Day 1 - Changing of the Guard and changing our perspective

It’s our first real day in London. We luckily got in before the storm that went up the east coast causing delays - because my husband watches the weather and took action to move our tickets earlier in the day. 

We arrived in London late with no travel woes.  And we knew we had arrived when the elevator to our room reminded us to “Mind the Door” and the tv in our room had sports channels exclusively devoted to cricket.  A good nights rest, leaving us ready to embark on our first day. 

We started with pastry and a tour around the Covent Garden Apple market.  No apples in sight but lots of antique dealers setting up shop outside the retail stalls, and out first iconic phone booth. 

We headed over to see if we could catch some of the changing of the guard for Buckingham Palace.  I had some thought that English police don’t carry guns - wrong on that front. 

Because first came the guns:

Then the swords: 

Followed by the mounted patrol:

 

And finally the iconic beaver hatted guards and band:

We followed them up the mall to the palace, kind of like a New Orleans Second Line.  On the way we encountered this fancy group of soldiers departing. 

And on to the Palace. The Union Jack was flying above, which apparently means the King isn’t around because he has his own royal flag that flies when he's in house.  We didn’t offially see the changing of the guard because we would have needed to stake out a place by the Palace an hour before - but we felt we absorbed enough of the pomp and circumstance in any case with the arrivals and departures. 

 Besides, the King locked me out!

Spent the rest of the day sort of wandering and absorbing the city, taking in Fortnum and Mason (provider of tea to the royals, but also selling our very own Finger lakes MacKenzie Child pottery!)

We wandered down a street known for music with stores selling incredibly expensive guitars, and a storefront where there used to be a recording studio where The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, the Kinks and David Bowie all spent time.  And a little music store across the street where Reginald Dwight (the future Sir Elton John) ran errands. 

Caught some fun free digital art:

And some walk up street side Guinness. 

And SoHo park ping pong. 

Some wandering through Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus

and finally a glimpse of sunset Big Ben and London Eye we end our first day.  London called and we answered.