Fourth of July in the West End

On the 4th of July, we were joined by the Montez family, Anna and Rob's friends from Reno. Dave, Shannon, and their kids, Shelby, Matt, Sophia, and Franklin met us in London after spending a week in Ireland. Our crew got out the door a bit early, so I marched them down Pembridge Gardens and Pembridge Road to Westbourne Grove. We continued on to Queensway -- a bit early to go in Whiteleys -- and walked to the top of the street where we met the Montezes outside the Queensway Tube Station. The larger, combined group explored Kensington Gardens and stopped at the Diana Fountain on our way to Exhibiton Road. We made a quick stop at the V&A and the Brompton Oratory. On Brompton Road, we nipped into Harrods to see the bizarre Dodi Fayed/Diana memorial and the food halls. We bought lunch at the food halls and ate in the street. We walked to Hyde Park Corner with all its Wellington-related stuff, Green Park, and Buckingham Palace. St. James's Park connected us to Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, Downing Street, Banqueting House, and the Horse Guards. We ended the touring part of the day at the Churchill War Rooms, finishing just in time to dash by Tube to meet Matt and Kim for dinner at the Mitre on Hollad Park Road. We had a fun mini-Boynton reunion and afterward, on the way home, stopped at Waitrose and Tesco to restock our goodies supply: imperative!

Early morning on Queensway headed to meet the Montezes

The Orangery at Kensington Palace

The sunken garden never disappoints 

At Kensington Palace but hat (hatless, as in
"Ilkley Moor Baht 'at")

Doggy drinking fountain

Headed up the Flower Walk

On pause at the Albret Meorial

The Diana Fountain

Fabulous Fakes at the V&A

The Victoria and Albert Museum

Lovely, Catholic Brompton Oratory

Art Nouveau Harrods Food Halls

The fruits du mer are always intriguing

Harrods for lunch

Posh alfresco dining

"Buckingham Palace," says Alice

Rest where you can

Buckingham Palace from St. James's Park

Joyful

Stolen shot of Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey cloister

Inigo Jones' Banqueting House with bean bags

That's James I being taken into heaven -- how does that work?

From Horse Guards to the War Rooms

Churchill War Rooms

Pub dinner with the Boyntons of Marlpit Hill

Brigham liked his cousins

A lovely evening

The fun just keeps going, and on schedule, too. God bless the itinerary.

OXO

D.