Westminster

Last Saturday the Petts were in Scotland with family, so we were on our own. We decided to take it slow and see Westminster Abbey and then head back to Richmond to run errands and get the kids to bed early.

 I never tire of seeing Big Ben's tower. It feels so magical to me, probably thanks to Peter Pan in part.

 No pictures were allowed inside, but it was amazing! There were tombs throughout the whole thing. In the floors in every wall and nook and cranny. Incredible. There are over 3,000 people buried there!

My brother John is really into family history and he told me that we are related to William I Longshanks through the Bunker line. He is my 22nd great grandfather! He also was one of the first kings crowned at Westminster and he had the coronation chair made for the occasion that is still used in coronations today! So, despite the illegality of it, we took a covert photo of Edward and his wife's tombs.

William I "Longshanks" tomb

 Leonor Princess of Castille, Edward's Queen

This is the flyer from the Abbey that shows the quire and Prince William and Katherine walking down the aisle. There was a really nice worker who let the girls stand up there where I've circled and talked to them about what happens there and even gave them a chance to sing for him from the quire. It was really neat! Next time there's a royal wedding or coronation it will be so cool to say that we've been right there!

 In the halls

The memorial marker for Edmond Halley of the comet fame.

When we got back to Richmond, there was a May Day Charity Fair going on on the green which sounded like fun. We had forgotten that charity here is like second hand so it was stalls full of people's old nasty junk (and I love a good second hand sale) for charities. Total bust, but the girls were thrilled that they got the faces painted and got to each ride a ride!