June 19, 1968
June 19, 1968
Go down to breakfast - Toast and marmalade, tea, coffee.
Now we find out the real bad news. We are only accomodated that night here and untill 11:00 am today. Have to see about Hotel from that joker of last night.
Finally at 10:00 am we get taxied over to the hotel we shall be at the rest of our London stay. The Strathmore Court Hotel. I do not reccommend it but London in June is all booked up and so they won't give us our money back immediately so we have no choice but to take it.
Our room is on 3rd floor. Kids on 4th. Have to walk up. ( at home it would possibly be considered 4th and 5th.) Rooms to me lousy, but we both have showers in room, WC down the hall but close by.
Leave our luggage and go find out about travel tours taking the tube at Russel Square. Also find out about go to France and Stonehenge trip.
Take the Windsor and Eaton College trip afternoon. The Albert for lunch. Again so pleasant at the park. Same waiter in tails remembers us. Kids like it. Will come back for roast beef and yorkshire pudding there friday.
See modern office building with Victorian facade made on purpose . Its so high after two years its still empty.
London has 32 burroughs. a burrough having it's own mayor. The old city is just one mile square. The Thames is around 210 miles long and navigable about 100 miles because of the various locks that control the tides. William the Conqueror first built the castle at Windsor in 1100 's but site was later moved on top of hill where Windsor now stands. He started the Tower around the same time.
We visit St. Georges Castle. It has dragon and St. George on front facade. The order of the Garter. Hear story about it.
But O must go back -
We see on a hill a memorial to John F. Kennedy. The English countryside is the most beautiful I've ever seen. The villages are magnificent in their antiquity and old charm. The roses and cottages, beautiful flowers and trees. Stone fences thatched roofs.
Eaton college , 1400's , is ivy covered and old and lovely. Boys wear tails as uniforms. They turned out 19 prime ministers. The boys are 13, stay untill 18 unless pass courses. Cost 20 L's a week. Very Expensive. Duke of Wellington went here.
Windsor is most wonderful castle of today. Was started 1078 Every monarch that resided there built something. The Queen is in residence so see her flag. She is at the Ascott races all week. Too bad we don't go there.
We see the tomb of George the V and Queen Mary. Queen Victoria's memorial room to King Albert. See room where actually was the start of democracy as we would recognise it.
Buy coffee , fudge in town of Windsor. On through lovely country to Hampton Court. Built by Cardinal Wolsey and gifted to Henry VIII. Henry VIII has himself pictured in glass window. He has one son and two daughters born here. Foget about gardens at Windsor- well what can I say?
Gardens at Hampton court designed by same architect as Versailles. The rose gardens the best in the world. bushy park, huge horse, chestnut trees - 200 deer.
Get off around Kensington Gardens and walk around. Show kids grape arbors and gardens. Go to the Post for supper. scotch egg, sausage, etc. The three of us find a launderette. Ray gets home. We go back with clothes. funny time. We stop and have coffee with our laundry bags. On to hotel, Ray asleep. and to bed for us.