6d Buckingham: the changing of the guard

We arrived at Buckingham Palace with a little time to spare before the Changing of the Guard Ceremony began. So we amused ourselves as best we could. 

Lining up in front of the palace--hordes of people on this rather dreary day

A front view of the palace so you can see the fab gates and the balcony from which the royal family stands and waves.  I was kind of impressed to see it in real life!

Bobbies on horseback, charged with keeping us off the statues, out of the fountains, and off the streets.  They also were in charge of periodically telling us to watch our belongings 

 because "there are thieves among us."     If it were up to me, I'm not sure I'd be advertising it...

This is a scary picture. Not sure which is scarier, though:  the bobby with the assault rifle or the bloke in the bottom right hand corner...

or the fact that they continued to remind us about the thieves among us.

The iconic gates of Buckingham Palace and the guards, busy guarding up to the very last minute until they were marched off to do whatever it is royal palace guards do in their free time.

Now we began to see some action on the outside of the gates! Mounted guards, swords drawn, ride up to the gates. But they didn't enter by the front gate but rather by a gate off to the side.

On their way to the side gate, paying no mind to the traffic signals.

This picture cracks me up. Notice the guy in the middle; it looks like he realizes he's a bit behind and he is double-stepping to catch up.

He has now recovered his composure and is right where he is supposed to be, hoping no one saw.

 And we were treated to a bit of a concert there at the end. I was surprised by the songs they chose to serenade us with. I couldn't tell you now what they were but there were definitely not British songs, more like American pop songs. Of the 80's.

Day6c Buckingham Palace!!!

A view of the Palace
as seem by the commoners
Although, were we commoners since we weren't even British citizens?
Might we have been royalty from America, visiting incognito?












Not sure who the charming fellow to the right is....





Gorgeous fountains in front of the palace. Some of us, not "us" but some of the bystanders kept climbing up on the statues to get a better viewpoint. And were politely told to stay on the ground.

These are the side gates that the guards entered in. And isn't that a cutie patootie cherub-child-angel-person on the top of the pillar?               To the right of the picture is the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk.     It might take one to Hyde Park and Kensington Palace.   That's what I thought at the time but come to find out, it does not. It's just a little scenic trail.

                               Statue of Her Majesty Queen Victoria in front of Buckingham Palace.

Day 6b What we saw on our way to Buckingham

We didn't merely see architecture as we made our way to Buckingham Palace via St. James' Park.

We got a second look at the duck keeper's cottage.

And some of the ducks he keeps.

And the fountain in the lake where he keeps them.

An explosion of flowers!

Keep in mind this picture was taken at the end of October.

And these are just a few of the delights that were to be seen in St. James Park, or, as I like to call it, the doorway to Buckingham Palace.  (I don't think anybody else calls it that)