Windsor Castle and Eton

(photos: windsor castle and some gardens; windsor castle courtyard; guards at the castle and a gate; two castle and flower photos. go ahead, ponder the juxtaposition. I like it; eton college and henry viii; streets of windsor/eton ; me in front of a building at eton; more castle)

On Friday, my parents and i decided to go to Windsor Castle, which also happened to be the day that one of the art history classes from here went on a field trip. As we got off the train, i spotted my friends, and very creepily stalked them and said hello. Then we parted for a while.

The parents and i went to the chapel first, which was quite fantastic, complete with elaborate gothic ribbed vaults and a good number of decorative bosses. We took the audio tour, so i did actually learn a lot about everything , i just don't remember since i have not had time to write. We saw the areas for the Knights of the Garter in the choir of the chapel, which included a little statue like area for each of them that had a helmet with a symbol on top, as well as a sword and a plaque. It was pretty cool, because apparently as a knight of the garter you get to pick your own symbol. I shall now design my own symbol just in case i ever become one..by marrying royalty, or doing some great deed for england, since i think that is how its done. While in the cloisters of the chapel, we were somehow introduced to an artist whose work was being exhibited at the time. i accidentally made eye contact with the woman who worked there, and she immediately took that as a sign to say , " hellohowareyou thisistheartist of all the paintings" and gestured towards him. So thats awkward, but we said hello and wound up talking to him for about 15 minutes about his stuff ( which was quite good) and art in general. As we went to leave, my architecture teacher, who at the time didnt know my name, walked by on his way to secure a group entry for the aforementioned class. So i said hello, and he looked very confused; however, the next time i saw him he asked if i was with my parents and if they bought me fancy dinner and expensive things when they came. Apparently that is his view on parental visits.

After the chapel we made our way to the State Rooms and Queen Mary's Doll House. The doll house was a replica of the actual state rooms, complete with furniture and tiny oil paintings created by the artists of the real paintings in the rooms. It was beautiful, and i cannot imagine how a painter was able to paint something that small. They must have used toothpicks, my brush of choice for small paintings. She also had some dolls with fancy outfits, which were nice, but essentially creepy.

The state rooms were absolutely magnificent. You werent allowed to take photos or i would have shown you. Some of the highlights for me were the rooms with all the elaborate weaponry. That sounds sadistic, i know, but i viewed it as an art installment as well, because of the way they displayed the rifles and swords on the wall. Things overlapped, patterns were created, it was good work, i appreciated it. I think that would be such a fantastic job. Maybe i will apply to be a weapons arranger. There was also a Great Hall, which was great, mind you, and was the main location of any banquets or feasts held by the royal family. I forgot what this other room was called, but it was a huge room absolutely covered in gold carvings. I assume the ornamentation is wood covered in gold leaf, but i never asked anyone..so i guess i'll never know...

After finishing up the castle, we headed over to Eton, and wound up getting to Eton College right after the last tour took off. This was a bit disheartening. But, what? ho! in the distance! a lady coming to catch us up with the tour! There was much rejoicing. She had a bit of trouble finding them though, but she decided to take us up into the area overlooking their Great Hall where the King's Scholars dine. The regular tour doesn't even get this, so it was quite a treat. We did eventually catch up, and found out things about the college that i never knew. Granted i went into the experience with very little knowledge. Our tour guide was a little old british lady who told fantastic stories of how the boys would get together at night after their curfew and fashion a stage and proscenium arch out of their beds so they could make a stage to put on plays. Apparently they were told to go to bed at 7, so obviously they amused themselves somehow. Eton was really quite nice, and i wish i could go there, but seeing as i am not a boy, i may have some difficulty. Though i did find out that you don't have to British to go there, of which i was unaware.

After Eton , we took the train back to the hotel area, and went to this place nearby called Pizza Organic, where i got the best pasta i have had in a long time. We then got some "sweets from Pauls" as the doorman called them, and went back to the room for tea and sweets.

I eventually left the parents, and returned to Regent's so i could go to sleep fairly early and be up in time for the trip to stonehenge on saturday. It was a good parents week, they wil lbe missed in London.