Day 4 - Kensington, Buckingham, National Gallery

Day 4 - we wake up and no bags have arrived from Iceland yet.  You know what this means, don't you?  No toiletries, no clothes, no curling iron, no makeup, no medications, etc.  I'm really grumpy when I don't have my "things".  I'm not the type of woman who can just pull my hair back in a ponty tail and "make do" for the day. 

My sweet hubbie ventured off to a store called Boots that was just a couple blocks away and he got us a survival pack-toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, deodorant, basic makeup.  I did the best I could with what I had, but I went out that day looking ugly as hell with flat hair.  (I should have had Irv get me a hat to hide that hair.)

Our destination that morning was Kensington Palace.  We took the tube to what we thought would be the closest stop (we were wrong).  We walked and walked and walked and finally got close, but not before I needed a restroom.  We had pounds with us, but no change and all the public restrooms cost 50 pence.  At a public restroom right outside Hyde Park we ran into a family from Austrailia and they gave me a 50 pence piece so I could get in the restroom.  That was so incredibly kind of them and some day I'll pay it forward.

The walk to Kensington through Hyde Park was beautiful.  Above is one example of the flower gardens.

 

There was a statue of Queen Victoria outside the palace.  Princess Louise designed this statue for the Queen, her mother, in 1893.

 

There it was!  Kensington--the home of many monarchs including Queen Victoria, Priness Margaret, Princess Diana and now Prince William and Kate.  Luckily I had pre-booked tickets so we didn't have to wait in line to get in.  You see, there is a display of Diana's dresses at the palace and it sells out quickly.

 

Kensington was built at the end of the 17th century for William III and Mary II.  We went through the "old" apartments where William and Mary lived.  His love for her was easy to see.  It passed down through the generations and eventually Queen Victoria was born at Kensington.

 

There were displays of the clothing that was expected to be worn at court such as the above "mantua".  How do you walk in a dress like this especially through doorways?

 

We went through both the King's and Queen's apartments.  What's an apartment without a throne?

 

I think I need curtains like this on my bed.  They told us that the formal bedroom was just for show.  The king would entertain guests in his bedroom, but actually slept in a much simpler room.  Apparently, it was quite an honor to be invited so deeply into the king's apartment.

 

After touring the royal apartments we entered the rooms that held Diana's gowns.  It was surreal to be near so many of the outfits that I remember Diana in.  She was such a good person.  She auctioned off these gowns only months before her death to raise money for charity.  I remember this tweed outfit from her engagement when she and Charles were in Scotland.  Even at that time she looked so sad.

 

Who can forget this white gown with all the pearls?  Stuning!

 

After leaving the palace we walked through the palace gardens which were amazing.

 

There is a lake in Hyde Park full of swans.  So graceful!

 

Then we encountered this monument just out of the blue.  It is apparently a monument to Albert.

 

Then we encountered the Victoria and Albert Music Hall.

 

And the Victoria and Albert Museum which was free!  I love how the museums in Britain are free.  By this time our feet were exhausted so we purchased tickets for a hop on/hop off bus and headed to Buckingham Palace.

 

It's quite stunning, especially the gates.

 

This is the only place in London where we actually saw armed guards.  Obviously protecting the queen is a high priority.

 

 

We hopped back on the bus and found an English pub to have lunch.

 

From here we walked to Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery.  Another free museum with artwork that is amazing.

 

A Klimt!  Do you know how few Klimts there are in the world?  This was a treat.

 

And then the Sunflowers came into view!

 

Who knows who this one is by? To me it's obvious.  I was in heaven!  (Monet's Water Lily Pond)

This is how Irv usally follows me around an art gallery.  He never complains though and always humors me when I say "did you see this" or "can you believe we're here".

 

This was a 20 thousand step day for us so after the Gallery we walked to Charing Cross and took the tube back to the hotel to crash.

 

Have I told you yet how much I loved London?