Last Day ... Best of All!

We've had an amazing time with two of our good friends who went with us to London, Dennis and Elaine Owen. We've known them for years! Dennis and Lynn have worked together for years at various engineering firms. They do a little side business together and that's how we're paying for this marvelous trip. They have been wonderful traveling companions. We make a great team! Dennis and Lynn look like they could be brothers. I have to be careful when we travel with them because sometimes I almost put my arms around Dennis because I mistake him for Lynn!I would have to say that today has been the best day of all. We took the underground to Waterloo Station and bought train tickets to Hampton Court. It was without a doubt, the most amazing experience. When we first got off the train and walked across the Thames River we got our first glimpse of the castle. It was by far larger than I had ever imagined!

We first toured the king's kitchens. The inside of the castle was stone walls and floors with extremely high ceilings and fireplaces that were larger than several people put together. It took 200 kitchen staff to cook for 600 people, twice a day!



Just a typical room in Mary's quarters. Hampton Court is where Anne Boleyn and Katherine Parr lived as well as Mary and I think Elizabeth lived. And of course Henry the 8th lived here some of the time. His other wives may have lived here too. William the third had quarters here too. The living accomodations for the elite were beyond words!

Queen Mary's bed chamber.

I acutally took this picture through a glass windowpane from the King's quarters. Aren't the gardens amazing!

Here's the four of us in front of the palace.

I was REALLY scared when I saw Henry the Eighth roaming the halls of the palace. I ran to get in front of him to take his picture. He said, "Have a very good day, Ma'am." I did a little dipsy do and couldn't even eak out a hello. I was afraid he would say, "Off with your head ... for taking my picture!" He actually looks a lot more handsome than the pictures painted of the real Henry the Eighth!


This is the back of the palace which faces the most amazing grounds I've ever seen!






There's that word I HATE ... only I can't figure out why in the heck I'd want to use a disabled toilet???



It was a beautiful sunny day and towards late afternoon the clouds started rolling in. But we never got rain. This is walking along the Thames to catch the train. What a beautiful ending to a beautiful day!

We have a long day tomorrow. Catch our ride to the airport at 8:00 a.m. and then our flight leaves for Houston and it's over 10 hours! Horrors ... and then another 3 1/2 to home. We're gonna' be tired, but happy from the most amazing trip we've ever had!

Hope we can come back again to see all of the amazing things we didn't get to see. Thanks for all of your suggestions for our site seeing. They really helped us decide what to see and do.