SUNDAYS WITH CELIA VOL 87
Hello and Happy Sunday! Thanks very much for stopping in today for Sundays With Celia Vol 87.
Looking Back On Sunday
So, it’s been 2 weeks since I joined you here on Sunday. I’ve been a little busy with some recent travel that has kept me away from the blog. Last weekend my son’s graduation from the University of Chicago Law School got in the way. Good excuse for neglecting the blog don’t you think?
The Hooding ceremony took place in UChicago’s beautiful Rockefeller Memorial Chapel. We were so lucky that it was an indoor venue, as it was a chilly, rainy day.
We spent 4 wonderful days in Chicago celebrating with our son and extended family, and doing some touristy things I’ve never had a chance to do while visiting him previously. At the top of my list of things to do was to take the famous Chicago Architecture River Cruise. What a GREAT way to see this beautiful city! I shared my experience taking this terrific cruise in this week’s blog post. If you missed it click here to view Chicago’s #1 tourist attraction through the eyes of my camera lens.
By The Way…
Whenever I visit my kids I try to bring them a little something from home. This trip I made my graduate a batch of homemade granola. The yummy recipe is a popular one here on the blog and my boys love it. In fact, my son said he had a big bowl full on graduation morning which warmed my heart. Here’s a link to the delicious and nutritious recipe.
Two Weeks Ago…
The week before last I took you back to EnchantingWindsor Castle, located 25 miles outside of London. It’s the location of St. George’s Chapel, the romantic chapel where royalty are wed. Prince Harry & Meghan exchanged vows in the chapel, as did Harry’s father Prince Charles and Camilla.
But what you might not know about St. George’s Chapel, and what I find most fascinating about it, is the fact that it is the the spiritual home of the Order of the Knights of the Garter. The Knights of the Garter are the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain. In medieval times, King Edward III was so inspired by tales of King Arthur, and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table, that he set up his own group of knights and called them the Order of the Garter. I just LOVE the tales of King Arthur and Camelot, so I was so excited to see all the Knights regalia on display in St. George’s Chapel. So, if you missed my blog post tour of beautiful St. George’s Chapel please click here.
Order of the Garter Regalia on Display
A Walking Tour of Windsor Village
As we finished our visit to Windsor Castle we exited the King Henry VIII Gate into the very congested town of Windsor. It was the Saturday before Easter Sunday so I imagine that would account for what was likely a busier than normal afternoon.
When one sees images of Windsor Castle it often includes a shot of what is known as The Long Walk. You might recall for example when Meghan Markle arrived at Windsor Castle for her wedding, cameras captured her arriving by car with her mother as they drove down The Long Walk. After the wedding, she exited by horse drawn carriage with Prince Harry down The Long Walk .
Brad wanted to see this part of Windsor Castle, which is separate from the area where you tour the castle. It requires a short walk thru town.
We walked a few blocks down the quaint, cobblestone streets, past several busy pubs.
This pub happens to be the closest pub to Windsor Castle, located just outside the gates to The Long Walk. It was bustling with patrons enjoying the beautiful afternoon.
So here’s the famous Long Walk which stretched 2.65 miles long. It’s part of Windsor Great Park, a Royal Park of some 5,000 acres. For many centuries the park was the private hunting grounds of Windsor Castle.
The Long Walk ends at Windsor Castle as shown in the photo below. This part of the castle is not accessible to the public. I took the photo through gates.
After satisfying our desire to see The Long Walk and Windsor Great Park we walked back to town in search of a pub for a late lunch.
We encountered a wedding party that was traveling around town in the interesting antique bus you see in the photo below.
There are many pubs to choose from in Windsor, so it was difficult to decide where to eat.
Eventually we settled on one and had a leisurely lunch of fish & chips over a very enjoyable conversation with some friendly locals seated at the neighboring table.
Windsor, like all tourist towns, was not without its touristy trinkets for sale. I always wonder who buys this stuff. Somebody I suppose or it wouldn’t be for sale in such abundance.
After lunch we made our way down to the River Thames, just a short couple of blocks from the center of town. I was disappointed to see that it was built-up with new construction since my last visit to Windsor. I remember it being so quaint and historical. It now lacks some of that old-world charm.
There was this picturesque houseboat parked outside the Boatman’s Pub. I read that this pub is the oldest in Windsor with outdoor seating along the river.
A popular pastime in Windsor is to take a riverboat cruise on the Thames. We would have liked to do so if time allowed, but it didn’t. Plus the crowds were unappealing.
So, we walked back to the train station for our 1 hour trip back to London. Stay tuned and I’ll be sharing more about our recent Transatlantic Cruise and European adventure.
Downton Abbey The Movie
Well, since we are on the subject of England I thought I’d give you a heads-up that the long awaited Downton Abbey movie will be in theaters on September 20th. I know that’s quite a while away but for diehard fans like me, I thought you might enjoy a little teaser in the form of the movie trailer. Looks like it’s going to be good!
Well, I hope you are enjoying a lovely day. Thanks again for sharing a part of it with me.
So there you have it: SUNDAYS WITH CELIA VOL 87
Thanks so much for dropping in!
Express Yourself!
No blog post is truly complete without a word from you. I’d be so delighted if you’d leave a comment below.
All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission.
