A Fine Day for a Royal Wedding

We got on the train in Dartford with few people. As the train made its stops, however, more and more fancy-dressed celebrators joined us. Girls in tiaras, ladies in pageant-worthy hats and dresses, and men in suits, adorned with top hats, canes, and pipes. These men had been entertaining us for some time, so I just had to take their picture.

"You guys going to a party today?"
"Nope...we're just going to hang out in a park and enjoy the day."

Ah England...the advent of pomp and circumstance. It was destined to be a good day.



We walked from Charing Cross to Trafalgar Square: it was closed. So we kept walking along Piccadilly Street to learn that St. James' Park as well as Green Park were both closed (full up with people, to be more accurate), so we finally rested in Hyde Park. What a sight to see...the whole city was buzzing with pre-wedding jitters.



An entrance to Green Park, completely swarmed with people trying to get a glimpse inside.



We arrived at Hyde Park just as Prince William declared, "I will". The crowd went wild and then this happened. This is the moment when Prince William slid the ring onto Kate's finger...swoon...

LOVING life...

Three ecstatic Canadians in a park (with a plain old Ferris wheel behind us)...



I had turned around, saw the Ferris wheel, and said to my friends, "And isn't it so perfect that the London Eye is there in the background, opposite all this magic?"

They promptly turned around, examined the structure...

...turned back and said, "That's a plain old Ferris wheel, Alexis, not the London Eye." Then proceeded to laugh at me.

Funnier still was the fact that these guys

heard everything and had quite a chuckle at me.

Not to worry though...they later helped me identify Jerusalem, one of England's national anthems. Nicely done.

Here are some locals doing it up right with party hats, Pimm's (in which we indulged quite a bit later with lemonade), waistcoats, and picnics. Gotta love the English...

Love was definitely in the air in Hyde Park

The Queen, as she left Westminster Abbey. Check out the creepy William and Kate masks looking out at us!



My friends were clearly loving the souvenir scarves sold outside all the parks. Go Team Kate!



At about 1:30 pm, the Prince and Princess stepped out onto the balcony at Buckingham Palace to greet their country. It was seconds later that they kissed.



Planes flying overhead (this promised to be a "crowd pleaser" and though I was a bit skeptical, it was a pretty amazing thing to witness. Those planes were OLD and flying in perfect formation. I'll take it!)



Adorable inscription...so English. It reads, "Metropolitan Drinking Fountain & Cattle Trough Association." Of course it does.

This is the Goring Hotel where Kate and her family spent the night on April 28 and got ready on the day of the wedding. Absolutely no one was allowed down these streets, even hours after the wedding was finished.

Hours after the kiss, Buckingham Palace was completely accessible. We walked up to the gates where guards and police officers had been posted since 4am that day. They were exhausted, but not at all snippy. They had done a remarkable job of keeping crowds at bay, everyone calm, and the morale quite high. It was a joyful day and I thought they did a remarkable job of keeping the peace.

The famed balcony where Prince Charles kissed his Diana and nearly 30 years later, we watched with baited breath as Prince William kissed Kate. What a sight.

The ever-pristine grounds of Buckingham Palace were a bit marred (if you ask me) with press boxes and set-ups so cameras could see everything and broadcast it. Since I too watched on a live screen, I should be so grateful to see this set-up, but it certainly didn't look as nice as it normally does.



Presumably staff on the balcony, teasing us into thinking there would be more Princess to see.





Press boxes set up to the right of Buckingham Palace. Groan.



One last glimpse (alright, several last glimpses) at the Palace.

We stopped for a quick rest along the Mall and this group of royal horses marched by. Super cool.

Looking back across St. James' Park, we caught a glimpse of the real London Eye. Silly tourist ;)

Churchill's War Rooms...apparently I have to make time to see these (no idea what they are):



We walked along the edge of St. James' Park, our last Royal Park of the day. What a gorgeous day for a gorgeous occasion...

We got back on the train, feet throbbing, heads full of the kind of pageantry that little girls' dreams are made of. What a magical day.