God save the Queen

UPDATE: QUEEN ELIZABETH II WAS IN RESIDENCE AT WINDSOR CASTLE YESTERDAY.  I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE ROYAL STANDARD LOOKS LIKE (WELL, NOW I DO) BUT IT WAS FLYING.  IF SHE'S NOT HOME, IT'S THE UNION JACK.  THE ROYAL STANDARD WAS DEFINITELY FLYING YESTERDAY, I HAVE PHOTO PROOF.

 

Yesterday, I went to Windsor Castle as one of the NYUL programming events!  (FOR FREE...nearly)

My confederate and I got to Waterloo Station at around 10:30am to organize ourselves and meet the students who were supposed to arrive by 11:00am.  The train was leaving at 11:28am, and these trains do not joke around.  While we were waiting, a woman with long, straight blond hair was dragging a rolling luggage and running to Platform 1.  She had on suede aqua-coloured boots and was running as fast as she could in them...but those boots ain't made for runnin'.  Eventually she slid, fell on her bum, and watched miserably as the train pulled out of the station.  We were musing that it looked like a scene from a drama/romance movie; her boyfriend was probably on that train and she had to profess her love to him before he went off to marry another girl...or something like that.

We had one too many people show up, so I had to use NYUL's money to buy a ticket for the rail.  We got to Windsor in about an hour, and then had a little mix up with the tickets there, so we ended up having to buy two extra tickets, thanks to some people who are dishonest and ran away with tickets that did not belong to them....

Anyway, my confederate and I were now free to wander around the castle!  We went to St. George's Chapel, which is absolutely beautiful.  I just rue the fact that in London, you can't take photographs in some of the best places.  The ceiling of St. George's is composed of awesome fan vaults, though I must say, Bath Abbey's fan vaults are THE most beautiful ever.  The fan vaults at St. George's are interesting, though: they look like they're growing from the ground up!  In the chapel, we saw the burial place of King Henry VIII, next to his favorite wife, Jane Seymour, and the burial place of the present Queen's family: King George VI, the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret.

Then, we went to the Queen's Dollhouse, which was a gorgeous replica of a palace presented to one of the Queens (too many to keep track of...).  Next was a gallery of drawings and sketches by famous artists.  I actually spotted a famous drawing by da Vinci that is supposed to be on display at the British Museum in late April, and that exhibit costs like £12, so haha, I got to see it at Windsor Castle.  Also, I saw famous sketches by Hans Holbein the Younger of Henry VIII and Sir Thomas More.

Finally, and the best best best part of the whole trip, were the State Apartments.  First, we went up a 'grand staircase' which was not so grand, but you could kind of fell the grandness of what was to come.  There was a room decorated with swords and rifles and, behind glass cases, gifts from world leaders to Queen Victoria, including royal headdresses, weaponry, and a solid gold tiger head...?  Then, upon more wandering, we saw the king's and queen's drawing rooms, some bedrooms, waiting rooms, dining rooms...oh God, what it must be like to be a royal!  The whole building reminded me a bit of Palazzo Pitti in Florence, but more English.  The rooms had sumptuous (is it just me or is sumptuous a really strange word?) velvet wallpaper, gold-leafed this and silver-plated that, lavish furniture, famous/expensive paintings, dazzling chandeliers...I have run out of adjectives.  I was most impressed by the dining areas, which were ginormous rooms fitted with long tables and neat chairs.  You can just imagine heads of state coming to meet with HRH at big parties.  AHH I WANT TO BE A ROYAL/HEAD OF STATE.  HRH also holds sleep overs, apparently.

To think, yesterday I was treading the same ground that THE QUEEN has walked on.  I felt her presence at the castle, though I don't think she was officially home.  Windsor Castle is her preferred weekend getaway.  I have long admired Queen Elizabeth II.  I hate when people say she's only a figurehead.  I mean, I guess it's kind of true, but c'mon, she's the freaking Queen.  She looks like an old granny, but I think she's epicness embodied in one person.  God save the Queen indeed!

After Windsor Castle, I stopped at McDonald's for a quick lunch and realized their fries are not very tasty.

Then, I wandered across a short span of the Thames over to Eton College, alma mater of Princes William and Harry (!) and Hugh Laurie (!!).  On the way, I saw some Etonian schoolboys in their tailcoats and white bowties.  Teehee.

Walking around Windsor was a great experience.  The weather had been cloudy and chilly for much of the day, but by this time, it was sunny (nearly sunset) and peaceful and mild.  I was walking by myself as my fellow group leader went home.  It was a great introspective moment, nice quiet time for myself, always welcome.  Love, love, love.