Pussy cat pussy cat where have you been?

I've been to London... to visit the Queen! It seems she was still at her summer place so I missed her. Too bad...

at Buckingham Palace

I am still wondering how it all happened so fast. Seems like not all that long ago I was saying just 120 more sleeps, and now it is all a fond memory. We did have a wonderful time though. If I was to try to tell you about it, I am sure I would forget half, but I do have about 3000 photographs to jog my memory. Mr. O and I have been working at editing them, but it is a long slow job.

Mr O and myself all packed and leaving for the airport.

We saw so many wonderful things and it is absolutely mind boggling to see so many things that have stood the test of time. Our country is just a baby in comparison.

Big Ben-London   note: I always thought Big Ben was the clock, but we learned that it is actually the bell in the tower!

at dusk...mesmerizing!

We had a wonderful tour director, who had such a vast knowledge of history and an amazing memory for dates and names. We really lucked out to get him. He had a wonderful sense of humor and just didn't seem to get ruffled no matter the circumstance; and there were a few. 

We went through 3 bus drivers; hope it was not a reflection on us as a group...just kidding. While in a somewhat remote part of Scotland on the Isle of Skye our original bus driver was taken ill (his appendics burst). We were able to get a driver to fill in for 2 days to get us to a bigger centre and then Trafalgar set us up with a driver to finish the tour. I am sure it is a trip that he will remember for awhile. Besides taking ill; the first day out of London while driving through the Cotswolds he was pulled over for speeding..he was going 1 mile per hour over the speed limit; that is not a typo people, I was in the front seat and he was actually doing just ONE mile over and he got pulled over. It seems the local authorities were having a slow day and needed a little entertainment; either that or speeding is a very serious offence in England.

I won't bore you with all 3000 photos but here are a few...

a shot of the Parliament buildings from a bridge on the River Thames.

at night while walking back to our hotel. This was actually almost the same view from our room.

Westminister Abbey; just a nice walk from our hotel.

I have posted the pics kind of small, but if you click on them you can see a lot  more detail.