Windsor Wander

On my next free weekend in March, it was off to Windsor on Saturday.  Windsor is a great day trip location from London Waterloo...12 GBP return for the train (1 hour) and drops you off right at the castle.  The town is adorable too.

After arriving, the first thing I did was the castle tour.  I recommend booking tickets in advance...but I didn't do that.  The line was thankfully not too long, partly because the weather was cold and rain threatened throughout the day.

First stop is St George's gate on the audio tour.

View inside the gate

The queen's flag was flying, meaning she was in residence for the day.  The column in the middle contains her private residence and her working areas.

She has a well manicured moat to protect her!

View from the other side of St George's gate.  You can't take pictures inside the castle.  I highly recommend a tour though.  Some of the rooms in there are the best I've seen in Europe, even though a portion of the castle burned as recently as the 90s.  St George's hall with the coats of arms is one of my favourite rooms in all of Europe.

Then it was off to the chapel, where King Henry VIII is buried with his beloved Jane Seymour.  The inside is gorgeous as well, a must see.  Plenty of other kings and queens are interned there as well.

Then I took the short walk to Eton to see the famous school that educates future prime ministers.  

The school was closed for visitors, but that didn't stop hordes of tourists (and myself) from taking pictures at the entrance.  I can't imagine going to school there - must feel like such a fish in bowl or animal in a zoo.  But I wouldn't turn down the opportunity for my kid to go there...

View into the main courtyard

The school chapel.  Completely different from my school chapel at home.

Then it was off for a late lunch at an RS recommended place on the river.  Swans everywhere!  This was my trip to scope it out before more friends visited.  Definitely recommend!

After the train ride back, I spent the rest of the weekend catching up on shows I hadn't seen, including Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (just ok - I thought it would be funnier) and The Play that Goes Wrong (excellent - slapstick humour...exactly what I needed).