The Big Picture Window: London: Leaving Hampton Court

June 12, 2013 Hampton Court was so fun, we could have stayed all day. There was so much to see, and so much more to learn.


An interior courtyard.

We spied some really old graffiti. :-) Kinda fun.

Hampton Court has a small cafe where you can eat lunch. We had a discount with our London Pass, and so decided to grab a few morsels before heading to our next destination. We weren't sure where it was, or how to get there, and found a very nice Palace employee, who didn't just tell us where it was, but walked us there. On the way he showed us a few neat little things we might have missed other wise. I love nice people. :-)

This was a beautiful outdoor corridor. I can just imagine Henry VIII walking along here with his robes billowing and his advisors around him, trying to keep up with that long stride.

We turned down another corridor. Look how thick those walls are!

Our impromptu guide showed us this beautiful chapel. He explained that employees of Hampton Court are the only ones allowed to get married in here. But there are services here, and those who live and work nearby can come worship.

We all chose traditional items for lunch. Joseph had a sausage and bread and a Bacon Betty (or something like that). I had ratatouille, and something like a pork roll thing. Of course we had a scone as well.

How did it taste? Kind of bland, but spicy at the same time.

This little kitchen used to be Elizabeth I's private kitchen.

The scone.

After lunch we had enough time to leave through the gardens.

I was obviously missing my wisteria back home! :-)

Did you know that the Hampton Court Palace Maze is the oldest surviving hedge maze, having been built for King William III and Mary II in 1690? The maze covers an area of .5 acres and the paths are a total of .5 miles. So of course, we had to try it...