London » Gallery #3: Tower Bridge, Hyde Park & Buckingham Palace
Days 2-3 of our trip -- 31 May and 1 June 2002:
After some lovely weather on day 2, we were even more fortunate when day 3 turned out to be perfectly clear and warm. This is London???
We spent the morning wandering around Hyde Park, where there were thousands of people relaxing and getting ready for the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations that took place all that weekend. We then walked past Buckingham Palace where, oddly enough, they had pop music blaring from speakers just outside the gates as crews prepared for the big Jubilee parade. We also spent a couple of hours at the National Gallery before wandering up to Harrod's, where we met my brother and his wife again and went out for dinner. Click on any of the thumbnails to see the larger picture.
 Gabriel's first ice cream! Tower Bridge is in the background |
 He may look like a Rienstra, but the Chapman ice cream gene is running in his blood. |
 The Tower Bridge - somewhat Disney-esque in appearance. |
 Standing on the outer wall of the Tower of London with the River Thames and Tower Bridge in the background. |
 The Tower Bridge from a distance. |
 The Hyde Park Gate |
 Michelle and Gabriel in a Hyde Park rose garden. |
 Gabriel taking time to smell the roses. |
 One of the many gardens in Hyde Park. |
 A warm, sunny day - in London??? Yes! We got incredibly lucky... |
 Gabriel taking a break from the confinement of the stroller and planning where we'll go next. |
 John and Gabriel playing in front of a giant shade tree. |
 We quite literally stumbled on the Queen’s Life Guard (the Royal Horse Guards) parading through Hyde Park, a once-a-year procession in honour of the Queen's Golden Jubilee (and birthday). |
 Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (Royal Horse Guards) marching through Hyde Park, preparing for the Queen's Golden Jubilee weekend |
 The captain of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (Royal Horse Guards) |
 Gabriel enjoys watching the procession of the Queen's Life Guard squadron (a.k.a. the Royal "horsies") |
 The Marble Arch leading from Hyde Park to Buckingham Palace along the Princess Diana Memorial Walkway |
 The new Memorial to War Veterans, looking back toward the Marble Arch |
 Constables stading under the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace, preparing for Golden Jubilee celebrations |
 Michelle and Baby #2 in front of the Victoria Memorial, just so this baby knows it has gone to Europe once in its life, at least. |
 Buckingham Palace. At the time, preparing for Golden Jubilee testivities, rock & pop music was blaring from speakers all around the square; you can just imagine the Queen sticking in ear plugs... |
 Family photo in front of Buckingham Palace, our summer retreat... |
 Admiralty Arch, at West end of St. James' Park, past Buckingham Palace |
 Gabriel with his Aunt Deb at an Indian Restaurant near Harrod's in London |
 John, Michelle, Gabriel, John's brother, Ron, and sister-in-law, Deb, in a London tube station. |