I was excited when I got off the plane at London Gatwick. My first thought, besides clearing customs and taking a much-needed visit to the washroom, was to find my way to Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace. I couldn’t wait to see London. Possibly it was because I’m Canadian and as a country, we still have ties to England and the Royal Monarchy. Yet, I’m mostly French, but that doesn’t stop me from admiring London, the UK, and their magnificent history.
For Londoners, this post may be boring, and I apologize in advance. However, my walks around the great city, even with my lack of sleep and jet lag, were certainly not boring for me. From Gatwick Airport, I took the bus that promised to get me to Earls Court. Maybe it was because I was extremely tired, but this trip seemed to take forever. We traveled through rush-hour morning traffic to Heathrow, and I think we even stopped in Liverpool. Not the station, but the city. Anyway, it was a long trip. From Earls Court, I put on my backpack, and began to walk. Here I was over 40 years old, and had never worn a backpack in a city. I felt odd, even a little embarrassed, wondering what people thought of this middle-aged guy from Canada.
After visiting Hyde Park and the Wellington Arch Monument, I headed straight for Buckingham Palace along the road known as Constitution Hill. At the time, I didn’t know that the Changing The Guard ceremony only took place on every second day during the spring. I just assumed it was everyday. When I saw these guards on horseback traveling in the same direction, I knew I was just in time. These are the Household Calvary Regiment or Queen’s Guard on horseback.
