Happy birthday to me!!!

We arrived in London safely yesterday after a great night in Grantham, England, at Allington Manor.  After turning the rental car in, we hopped on the train to London and were able to get a good walk in before dinner and before we turned in for the night.

This morning we slept in and got up around 10.  We got coffee and a pastry near our room in the Lambeth area of London and then headed across the Thames toward Buckingham Palace.  The crowds were already building and at times you could barely navigate.  Some of the famous scenes that you see on TV and postcards are kind of marred by the massive amount of television equipment, cameras, trucks and people that have surrounded the Palace.  Just amazing!  I managed to capture a few pics today as we made our way from Buckingham Palace to The National Gallery and then on to the Tate Museum.

Beautiful tulips in St. James's Park

Policemen on horseback

This flag means the Queen is in the house!!!!

Buckingham Palace

The green structures are television grandstands across from Palace

Ian trying to get my attention in front of the Palace

Changing Guards!

Gates with the Royal Crest

Press boxes in front of the Palace!

This the Mall with Buckingham Palace in the distance.
Royal procession will head directly down this path.

Now that's a ship in a bottle!

The National Gallery

The Wellington is where we ate lunch.

All in all we had a great day and the weather couldn't have been more beautiful.  We are going to get up really early in the morning and try and get a good viewing spot.  Hope to post the best pics of all tomorrow night.  

Cheers!