Sunday 27th March 50th Birthday

Last evening we mossied around  watching the protesters who swarmed the streets, they were very peaceful apart from a few anarchists who were responsible for paint bombing and smashing some store windows of the stores that attracted a more wealthy clientele.  A caricature of Margaret Thantcher and others were waltzing around Trafalgar Square which attracted some attention and was quiet a bit of fun.  Our hotel is located literally a stones throw from Trafalgar Square so we were in the thick of the end of the protest.  The police presence was amazing, we have never seen anything like it.  There were hundreds of Scotish soccor supporters all frocked up in their kilts /skirts who were visiting for the game against Brazil today.  

We woke at 0420 this morning which was a good result after crashing soon after 2030 last night.  We were both feeling quiet refreshed.  Fortunately we woke early as we found that day light savings had commenced as it was 0520 local time.  It was also the first day of the english summer and what a cracker of a day it was.  Quiet a brisk start to the morning but it was 15 C by mid afternoon.  We have had a absolutely fantastic day visiting westminster Abbey and parliment square, Big Ben and the houses of parliment.  We then went on to see Downing street and picadilly circus.  Then we headed off to Buckingham palce  to see the changing of the guards.  It was amazing to see the number of toursits at Buckingham palace, they were about 5 deep lined up against the gates of the palace, we were facinated. A pub lunch of fish and chips and a warm flat pint for lunch went down a treat.  St Paul's Cathedral for me was the highlight of the day.  Its magnificient dome is very much part of the London skyline.  The cathedral was rebuilt after the great fire of london in 1666.  It is the cathedral where Charles married lady Di and where the Queen clebrated her golden jubilee and her 80th birthday.  I do indeed have something in common with the Queen as I was there to celebrate my 50th birthday!!  The tower of London was a spectacular fortress.  The Beefeaters who guard the Tower regaled us with stories of the past.  The Crown jewels were magnificient and we saw the solid gold crown used at the Queens coronation with its enormous diamonds.  The Tower is an amoury and there were so many displays of the amour used by the various kings.  Then we took a river cruise of the Thames which rises and falls 22  feet with the tide each day.  It was a glorious day.  There are many homeless people sleeping on cardboard boxes in doorways which i find a bit disturbing, they were just bedding themselves down for the night as we walked home from a wonderful dinner.