The Top Floor Flat

So my cousin Erin and her friend Christine came this weekend to visit and do some London sightseeing and because they were only here for a short time (Erin had all of Friday and Saturday, Christine had Friday afternoon and Saturday) I had to think about what would be the best way to make the most of their short time in England. We actually managed to pack an insane amount into less than 48 hours – so much that I’ll have to split this into a few posts; one for Friday morning when Erin and I went to Windsor Castle, one for Friday afternoon when Christine joined us and we covered Covent Garden, Soho and Notting Hill, and at least one for Saturday when we covered… well, everything.

Erin had arrived Thursday evening and we had a low-key, homemade dinner at the Top Floor Flat (knowing we’d be spending quite a bit over the next few days) and had an early night. On Friday morning, I took her to change her money and pick up the bus to Windsor, home of Eton College, Windsor Castle and Legoland London. Of course, our destination was the Castle, something I was quite excited to see as I hadn’t been yet since moving to London in June. The bus ride took less than an hour and Erin got to see at least a tiny taste of what England outside London might look like.

Windsor Castle is an incredibly impressive sight and immediately obvious as you get close to the town. It is the official residence of the Queen and royal family and is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Although we didn’t see the Queen, we certainly got a taste of what life in a castle would be like – confusing! Without our guide map and well marked routes through the grounds and buildings we would have easily gotten lost. We had a walk around the grounds, complete with towers and moats, and visited the beautiful church within the Castle walls, the St. George Chapel which is the burial place of 10 previous rulers. Nearby were some of the royal guard, fuzzy hats and all, on an open parade ground.

The highlight of the Castle was, of course, the interior state rooms that were on show to the public. Much of the Castle is inaccessible to visitors but one area is devoted to showing life as it might have been for the residents of the castle. The first interior space we visited was devoted entirely to the famous Queen Mary Dolls’ House, a 1920’s to-scale doll house that contains such detailed design, decorations and furnishings that it is used as an accurate representation of how nobility lived at the time. Everything from the books on the shelves (filled with miniature writing and real original short stories) to the wine in the cellars (filled with the correct wines to match the bottles’ labels) is an exact replica to the scale of 1:12 of everyday Royal life.

Beyond the miniature, however, were the actual state rooms of the Castle. Although we weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, you can imagine the sumptuous furnishings (fit for a king!) that decorated the rooms. The walls were covered in rich fabrics and ornate paintings, the furniture was exquisitely detailed, the decorative items covered in gold and jewels. The main rooms on display were those of the King’s private life – bed and dressing rooms as well as study and private meeting and entertainment rooms, as well as those of the Queen. It certainly illustrated the opulence of Royal life throughout the ages.

It was a relatively quick tour through all of Windsor which left us a little time for a walk through the town before catching the bus back to London. Windsor has a number of cute shopping streets and many cafes and restaurants along the Thames which runs past the town. Then it was time for a quick sandwich before hopping back on board the bus after a very fun morning and the promise of a busy afternoon.