Oh, mumsie. Would you be a dear and arrange a coach to Windsor. Cheers. Mmmmmmyeeesssss

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Two trains, a bus and an hour away is Windsor Castle. Quite impressive. Its a really big place. I mean I knew it was a castle but this place is huge. We arrived just down the hill from where the castle was, by way of bus. The bus came to a stop and most of the people got off. This usually means that is the popular site. Did we get off? Nah. All those people must be wrong. We thought, maybe there is another stop that is closer. Of course there wasn't and we found this out when the bus went around the block and started heading back the way we had come. So we got off at the next stop, which was further away from the castle. All par for the course.

Windsor is the largest and oldest castle used by any royal family in the world. Huge tourist site. Of course. So I paid my 13 pounds, got a map and an audio tour. It's just this thing that looks like a long tv remote control. So you punch in which ever number is posted in the area you are, and listen to the recording of the tourguide. So everyone is walking from room to room with these gizmos next to their heads and looking around. Kinda felt like L.A., the way everone is on their cell phones all the time. (Lee)

Inside they dont let you take any photos or videos. I still was looking for an opportunity to break the rules, of course, but there was security everywhere. So no pics of the inside. Sorry. But let me tell you. There is a dollhouse in there. Queen Mary's dollhouse, that is an exact replica of part of the castle. Its rediculous. It even has miniature crown jewels, working electric, and plumbing systems with real marble tile. Barbie's got nothing on the royals. In another room was some of Leonardo Da Vinci's original drawings; very impressive. Wait just a minute, I thought he was Italian. What the hell. The English steal the best stuff. They must just love celebrating flamboyantly gay intellectuals. Elton John is a knight after all. Righton! I wonder is there are pictures of Ziegfeld and Roy in the White House? I digress. Back to the castle. It rocked.

Good way to spend the afternoon. Sunny day too, so we got some Ben'n Jerrys after the tour and headed home. Went back down the hill to the stop that we should have gotten off at. If the bus came here earlier, then it serves to reason that it will return here later. Right Damon? Not necessarily. Turns out, bus 77 will pick you up right by the castle. Cool. Oh wait, that is back up the hill. No problem. Met some other Americans that were more confused than us. They recognized us from the bus that dropped all of us off earlier, and asked where they should go. So we said, "Follow us, we're used to being lost." Plus they didn't speak British. Damn foreigners. Found our bus stop and helped them on their way to Heathrow. Did my good deed for the day.

Who wants some UK stats? Ya, you thought I didn't have any huh. Well let me tell you something. I have a crack team of statisticians hard at work compiling and manipulating miniscule miscellaneous micro-facts for your meandering.
Moving on...
(All stats are to date. 5th of April, 2006)
Days in U.K. 40
Warm days in YU.K. 4(but only for a few hours in the afternoon)
Fish n' Chip meals eaten. 3
Trips into London. 4
Trips into London, without a ticket. 1
Words I had to look up for this blog. 1 (statisticians)
How many of you said it right the first time? Im guessing 0
(that's including myself) If you did, you're too smart to
to be my friend.
Buses taken. 7
Cabs taken. 3
Rides in London's Underground. too many
Cafe's we got thrown out of. 1
Movies rented from library. 6
Movies seen at theater. 3
Nights we went out BIG. 7 and counting...
People from Spain I've met that tell me my Spanish has a
strange accent. 3
People I've met who ask me what the fu_k I'm doing over here
once I tell them I'm from Southern California. everyone
Places we are planning to get to. everywhere
Number of Guinness hats I have earned.* 1 (see picture below)

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Photos

LOOK MUM A CASTLE!
If you dont stop Im going to tun this bus around, right now.

Blue House
There goes the neighborhood.

Halt! Who goes there?
We are the knights who say 'Neet'.

Anyone home?
By the power of GreySkull!

Castle Tower
I wonder if there is a hot chic locked away up there?

Katie looks happy
Stop mess'n around. This is serious tourist stuff.

Castle Gardens
What's a castle without gardens? Just a bunch of stones and armored suits, that's what.

Castle Courtyard
I guess that's where they used to hang people. :@

Buttresses
They even have their own church on the castle grounds. That's God bling. Boooooeeeeeey!

Churchface
Church is closed. God has left the building.

Brickwood Architecture
How do you think they get the wood to bend like that? he he
I said 'wood'.

Had to...
I know you love the selfportraits, so I threw one in for ya. Cali, reprezent'n.

*St Patty's Day Aftermath
If you drank 4 pints of Guinness you got a free hat. Unfortunately, I found this out WELL into the evening. I was obviously up for the challenge.

Comments

[IKE]

So Kevin and i are wondering......will you give us a picture of what we want to see? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rock]

Shut it!!!!!!!!
ROBERT (Ikaika) (Ika), No Marcus is not going to give you the picture you want. I will give you a picture of my BELLY. HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE

[anonymous]

MMMMM what a great tour! How did you feel after St. Patrick's day? Aunite Linda

[arnie]

to much of a good thing
gilbert to much brown beer will make you wear silly hats and other peoples underware be careful have fun Arnie