Exploring Windsor
Sunday 6th May,2006.
Windsor is a particularly beautiful town with historic building and of couse the Thames. As it is spring time the flowers are out and the trees are budding. The morning was a little cloudy but there were patches of sun. We decided to go for a walk to explore the river side.
Again we made our way up to High Street taking time to look at the variety of shops and pubs. James took a fancy to a side street so we followed that through to the Alexandra Gardens. This comprises a path that has annuals planted in beds on either side. I think the most stunning were the blazing red tulips (?). From there we walked down to Barry Avenue and the Thames. It was a lovely time in the late morning with the tourist boats moored against the stone walls of the river. Looking back towards the town centre you can see the Eton College Boathouses and the Windsor Bridge. In the other direction the river was fringed with willows. Swans and ducks, obviously accustomed to tourists, were keen to make our acquaitence. James decided he wanted to push the stoller so off we went following the river.
We eventually found ourselves back in the town centre. We had lunch at the King & Castle Hotel - directly opposite the Castle. As the sun was out we decided to eat outside in the beer garden. It was a lovely relaxing time. Merrilyn and I reflected that it was a nice payback for the stress of packing and leaving.
After lunch we returned home for James' afternoon sleep. He was still very tired and a little cranky.
Given that we still had a rental car we couldn't drive we decided to make the most of our time in Windor. So in the afternoon decided to visit the Windsor Great Park and its Long Walk. So we headed off to the now familiar High Street and from there turned left down Park Street. Its only a few hundred metres until we reached the park where we were confronted with a grand vista of the Long Walk. It stretched far into the distance with trees (don't know what they were) lining each side. Windsor Castle stood at the other end. James ran up to the gates and asked "Is the Queen home?" Merrilyn had been explaining to James that when the flag was flying the Queen was in residence. So she pointed out the flag and replied that yes - she was at home and we were standing in her driveway!
One thing you can't get away from in Windsor are the aircraft. Being located so close to Heathrow when the conditions are right the flightpath takes them directly overhead. Today they were landing right over the Great Park. And frequently. We timed them at 1.5 minute intervals and what seemed to be only about 1000 feet altitude.
We walked down the "driveway" for a while and, as it was getting late, turned off to a side street we knew would get us home. It seems that many of the lovely homes that face the park are Crown properties. They are beautifully maintained and the spring gardens are spectacular. We stopped to chat with a local lady walking two terriers. We had a good chat about her apartment in the nearby Adelaide Square. It was in the final stages of renovation and she was looking to rent it out. She was interested to understand what letting company we had used to find our accomodation. She invited us for tea next time we were in the area. How nice! I only hope that we have similar experience when it comes to settle in our permanent home.
Windsor is a particularly beautiful town with historic building and of couse the Thames. As it is spring time the flowers are out and the trees are budding. The morning was a little cloudy but there were patches of sun. We decided to go for a walk to explore the river side.
Again we made our way up to High Street taking time to look at the variety of shops and pubs. James took a fancy to a side street so we followed that through to the Alexandra Gardens. This comprises a path that has annuals planted in beds on either side. I think the most stunning were the blazing red tulips (?). From there we walked down to Barry Avenue and the Thames. It was a lovely time in the late morning with the tourist boats moored against the stone walls of the river. Looking back towards the town centre you can see the Eton College Boathouses and the Windsor Bridge. In the other direction the river was fringed with willows. Swans and ducks, obviously accustomed to tourists, were keen to make our acquaitence. James decided he wanted to push the stoller so off we went following the river.
We eventually found ourselves back in the town centre. We had lunch at the King & Castle Hotel - directly opposite the Castle. As the sun was out we decided to eat outside in the beer garden. It was a lovely relaxing time. Merrilyn and I reflected that it was a nice payback for the stress of packing and leaving.
After lunch we returned home for James' afternoon sleep. He was still very tired and a little cranky.
Given that we still had a rental car we couldn't drive we decided to make the most of our time in Windor. So in the afternoon decided to visit the Windsor Great Park and its Long Walk. So we headed off to the now familiar High Street and from there turned left down Park Street. Its only a few hundred metres until we reached the park where we were confronted with a grand vista of the Long Walk. It stretched far into the distance with trees (don't know what they were) lining each side. Windsor Castle stood at the other end. James ran up to the gates and asked "Is the Queen home?" Merrilyn had been explaining to James that when the flag was flying the Queen was in residence. So she pointed out the flag and replied that yes - she was at home and we were standing in her driveway!
One thing you can't get away from in Windsor are the aircraft. Being located so close to Heathrow when the conditions are right the flightpath takes them directly overhead. Today they were landing right over the Great Park. And frequently. We timed them at 1.5 minute intervals and what seemed to be only about 1000 feet altitude.
We walked down the "driveway" for a while and, as it was getting late, turned off to a side street we knew would get us home. It seems that many of the lovely homes that face the park are Crown properties. They are beautifully maintained and the spring gardens are spectacular. We stopped to chat with a local lady walking two terriers. We had a good chat about her apartment in the nearby Adelaide Square. It was in the final stages of renovation and she was looking to rent it out. She was interested to understand what letting company we had used to find our accomodation. She invited us for tea next time we were in the area. How nice! I only hope that we have similar experience when it comes to settle in our permanent home.
posted by Marty at
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
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