It was very sunny in London on Sunday April 19, the day of our field trip.
At 11 am we boarded a very small boat and sat on the deck, and opened snacks, and had strong tea and watched The Thames go by and listened to the captain point out sights and went through a few Locks and ate crisps and talked to strangers and were giddy and silly and laughed and blushed and got very sunburned.
We also saw a lot of houses we wanted to live in.
At 2 we arrived at Hampton Court Palace, a King Henry VIII residence.
We spread apart and saw different rooms and whispered about history and took photos and smelled lilacs and saw horses and trees shaved to look like hats and secret gardens where we could all imagine many a frolicking and giggleing and chasing and kissing and making love under the blossoming trees took place! I might have a lot of wives too if I had a garden like that attached to my house the size of Rhode Island.
I wanted the maze to be like the one in Orlando but it wasn't because it was dreadful because it wasn't very green and I got out of there as fast as I could. But because it was so sunny and there were wildflowers and tall grasses and lilacs and I was with friends and people I have known and loved for years and years,
this little annoyance soon disappeared.
The light coming through tiny lead seamed windows was gorgeous and subtle.
And it was nifty to touch the stone and to think that something as architecturally sound and full of profound history could still be standing.
A wondrous day indeed.
It was fun to be a kind of tourist or adventurer or get out of the city or sit back and relax for a 3 hour boatride or meet new people or take a tiny picnic of pocketfood or get sunburned.
If you want to see more of the bridges we floated under or the rooms and the tapestries and the light and the stained glass windows and the cobblestone hallways and the massive fireplace for roasting meats or just take a gander at the posse, check out the flickr page.
Cool day trip! As usual, great photos.
Posted by: Cameron S. | 20 April 2009 at 10:12 PM
It looks like you all had such fun. I'm gutted to have missed it! :-(
Posted by: Sir Wobin | 21 April 2009 at 03:17 AM
the house you want to live in is marble hill house - i lives just round the corner of it for the longest time! not sure you'd want to live in it, as it is haunted (or so they say) by the ghost of the late henrietta howard, mistress of henry VIII i believe for whom the house was built.
it's also convienently located just across the river from petersham nurseries, a luxury henrietta howard didn't enjoy... maybe that's why she's haunting the place.
they do wonderful picnic concerts in the summer at marble hill... the programme is a bit hit and miss, but the atmosphere is amazing nevertheless!
Posted by: johanna | 21 April 2009 at 04:24 AM
Fun! You were having fun. I love it. I love the picture of you and that you got sunburned. It does my heart good to hear it. Oh fun, it is indeed medicine for the soul. Yippee for you!
Posted by: Kelley G. | 21 April 2009 at 03:16 PM
how i love the regal, bucolic and green england. reminds me of my time there as a kid. with fairs, strawberry picking, scones, Windsor... i know it's not always like that but i love thinking about it that way sometimes. especially during spring. what a great day trip.
Posted by: Aran | 21 April 2009 at 04:42 PM
field trip! love it!
glad you took some much deserved time away from work to have what looks like much fun...
and i like how every picture of you I see - you look like you are aging backwards!
you are embracing your wisdom and softness and it sure comes through...
gorgeous photos...thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Melvis | 23 April 2009 at 12:47 PM