Page 94 - Cork & Tee Sample Program Flipbook, 2018

Day 8: Royal & Parliamentary London. This morning, rejoin Sue to experience some of the
city’s most iconic sights, focused on the West End of London, specifically the City of
Westminster. The term “West End” came into fashion in the early eighteenth century to denote
upscale districts that were established to the west of the City London, primarily because this area
was upwind of the smoke that emanated from the crowded old city.

You will visit Westminster Abbey, which is steeped in more than 1000 years of history. The
mainly gothic church (much of the current
structure dates to the thirteenth through
sixteenth centuries) has been the site of
the coronation of virtually every English
monarch since William the Conqueror in
1066. Next, experience the ultimate in
British pomp — the Changing of the Foot
Guard. The place not to view this
ceremony is at Buckingham Palace, due
to the huge crowds (and the large gates).
Our guides tend to start this experience by
watching the foot guards depart St
James's Palace, allowing for an up-close view of the soldiers and the band. Then, walk with
Themis through St. James’s Park to the Wellington Barracks where you can see the new guards
preparing for duty. Another option is to view the Changing of the Horse Guard. The Horse
Guard stands watch directly across from
Banqueting House and doesn’t draw the crowds
the Buckingham Palace event does.

During your walk, you will pass by a sculpture
commemorating the courage and resilience of
British women who served their country during
the Second World War. The bronze monument
was dedicated to those "so capable in so many
unexpected ways" by Baroness Boothroyd,
patron of the Women of World War II trust.
Finish the guided tour at the National Portrait
Gallery, located adjacent to the National Gallery on St. Martin’s Place, just off Trafalgar Square.
The museum showcases important figures in British history and is very much a lesson in British
history. Admission is complimentary. Let us know if we can reserve a table at the rooftop
Portrait restaurant for lunch.
In the afternoon, the gents might enjoy a visit to the Royal Airforce Museum (30-min taxi ride
outside of London). Opened in 1972 by Her Majesty the Queen, the museum houses an amazing

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