The Queen Is In The House

Travel Day 1 (May 5-6)

Relatively smooth flight to Heathrow…though initially tight quarters.  Steve moved to an open aisle seat diagonally back, so we each were able to have an aisle seat with an empty one next to us—making the 9 total hours spent on the plane a bit more bearable.  With a 9 ½ hour layover facing us (after a few scattered hours of sleep), we decided to head to Windsor.  Turning down the $160 cab fare, we hopped on a local bus and off we went!   Gorgeous day (sunny and 70), and an interesting few hours.  Joined in with a tour guide on the grounds—the largest and oldest castle still being inhabited by a monarch.  In fact, the queen was there for the weekend—which was evidenced by the flag with her colors flying high above the tower.  The Windsor Castle Grounds are quite expansive, beautifully landscaped, and brings a greatdeal of history in this more than 900 year old structure. The grounds are surrounded by nearby restaurants and shops—a bit touristy, but fun to walk around.  I even found my way over to the River Thames and the lovely swans. On to Cape Town!