After a not-quite-long-enough eight hours of sleep, we started our first full day of the trip. There was a traditional English breakfast at the hotel (eggs, sausage, beans, toast, muesli, etc.), a pretty nice spread actually. We then met Stuart, our official Blue Badge London and Windsor guide for the day. We boarded the bus to tour some of the major points in London. We saw all the "famous" sites from the bus (Big Ben, Parliament, St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, etc.) and then disembarked by St. James Park to walk to Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard. Apparently we got a rather special treat, as we saw the Royal Horseguard moving towards their barracks. Stuart said this is an extreme rarity. After the Changing of the Guard we traveled to Windsor and Windsor Castle to visit the Queen's favorite residence. We weren't allowed to take pictures in the State Apartments, but I can safely say I've never seen as much gilt in my life. It certainly provided some spark for our discussions on the divide between the rich and the poor. The students then had some time to explore Windsor before heading back to London for some dinner at Hummus Brothers... only one guess as to what their specialty is. I've tried to include as many pictures of students rather than the actual sites. They had a great day. We have a "free day" tomorrow, and the chaperones have planned some activities ranging from the British Museum and Tower of London, to The Tate Galleries. Tomomrrow night students will have the option of seeing a show or going on a Jack-the-Ripper Walk. I'll keep you all posted.
Enjoy the pics.
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