Friday 24th July Windsor Castle

We changed our original planned day as we awoke to rain. I have finally used the umbrella that I have carried to Europe the past couple of times. So it was rain coats and umbrella as we set off to Paddington Station to catch the train to Windsor. We had to change trains at Slough as our fast train was going to Oxford. We sat next to a couple who lived in Jersey and I had a good chat with the chap who was obviously well bred and enjoying retired life but who would like to come to New Zealand.

We changed trains with no waiting and the Slough to Windsor train only took about 6 minutes to travel the distance. The station was a lovely covered building with lots of shops and eateries so it was the mandatory stop for coffee at a lovely patisserie. Coffees were good and afterwards we headed to the castle.

Lined up and paid with our London Pass, so another freebie including the train trip. Collected our audio sets and headed off uphill through the grounds of the castle. Shame about the rain but we soon got ourselves inside and I finally worked out how to work the audio.

No photos allowed inside but there is always some idiot that thinks they can flaunt the rules but lots of volunteer staff soon got on top of these people.

This is a magnificent castle. Consider the fact that there was a huge fire in 1992 that took out a lot of the rooms and huge parts of the roof. Well the entire thing was finished 5 years later and the repairs are brilliant. The areas we saw were just out of this world and I can imagine the Royals being very happy in living here.

All of the paintings, sculptures, tapestries, busts, armour and all of the other treasures that various monarchs have collected down the ages has to be seen to be believed. It was very interesting that Charles I employed Anthony Van Dyck for a period of 9 years to paint these huge painting of Charles I and his family and not long afterwards Parliament revolted and civil war broke out and Charles I had his head chopped off.

The chapel, not some small church but a huge cathedral was also brilliant. We chatted to one of the volunteers and finding out that we were from New Zealand asked us if we had seen Sir Edmund Hillary's bronze plaque in the Knights of the Garter section of the choir section. No we hadn't! Come with me she said and took us into the choir stalls, where no other tourists were allowed. Here it is and Hillary's coat of arms with the kiwi holding an ice axe and the mountains was very emotional to see. Whilst he was alive his flag also hung in the nave but on his death it was taken down and the bronze plaque was screwed to the wall - forever.

I cannot portray how Grande this Castle is. I would love to spend more time and without all the other tourists about.