Hampton Court & British Museum

Hampton Court. Costumed Guides


Fountain at backside of Hampton Court


Front of Hampton Court


British Museum. Awesome glass roof


Pottery at British Museum

Today we rode the train out to Hampton Court. It wasn't like I expected but it was great. We were only able to spend about 4 hours there and we could have spend all day there! So many things to explore. I was only able to see some of the gardens and there were so many more. We then went to the Sir John Soane Museum. So awesome! This architect remodeled his home so many times. He had stuff in every corner of his house. From Roman remains to an Egyptian sarcophagus. We weren't allowed to take pictures. But it is just something you have to experience. We then went to the British Museum and they have tons of stuff from the Romans, Greeks, Japanese, and from everywhere. We didn't get to see it all.

London Day 2

Westminster Abbey


This dress is made up of colored pasta at the V&A. Way imaginative!


Blown glass chandelier at the V&A


Wrought Iron sculpture at V&A.

My feet hurt! We did a lot of walking today and I wore my newer shoes; I have a blister! I will live though. This morning we went to Westminster Abby. The glass windows were beautiful. A lot of royalty and famous people are buried there. We then went to the National Gallery. There are so many paintings. I think the highlight of our trip there was that they had a drinking fountain -- Hooray! They had several Van Gogh's, Rembrandt's, and Monet's but the room the Monet's were in was under construction so we couldn't see them, to sad. We went to the V&A (Victoria and Museum) A lot of neat stuff. A lot of walking around in circles because the floors weren't connected and some flights of stairs only went between 2 floors. Like I said earlier, a lot of walking but more in store for tomorrow. Ate at a great Italian place, the waiter didn't like us because we only ordered tap water instead of other drinks, and then asked for a pitcher of tap water.

I'm in London!!!

Street Performers. He was so good. He looked so much like a statue. You drop a coin in his cup and he will move. So cool!

Looking a Big Ben from across the river


The Queen just drove by and waved!


Breanne and the pigeons in front of the National Gallery. Men were there with bird seed with pigeons on them, they would grab you and put seed in your hand and on your head and the pigeons would land on you. Then of course they would expect a £1. But it was fun.


Can you read what the sign says?

Hey everyone, I have arrived in London!!! Our flight out of SLC arrived early at JFK and they had a back up so we sat on the tarmac for about 1 1/2 hours. We got off that plane around 5:35-5:40, our connecting flight was supposed to leave at 6:00! They had changed departure gates on us so we were running through the airport from one end of the terminal to the other. As we were running they kept saying over the intercom: this is the final boarding call, and then they said, this is the final, final boarding call and started calling our names. What an adventure right to start out with. We all made it though, luckily and barely. After we arrived at our hotel, we went on a walking tour of London. As we were at Buckingham Palace, they opened the gates and security was blocking everyone. We thought maybe someone important was coming out so we were watching and the Queen rode by. Yep, the Queen of England. Her car was stopped trying to get into traffic and we were all waving at her, and she waved back! What a surprising first day. Pictures will be coming shortly.

Chatsworth

Bess of Harwick and Sir William Cavendish began building Chatsworth in 1552. The chapel was built by1693 and has remained unaltered ever since. The 4th Earl of Devonshire began to remodel and improve the property, remodeling the house, adding formal gardens and a cascade, and by his death in 1707 most of the work had been completed. Most of what is seen today of the gardens is from the work of Joseph Paxton. In the house there are many paintings, tapestries, fine furniture, sculpute, a large library with rare books. Mary Queen of Scots was placed in the custody of the 6th Earl of Shrewbery (Bess of Hardwicks 4th Husband) by Queen Elizabeth I in 1568. She was often brought to Chatsworth and her apartments, which were above the great hall, is now called the Queen of Scots rooms.

Boboli Gardens

The Boboli Gardens was bought, along with Pitti Palce, by the Medici Family in 1550. They brought in Nicolo Pericoli to design the gardens. He transformed them into a spectacular renaissance garden which became the model for all European royal gardens, including those at Versailles. The Lorraine family enlarged the gardens to include many beautiful statues, fountains, ponds, an amphitheater, lawn of columns, and a coffee house. In 1776 Pietro Leopoldo decided to open the gardens to the public.