“A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.” John Steinbeck
If you’re a control freak like I am, this concept frazzles and tingles your mind ever so slightly. I have this set way things should go, and when things go awry, well then there goes my functional ability and blood pressure. God has been teaching me for quite some time that I need to relinquish some of my control, and for those of you learning this same lesson, let me kindly suggest traveling with any group of people.
Being the Stranger
After our first week of classes, it was time for my first trip. A group of us decided to rise early and set out for Windsor and Stonehenge as a day trip. We boarded a train and made the two to three hour journey to Windsor. When we first arrived in Windsor there was some sort of live music festival happening in the square that was very happy. As rushed as everything was, it was nice to just stop and enjoy these ladies and gentlemen perform for what they practiced and prepared. We stopped at a pub for lunch, and to my amusement, the group with which I was dining was pointed out by a group of German travelers. The experience reminds me of what Robert Louis Stevenson said.
“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” Robert Louis Stevenson
The Royal Standard
After finishing lunch, we rounded the corner to my delight to see the Royal Standard flying over Windsor Castle. Since my time in England, I learned that when the Queen is in residence or at a location where the Queen is visiting, if the proprietor requests, the Royal Standard is flown instead of the Union Flag. Interesting fact, the Royal Standard is never flown at half-mast (even after the death of a monarch) because there is always a sovereign on the throne. Of course, we did not actually meet the Queen, but there was something to being in the castle at the same time.
History and Fact Time
It might be helpful, or maybe even interesting, to learn a little about Windsor Castle’s history. I won’t give you a deep look, just an overview. There’s Wikipedia or the Royal website if you’re really curious. 😉 Kidding, but seriously those links really are for Windsor Castle if you want more information. 🙂
Down to business. It was founded by William the Conqueror (1066-1087) at the end of the eleventh century. It’s the oldest royal residence to remain in continuous use. The castle takes up almost 26 acres. Including corridors and staircases, there the upper-ward has 951 rooms (225 bedrooms.) St. George’s Hall hosts state banquets, which has a table that can seat 160 guests.
Dressed to Impress
Before entering the castle, we passed the gardens. The gardens outside were exquisite. The gardeners paid such attention to detail and it made such a difference in the appearance in the overall presentation of the grounds. The first item we saw upon entering the castle was Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House. The Dolls’ House, built in 1924, is not a child’s toy. The architect Sir Edwin Lutyens intended to make an accurate record of an aristocratic London house of the time. The house has running water, electricity, and is filled with thousands of detailed objects, such as a wind-up gramophone with records such as “God Save the King.” The house is a 1/12th scale model of a house. The Dolls’ House was incredibly detailed, unfortunately no photography was allowed. Next we walked through the China Museum, which displayed different ornamented pieces that had been commissioned throughout the years. We walked through the Drawings Gallery, which displayed mostly works from the Royals, but there would be pieces here and there from artists such as Da Vinci. I found Queen Victoria to be quite the talented painter.
A Grand Reception, Indeed
The rest of the tour of the castle consisted of touring rooms of the castle. This is the first castle I had ever visited, so I had no expectations. The rooms were decorated in grand paintings or tapestries. The walls had bold colors with damask print, which I loved because currently I’m obsessed with damask. Even some of the ceilings were covered completely with portrayals of Greek mythology. My favorite room was the Grand Reception Room. The room had gold and white that intricately decorated the walls and ceilings, two chandeliers, and a large window that allowed the sun to light up the gold colors so that the room seemed to sparkle. Windsor is beautiful, historical, and nothing short of impressive. If you’re given the opportunity, you should most definitely spend time seeing this royal residence.
If you’d like to see pictures from our little adventure to Windsor please click here 🙂 Enjoy!
Ozark Artisan 