Buckingham Palace

Jess was quite tired after yesterday's activities and her accident in the evening, but was keen to be out exploring again. She enjoys the underground and so we took another day ticket and went around the Circle line to St James Park.

It was raining intermittently as we walked through the park to the front of Buckingham Palace. We knew that we were late for the start of the Changing of the Guard but the huge crowds meant that only a fraction could have a place in front of the gates with a view of the main action.

Arrival of the New Guard

Jess noticed several mounted policeman - the crowd control both on foot and on horseback seemed very well organised - and so we saw the side gates open as a platoon of guards marched from the Mall to be the new guard.

Mounted Police

A little later the main gates opened and the band marched out and around, right in front of us, led by two of the mounted police, as they headed back to their nearby barracks. We could hardly have been closer to them. Soon after the main guard marched out and off down the Mall.

Guards' Band

Time was flying past as well so we walked back to the Underground and a different route - so as to fit in two trains - much to Jess's delight.

After lunch on the boat it was soon time for Jess and Grandad to walk through to Paddington Station, buy tickets and catch a train to Slough. This was a stopping train and Jess was especially interested in the varying scenery along the half hour trip.

At Slough we met with Lisa (their Nanny) and swapped for Ellie and Alice. Within minutes we were on the train back, earlier than expected and so we reached the boat even before Christine had completed her food shopping trip.

After the main course of our evening meal, Ellie felt that we could do with an alternative to what was on offer for a dessert so she and Mike went to the nearby Tesco for some ice cream - but Ellie put in a persuasive argument for chocolate muffins to go with them! Needless to say, both disappeared very quickly.

Statue in Paddington Central

Later, Alice opted for a night walk with Mike. They went back along the canal, over a footbridge (and checked out the entrance to Paddington Station ready for tomorrow evening) and then on up towards Little Venice. On the way they spotted a couple of statues.

Leaving the canal towpath, they took to the streets and gradually explored round to Edgware Road and so back to Paddington Basin.