of Hatfield House
Enter through the portals of time and into a world of Courtiers and Knights, intrigue and gossip, servants and coachmen, Lords and Ladies, upstairs downstairs and in my Lady’s chamber. A chapel here, a staircase there, chandeliers, coats of armour, Knights in shining armour,
my Knight in shining armour 🙂
brocaded chairs, a crimson and gold brocaded throne,
a gold and crimson throne.....waiting for a Queen perhaps?
ornate clocks that tick away 400 years or more, a carved wooden crib; echoes of a baby’s cries. Enormous hallways filled with portraits of the ancestors, old coats worn hundreds of years ago hang incogruously from pegs on the walls, a chequered marble floor within a hall that towered above with the biggest fireplace I have ever seen.
the fabulous fireplace in the Great Hall
The walls and ceiling adorned with intricately carved figurines and paintings, fabulous portraits, ancient clocks and gilded tapestries. A musicians gallery, intricately carved.
the musicians gallery - intricately carved woodwork
Walking through an arched doorway you step into a scene from the Arabian Nights, along the whole length of the hall, windows decorated with swirls and whirls from floor to ceiling allow dappled light to shine through.
Arabian Nights in Hatfield
The opposite side of the hall is lined with portraits and paintings, Knights stand guard in full body armour, swords and shields adorn the walls, a large porcelain bathtub sits incogruously against the windows, a rocking horse waits patiently in the shadows.
a rocking horse in the shadows
At one end a fabulous organ, glittering gold decoration inset with intricate decorations, pipes waiting to burst forth with sound!
how fabulous is this!!!
At the other end a beautifully decorated Chinese Screen hides a family sitting room from prying eyes.
a beautifully decorated Chinese Screen
Stepping up a wide wooden staircase to the upper level, your breath is taken away, not only by the sight that fills your eyes, but also by the length of the hall. It fades away into the distance, lined with brocaded chairs that stand back to back, side to side waiting for the music to begin.
you can almost hear the music....... (this was taken halfway along the hall)
Side nooks filled with books and recent photos, a carved wooden chest, a chest of drawers inset with intricate mother-of-pearl pastoral scenes. Fireplaces line the walls, empty now, but shut your eyes and you can feel the heat of the hearth as you slip silently into the shadows and watch the ladies glide by, their gowns and petticoats swish across the floor as their slippered feet glide effortlessly to the strains of the orchestra, candlelight flickers, sending bursts of colour dancing above on a heavily ornate gold ceiling.
the fireplace
The view outside from the window is no less enchanting, gilded towers supporting intricate wind-vanes, ancient creepers and vine vie for a foothold. Tinkling fountains splash merrily in manicured gardens, step through the wrought iron arches and onto a golden pathway stretching into the distance betwixt emerald green lawns, and there, if you look closely enough is a gilded coach just coming into view on the horizon!
.....as far as the eye can see
Stepping through a hidden door and down a flight of wrought-iron stairs you enter another world; a world of cooks and butlers, maids and mice.
a vast Victorian kitchen
A Victorian kitchen, so large that you would need a map to navigate to the other side. Along the wall a massive cooking area with winches and chains to support roasting succulent pigs, and not one but three fireplaces to feed the massive iron monster that sits squat and brooding in the corner.
a massive fireplace, perfect for roasting fat little piggies 🙂
Dressers lined with gleaming copper pots, kettles, jugs and jelly moulds. And here a candlestick holder to light you to bed.
gleaming copper jugs and a candlestick holder
A pastry room sistered by a tiny scullery leads off at one end of this vast cavern below stairs. Opposite the ‘Still Room’, an alcove for cook to rest her feet
The Still Room
– you can hear the faint echoes through space and time; the shouts and gossip of staff long gone.
Hatfield House is quite simply enchanting.
Hatfield House
Lord knows that if I had my life over, I would study history more closely. Always one of my favourite subjects in school, the European history of particular interest, I wish I had learned more than I did. And now I can. 🙂
Two great projects achieved completion in 1611; the building of Hatfield House and the publication of the King James Bible. Only 27 copies of the King James Bible were produced and the only known surviving copy remains in the possession of the Cecil family and is on display in the Anniversary exhibition. 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of Hatfield House, situated just 20 miles from London in the green, rolling landscapes of Hertfordshire. Home of the Cecil family for 400 years, the house, also known for it’s Elizabethan portraits, in particular the two celebrated ‘Rainbow’ and ‘Ermine’ portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, is steeped in Elizabethan and Victorian political history and intrigue. Commissioned by the First Earl of Salisbury, Robert Cecil, the architect, Inigo Jones was involved in the design of Hatfield House. Stroll around the grounds and enjoy the scented borders and herb garden of the West garden, see the famous Knot garden of the Tudor Old Palace where Elizabeth I spent her childhood and visit the Victorian kitchen, featured on the BBC2 programme ‘Royal Upstairs Downstairs’ as one of the houses visited by Queen Victoria during her lifetime. The Hatfield House 2011 visitor season runs from Saturday April 23rd until September 30th.
Prices:
Henry Moore, House, Park and Garden
Adult: £18.50 Concession: £17.50 Child: £11.50
Henry Moore, Park and Garden
Adult: £12.50 Concession: £11.50 Child: £8
(in my considered opinion, if you are going to travel all that way, make the most of it and take the full ticket, it is so worth it. The Jacobian House is magnificent and shoud not be missed). http://www.hatfield-house.co.uk/
The House, Park and West garden are closed on Mondays (except bank holidays) and the House alone is closed on Tuesdays, the East Garden is open on Wednesdays only. Hatfield House is one of the ‘Treasure Houses’ of England, 10 of the most magnificent palaces, stately homes and castles in England. For more information on these houses visit www.treasurehouses.co.uk.
How to get there:
Take the train from Kings Cross Overland Station to Hatfield. At time of writing the ticket is £10.50 return. Situated on Euston Road, Kings Cross Station can be reached via St Pancras Station, and the Northern, Victoria, Piccadilly, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines, as well a great number of buses.
Not Just a Granny 
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