Monday, July 16, 2012

Just Hangin’

The last couple of days we have just wandered around town and had a look at some of the sights. The highlight yesterday was a trip down to Trafalgar Square and Canada House.

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Sharing the square with Canada House is the National Portrait Gallery home to many of the Old Masters. I am sure we walked by many millions if not billions of dollars worth of paintings but not to many would have made it onto the walls at Dogpound North or South, but interesting nevertheless. We also walked down to visit with the Horseguards and get the mandatory picture with them.

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So that horse is looking like he is saying “So what’s with the Canadian Cowboy in Queen Elizabeth's court?” Pretty quiet horses as there were literally hundreds of folks swarming around petting and getting their pictures taken with him. We continued our walk on around the Buckingham Palace to get a few more of those required pictures and do a little visiting.

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Well Liz must have heard we were in town so she told the boys to make sure the gates were locked.

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And another gated neigbourhood along our trail today.

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Down at the end of this street is #10 Downing Street, the residence of the Prime Minister of Great Britain. An unfortunate side effect of the world we live in, the last time I was down this street in 1993 I am sure you could walk almost right by the door.

DSCF0130 I am throwing this fellow in here for Judy, I am guessing some kind of coot but pretty cool feet whatever he is.

Today we wandered down the road to the British Museum, keeping in mind that the English have been plundering the world for hundreds of years this museum has some 8 million items on their books. I suppose the fact that some of the things were rescued from rubbish heaps and road building materials can help you get used to the fact that they drug them all home to show to the world.

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And lo and behold they had an exhibition on the horse, what a coincidence we like horses. It was mainly about the development of the Arabian horse and subsequently the Thoroughbred and was called from Arabia to Royal Ascot. Pretty interesting exhibit but not a lot of photo ops.

On the way back we stopped at our now all time favourite Italian restaurant “Bar Remo” for a spot of lunch/dinner, once again a great meal. We are becoming regulars in this little out of the way spot and the owner showed his gratitude for our business by buying a drink for us after dinner. We saw these two guys working away in the kitchen getting our meals ready as the door swung open.

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Great cooks they are if a little rough looking. And tonight we took another stroll around Hyde Park and enjoyed the Kensington Gardens on our way home.

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5 comments:

  1. I was trying to read the sign behind JB when he was posed with the horse guard..... Something about the horse kicking and biting.... Naa, JB won't let that happen..... Maybe the horse better watch him!!! LOL

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  2. You have to see the Underground War Rooms almost right under #10 Downing Street. It's where Churchill and his staff planned many of WWII's campaigns while safe from German bombing raids.

    In 1945, they turned off the lights, closed and locked the doors and nobody went in there until 1975. It is exactly as it was left, right down to Churchill's bedroom with his chamber pot under his bed.

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  3. wow is all I can say you are definitely seeing it all....enjoy!!!

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  4. Another great tour of London!

    I think you and Brenda should get a pair of those Buckingham Palace Gates for Dogpound North. Just think how regal it would look.

    I may have to go to London just to try this Italian restaurant you're raving about. Or, maybe they deliver?

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  5. I was there in the early 70's and you could walk right past the front door with the address on it. I got a picture of me standing there pointing at the address. I just wonder what else has changed.
    I did get pooped on in Trafalgar Square by some unruly pigeons.

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