October 21 - Sightseeing in London

Lyle and I were both surprised at the number of tourists in London in mid-October, in what would normally be the shoulder season for tourist activity. I think that most of us were outside Buckingham Palace on the morning when we went to watch the Changing of the Guard. Probably a more interesting picture than the two I have posted here would be of the thousands of spectators gathered outside the palace gates.

Instead, the first picture is of the group of new guards marching down the street towards the palace. They are wearing the tall black bear skin caps and scarlet tunics typically associated with the palace guards. 

Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Lyle took the second picture after the crowds had thinned. He stood at the fence railing and used the zoom on the camera to cross the space of the outer courtyard and focus on the two new guards. They stood on either side of an arched gateway. Lyle noticed that while the guard on the right had his tall black bear cap pulled down to the tip of his nose and held firmly in place with a chinstrap, the guard on the left had his cap tipped back at a slight angle. The edge only came to the top of his eyebrows. Possibly he might have done a better job at guarding because he was able to see outside the lining of his cap. 

Guards at Buckingham Palace

We didn’t stay in the city for the afternoon but took the Tube back to our accommodation near Paddington Station.  No matter what time of the day or night that we rode the Tube, it was always busy. When there was standing room only, I was nearly always offered a seat. I often feel a bit funny about this. After all, it is my eyes that don’t work properly, not my legs. However, I have come to the conclusion that when these kind offers are made, it would be ungracious and even rude for me to refuse them. Nearly always it was the male train passengers who showed me this courtesy, so thanks to the men who showed themselves as true English gentlemen.