Hampton Court Palace
We went to Hampton Court Palace the other week when the sun started shining. We caught the tube and then the rail to Hampton Court to visit Henry VIII's palace situated on the long and winding Thames (Henry the Eighth was the one famous for having six wives - but not at the same time!).
(A clever device used to give the impression that there are actually two palaces here...)
Hampton Court Palace was very cool (they have tour guides dressed and acting like they were members of the court), but we have seen much nicer and grandiose palaces. Even cooler was that they had a young Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf, Magneto) in a video documentary about the place on the tour, and the fact that we also had 2-4-1 entry by virtue of getting there by train.
Entrance to the Palace
Henry VIII welcoming visitors
The Astronomical Clock at Hampton Court Palace - I still have no idea how to read these things, but they do look cool.
To the gardens! And the Maze!!
We also walked through the lovely gardens and checked out the Royal Tennis Court (which is vastly different to the tennis both you and I are familiar with - lots of lines and sort of similar to squash in that the ball can rebound from the walls). Sorry we don't have any photos of the interior of the Palace or anything, we simply forgot to take photos inside, and there were some places inside where you weren't allowed to or else the ghost of one of Henry's wives would get ya. She was one of the later ones who was quite young and who was also a bit 'popular' with the boys and evetually got caught out by Hank, who then made quick with the "off with her head".
More gardens!
They even have a garden show event (the Hampton Court Palace Garden Show) here, which we were slightly too early for...
We did the 'world-famous', oldest-and-one-of-the-largest-in-the-world (as measured by Guinness) Hedge Maze with glee (it didn't take us very long, and no we didn't cheat by going around with one hand on the wall - we had to dodge those F$"&*^$*! English schoolkids).
A map of Hampton Court Palace, in case you get lost in the Hedge Maze
We did it!!! And the lady at the centre gave us a sticker each congratulate us and also a pack of souvenir playing cards. I love free stuff :)
Funnily enough, despite the interesting architecture, fascinating history, artworks, gardens, and all the rest of it, it seems to be a place for kids.
Us: "We did Hampton Court Palace today, it was pretty cool."
New British housemates: "Oh really, I remember going there... when I was about 10."
(A clever device used to give the impression that there are actually two palaces here...)Hampton Court Palace was very cool (they have tour guides dressed and acting like they were members of the court), but we have seen much nicer and grandiose palaces. Even cooler was that they had a young Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf, Magneto) in a video documentary about the place on the tour, and the fact that we also had 2-4-1 entry by virtue of getting there by train.
Entrance to the Palace
Henry VIII welcoming visitors
The Astronomical Clock at Hampton Court Palace - I still have no idea how to read these things, but they do look cool.
To the gardens! And the Maze!!
We also walked through the lovely gardens and checked out the Royal Tennis Court (which is vastly different to the tennis both you and I are familiar with - lots of lines and sort of similar to squash in that the ball can rebound from the walls). Sorry we don't have any photos of the interior of the Palace or anything, we simply forgot to take photos inside, and there were some places inside where you weren't allowed to or else the ghost of one of Henry's wives would get ya. She was one of the later ones who was quite young and who was also a bit 'popular' with the boys and evetually got caught out by Hank, who then made quick with the "off with her head".
More gardens!
They even have a garden show event (the Hampton Court Palace Garden Show) here, which we were slightly too early for...
We did the 'world-famous', oldest-and-one-of-the-largest-in-the-world (as measured by Guinness) Hedge Maze with glee (it didn't take us very long, and no we didn't cheat by going around with one hand on the wall - we had to dodge those F$"&*^$*! English schoolkids).
A map of Hampton Court Palace, in case you get lost in the Hedge Maze
We did it!!! And the lady at the centre gave us a sticker each congratulate us and also a pack of souvenir playing cards. I love free stuff :)
Funnily enough, despite the interesting architecture, fascinating history, artworks, gardens, and all the rest of it, it seems to be a place for kids.
Us: "We did Hampton Court Palace today, it was pretty cool."
New British housemates: "Oh really, I remember going there... when I was about 10."
posted by DnT Blog Guest at
8:15 PM
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