Jubilee London

So the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II has arrived and London is getting ready to celebrate! We have a double Bank Holiday on Monday and Tuesday, but I took an extra day's holiday on Friday (yesterday) to go up to London in advance of all the crowds to see some of the preparations.

It was a cloudy day, not cold in fact quite muggy.  (I ought to get a copy of photoshop or some other programme so I could enhance the blue of the sky - these pictures would definitely be better for blue sky!!)

However..... I arrived at Victoria station in London at about 10 am which was looking very clean and patriotic, draped in Union Jack flags (didn't get my camera out there though)  Hope you're ready for a LOT of photos....

I made first for Green Park on the tube and walked through the park to Buckingham Palace - seemed the appropriate place to start my "tour".
They were getting the stage and seating ready for the Jubilee concert (I didn't apply for tickets) on Monday.

(I have noticed recently on my - and other - blogs that some pictures load as coloured stripes - but the photos are there, if you click on them. very odd - no idea why - it is so annoying, so if these appear as stripes, do click!)

 The Mall on the approach to Buck House!

The stage for the concert, around the Victoria Memorial.

It was nice to be able to walk around here without getting run over, the roads were already partly closed.

Covent Garden (thanks to Leandra - Mrs Paperartsy) who tweeted a photo of this when she too went earlier this week - otherwise I may not have gone!  I love Covent Garden, although it's a shame the fruit and veg market is no longer there!

 The lady in red is an opera singer, and very good she was too.

The great thing about Covent Garden if you've not been there, is the al fresco eating - this is a huge pan of paella just being prepared!

 London's Regent Street - beautifully bedecked in flags!

Hamleys toy store - a fabulous Lego mosaic of the Queen!

 Loved all the reflections of the traffic in the window!

The statue of Eros in Piccadilly Square

Back to The Mall and Admiralty Arch - more flags!

Horseguards Parade - not sure if these bandsmen are rehearsing for the Jubilee or for Trooping the Colour which is in a fortnight, for the Queen's official birthday!  I should have asked a policeman!

Because of this rehearsal, you weren't allowed to walk through Horseguards down to Whitehall.  I stood and ate part of my sandwich here listening to them, but left when a party of young schoolchildren arrived!!

On guard in Whitehall!!

 the London Eye from Westminster Bridge.  I love going on the Eye but didn't have time this trip. Also, with the cloud, the views would have been poorer than I like!!

From there, I hopped back on the tube and went to Tower Hill to - finally - get to the main purpose of my day.

First, the Tower of London though...

So, my main purpose - the see the"Avenue of Sail" - moored boats not actually taking part in the Jubilee River Pageant on Sunday -  all along the river between Tower Bridge and London Bridge, and in the moorings at St Katharine's Dock at the Tower..

 I tried to upload a map for you but blogger won't have it as it's not the right type of file, sorry!

anyhow, I loved all the masts, strung (that's probably not the right term!!) with flags and bunting.

Gipsy Moth IV, which Sir Francis Chichester sailed around the world single-handed in in 1966-7. Wasn't able to get closer so couldn't get a shot without all this decking walkway in it.

HMS Belfast, now permanently moored on the river. It's now a museum to see how life on the waves was for sailors.

Paddle Steamers...

Beautiful rigging (ah, that's the word!!!)

Posh restaurants where once the ships would have unloaded their wares.

 And even posher (probably!) flats.

 I know some people (Prince Charles for instance!) hates all the modern architecture in London, but I love it!!

 The Shard, standing tall and proud!

Love how the "Gherkin" appears to have sprung from the Tower of London!!

Final picture of the Tower with Tower Bridge behind.

Hope you're still all with me, thanks for looking!
I walked for 6 hours and was shattered by the time I got home - did nothing all evening!!

Time for Kew

Wow, it has been ages since I got to Kew - mainly due to the lousy weather we've been having! However, no rain forecast and no lunchtime football now the season is over, meant yesterday I could go to Kew for the first time since March.

I wanted to see the floral Olympic ring display for myself - last time I went they had just prepared the circles ready - and it's a shame you can't see it from above (except on flight to Heathrow of course!) but they look pretty impressive....

They are set in the grass in front of The Orangery, (which is now a restaurant).

The Waterlily House - no clever special effects here, just the heat misting my lens!!

All the rain has made the greens everywhere really ZING!

 The grounds were alive with the calls of the peacocks - and this one was enjoying a rest on a bench...

Preening and grooming for a lady friend hiding somewhere in the bushes, she was nowhere in sight...

Everything is growing tall!

And outside the Princess of Wales greenhouse, the bright Californian Poppies (some of my favourites) make a grand contrast to the glass.

Crouching down low for a bird's eye view...

The summer exhibition this year features a sculptor called David Nash who is working on various installations - some are in place all around the Gardens.....

 or inside the Palm House.....

Growth on a tree trunk....

This is where he works during the week, in the Wood Quarry, using naturally fallen trees or ones that have died and had to be felled.  It will be interesting to go back and see what's new next time!

Beautiful Spring day at Kew

Saturday dawned bright and sunny -so it was Kew (just for a change - I hear you asking "doesn't she go anywhere else?" Answer - not often... must rectify that this year)

Anyhow, I went 2 weeks ago, but it was a dull day and I didn't finish the whole roll of film - so these first few are from then- the daffodils were fully out (going over now, in lots of areas)

 Daffodils along the Broad Walk - these are past their best now.

Early magnolia blossom

Local college collage work on display in the Palm House (didn't check to see if she was still there this week!)

 On to this last Saturday - the sky was so blue (especially when you take your pics in the right direction!)

Spring bedding display  outside the Palm House.

Olympic rings - obviously they're preparing for a special summer display! I'll keep an eye on it...

 I've said before how much I love the architectural structure of the mature trees - I think in a way they look better without leaves!

Blossom with the Palm House  in the background.

Glory of the Snow - a beautiful blue carpet coming along nicely!

That spring bedding outside the Palm House again

Another gnarled old tree!

Fallen blossom and bulbs under the trees.

I should have got these yesterday but the printer at Jessops went wrong - I was lucky to get both lots tonight - I arrived at 5.15 after work and they'd only done one film - and not put them on CD - but they stayed to run the second one through and do the CD whilst I did my shopping next door in the supermarket - so that is good service and here they are! It meant they were late shutting so I thank them for that!

Not sure when I'll get back to Kew - having my hair cut next Saturday - the week after that is Easter and I suspect I'll be down at Mum's decorating (not spoken to my brother yet about Easter plans) and the week after that is Ally Pally so it could be a month before I can go again (yikes!!)

Thanks for looking.