Trooping of the colours

 This program has a soggy look about it, it did get wet, as did both hubby and myself in the huge thunder storm near the end of the event. Its dry now and will be a reminder to a fantastic day, this post has loads of photo's.

The guards memorial, at horse-guards parade, we took this photo on Sunday, the day after all the troops were here. Typically for UK, lovely blue skies, much better than the grey skies on Saturday.

Just a few photo's from the troop, our seats as promised were in a great spot, hubby also explained everything happening, he has done a couple of these events, so he knew each phase, it was great to understand each bit which made up the whole, he was for years a drill instructor in the Welsh Guards. We did not see anything out of place, it went as expected. 

Sunday we walked up The Mall to Buckingham Palace, the roads were still closed, so we could get a great view of the fountain and the palace behind, just more photo's of the walk. 

The gardens looked stunning, so well kept, which for this typically strange weather year was no easy feat. We walked back through St James park, not many flower beds, mainly trees and grass.

This trip to London was vastly different, normally hubby's army mate and his wife stay in the same hotel, Angie has mobility issues and we use lots of taxi's, this trip we walked almost everywhere and saw so much more. Getting soaked on Saturday was not an issue, I would go again even if I knew it would end the same, it was heavy rain, thunder and lighting, it got to the point we are wet, not cold, so lets just walk back to the hotel.

We always watch the troop on the TV, it does show images closer and follows all the action, but nothing can compare listening to the sound of the Guards as they go through their arms routine, there is a crack as they all together, as one move their rifles. We saw the carriages, but could not see inside, too far away.

Here in UK, we do our traditions so well, I love to see the red tunics the guards wear, it was apparent I'm not the only one, when we got to the palace, the Ghurkha's were on sentry duty, we heard so many comments from visitors in many different accents complaining not to see guards.   

Over the three days we popped into Wellington Barracks, the Sergeants Mess, we missed the luncheon at the Calvary and Guards club, preferring to walk back to our hotel, have a hot shower and dry clothes, we found a lovely restaurant to have a late lunch. We did 50,688 steps, an average of 16,896 per day for 3 days, so a day at home resting is very appreciated.