7 April 2007
The weather remains absolutely beautiful. We went our separate ways today; Virginia to Windsor and Eton, Bruce to National Gallery and Museum of London.
Don't take the expensive organized trips to Windsor, use public transport. The train fare was under eight pounds return from Paddington with easy connections at Slough. It takes just over half-an-hour. Admission to Windsor Castle is
twelve pounds (for those of us over 60)which is valid for any number of return visits over the next twelve months. This is eminently sensible since there is so much to see. Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and although the Queen was in residence Virgina was not invited to Tea. It was the Queen's loss! Although she had visited Windsor on many occasions in the past, Virginia particularly wanted to visit the grave of Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, interred with their husband and father King George VI. Virginia has a youthful memory of being woken up by her grandfather in February 1952 with the words, "The King is dead - Long Live the Queen, get up and help me with the flag." They stuck a draped Union Jack out of their first floor window to note the occasion. Virginia was taken by her mother to London to queue for many long hours in bitterly cold weather to view the King's Lying-In of State.
After Windsor Castle Virginia went on to Eton, one of the greatest, if not the greatest of the English Public Schools. It is now 25,000 pounds a year for a day scholar to attend although this is less than the fees at Winchester and Marlborough. Eton is where Princes William and Harry were educated. Although considered very much an "establishment" school, a significant number of its students are there as King's Scholars and pay no fees, having been selected on academic merit.
While Virginia was in Windsor I headed off to the National Gallery to see an exhibition, "Manet to Picasso." It was a brilliant collection of the impressionist and post-impressionist paintings in the National Gallery many of which were purchased with money provided by Courtauld. Courtauld had two collections, the one that he purchased for the Nation and which resides in the National Gallery and his personal collection which is housed in the Courtauld Museum at Somerset House.
Later in the day I went on to the Museum of London. This is an excellent museum that seems to have all sorts of activities for youngsters. At the moment they are doing a major exhibition on the Great Fire of London although they still cling to the claim that there were only ten deaths as a direct result of the fire. Lots of fascinating artefacts dating back to the Roman period although because of construction at the moment they only go up to the eighteenth century. I had hoped for some information on the nineteenth century but that was not to be. Met Virginia at the pub where we had some chips and a drink. Then home for a light dinner.
The weather remains absolutely beautiful. We went our separate ways today; Virginia to Windsor and Eton, Bruce to National Gallery and Museum of London.
Don't take the expensive organized trips to Windsor, use public transport. The train fare was under eight pounds return from Paddington with easy connections at Slough. It takes just over half-an-hour. Admission to Windsor Castle is
twelve pounds (for those of us over 60)which is valid for any number of return visits over the next twelve months. This is eminently sensible since there is so much to see. Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and although the Queen was in residence Virgina was not invited to Tea. It was the Queen's loss! Although she had visited Windsor on many occasions in the past, Virginia particularly wanted to visit the grave of Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, interred with their husband and father King George VI. Virginia has a youthful memory of being woken up by her grandfather in February 1952 with the words, "The King is dead - Long Live the Queen, get up and help me with the flag." They stuck a draped Union Jack out of their first floor window to note the occasion. Virginia was taken by her mother to London to queue for many long hours in bitterly cold weather to view the King's Lying-In of State.After Windsor Castle Virginia went on to Eton, one of the greatest, if not the greatest of the English Public Schools. It is now 25,000 pounds a year for a day scholar to attend although this is less than the fees at Winchester and Marlborough. Eton is where Princes William and Harry were educated. Although considered very much an "establishment" school, a significant number of its students are there as King's Scholars and pay no fees, having been selected on academic merit.
While Virginia was in Windsor I headed off to the National Gallery to see an exhibition, "Manet to Picasso." It was a brilliant collection of the impressionist and post-impressionist paintings in the National Gallery many of which were purchased with money provided by Courtauld. Courtauld had two collections, the one that he purchased for the Nation and which resides in the National Gallery and his personal collection which is housed in the Courtauld Museum at Somerset House.Later in the day I went on to the Museum of London. This is an excellent museum that seems to have all sorts of activities for youngsters. At the moment they are doing a major exhibition on the Great Fire of London although they still cling to the claim that there were only ten deaths as a direct result of the fire. Lots of fascinating artefacts dating back to the Roman period although because of construction at the moment they only go up to the eighteenth century. I had hoped for some information on the nineteenth century but that was not to be. Met Virginia at the pub where we had some chips and a drink. Then home for a light dinner.
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