London: Wed 27 July, Buckingham Palace:

Queues, queues, queues!  Booked for a tour of Buckingham Palace, but this involves three elements and we thought we could jump the queue by booking. Usually works but this day, the Royal computer system failed so we had to line up with all the rest.

The first 'element' was The Queen's Gallery, which is essentially one of many art galleries in London. Their exhibition this time didn't interest me but it was an opportunity to have a look. The doric capitals on the columns outside suggested no opulent glamour inside, and ....

... sure enough, the decor was quite plain, which evoked a mix of reactions. On one hand, disappointment because it doesn't measure up to the grandeur of similar buildings in other European settings, but then one feels pleasure that money was not wasted on misplaced opulence for what is an art gallery. Surely the quality of the art is the essential aspect. Hmmm!

The exhibition was Scottish Artists, of some interest, given our recent visit, and an exhibition by an obscure artist who painted obscure flowers and insects in Surinam and other exotic locations.

A painting of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh evoked some memories...

... but the paintings of flowers, caterpillars and butterflies by Maria Merian, as talented as she is, evoked no such memories.

So off to the next 'element', the Royal Mews, with 'mews' being a British term to describe a row of stables with living quarters above. 

The entrance was plain and un-spectacular. 

The courtyard inside was large but now a parking lot for cars. I'm sure it was put to better use in days past.

Just inside was a large covered work arena for horses. Sadly, none were working at this time. Apparently most work is done about 6.30 am or thereabouts - so too early for tourists.

There were many beautiful carriages in the various storage rooms around the courtyard. The two below were the Irish State Coach, often used for travelling to the opening of Parliament, and the Jubilee Coach.

The Diamond Jubilee Coach below was built in Australia by a team led by an Australian fellow called Mr J Frecklington. Many aspects of the coach are quite sophisticated and 'high-tech' such as the suspension and stabilisers. The coaches are generally air conditioned and heated as well.

The most spectacular coach was the Gold State Coach, (below) used for Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 and apparently over 200 years old. It has undergone many upgrades and improvements over the years, especially in the suspension. This and most of the Royal coaches are designed to be drawn by horses with postillion riders on the near, or left side to steer the coach and some footmen at the back to apply the brakes. Just as well they only crawl along.

We had a chance to look briefly into one end of the horse stables. Obviously, it is not feasible for tourists to be trudging through a working stable, so it looks like two horses are stabled in such a place as to allow the common folk to see them from a distance. These two are quite big and, not surprisingly, quite docile.

This is as close as you get.

...but Tyrone (the horse) wonders what all the fuss is about.

There were other stables as we walked out at the end of the tour. Most of these are 'spare' but some house the less spectacular, smaller coaches.

Then down to the State Rooms, for a look.

Surprise! They don't allow photos... but the bigger surprise is that photos as postcards are NOT available for sale in the gift shop!!  Anyway, yes the rooms of the palace were very grand and comparable to the great palaces we have seen elsewhere in Europe and the art works on the walls were staggering! Much better than those in the Queen's Gallery. Well worth the visit! The photo below is just outside the 'protected zone' but even then the security guard was on the way over so we moved on.

The 'back' of the Palace ...

... and the back yard was not too bad either. At least big enough for a spot of cricket without the risk of breaking the neighbours' windows.

After a stroll in the gardens, it was back to the front of the Palace to complete the circuit.

Plus the obligatory photo of the thingamijig statue opposite. (Hmm... must look that up!)  Later.. Yes it is the Queen Victoria monument.

Then back to Kate's place in East London just on the edge of Whitechapel, with road signs and markers etched in history from tales of Dickens et al. Petticoat Lane, Threadneedle St to name just two.

Her flat is just near Old Spitalfields Market.

Packed the bags and headed for a hotel near Heathrow airport! Early start tomorrow. Scheduled to leave LHR at 9.25am Thursday and arrive 5.30am on Friday morning, after a 13 hour flight, so lose a day... Singapore, here we come.