Hampton Court Palace
It's going to be an interesting day. Barb's knee has not recovered from yesterday's jarring as well as she hoped and is still sore and swollen. She is determined not to let it stand in the way of going to see the palace. She first visited here in 2000 with her sister Pamela, and knew it would be a great day out. John had visited about 60 years ago as a child, so couldn't remember too much about it. The trip has to be accomplished by tube to Vauxhall and then change to the Overground (train) to Hampton Court Palace.
The tube is choc a bloc full, being morning peak hour when we leave. A kind young woman offers her seat to Barb. It pays to be old!
We eventually arrive at Hampton Court and the palace is located just across the bridge from the train station. Barb was very taken with a group of tiny children being taken on a walk with the child-carers.
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| The kids were all attached to a plastic leading harness. Wot a good idea! |
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| There's the palace! |
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| We cross the bridge at a slow pace due to Barb's knee |
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| We buy the tickets to enter and ask if it's possible to hire a wheelchair for Barb .... |
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| .... it sure is! Not only that we get a personal assistant to guide us through |
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| The internal cloister gardens are immaculate! |
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| John steers Barb around the state rooms |
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| The rooms are vast and magnificent Look at the roof structure! |
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| Henry VIII built the old Tudor palace |
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| Queen Elizabeth I also lived at there |
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| Very ornate painted ceilings |
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| Wall tapestries abound |
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| Bedroom fit for a king |
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| Beautiful stained glass windows |
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| Beautiful formal gardens viewed from the palace windows |
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| The palace was built by the Tudor Henry VIII, and then William of Orange came along and re-decorated the place |
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| The pies were pretty good! |
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| When it's time to tour the gardens Barb trades the wheelchair in for a ride-on scooter |
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| Now THIS is more like it! Barb loves the independence of the scooter |
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| Those magnificent brooding skies! |
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| Cinderella's coach? |
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| Pretty blooms |
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| We chose not to do the maze .... lots of schoolkids went in ahead of us |
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| The gardens are very well maintained |
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| Barb amidst the flowers |
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| John is captivated by the garden statues |
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| Sadly we had to give back the scooter at the front gate. It certainly made getting around so much easier! |
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