The Professor's Wife: Trooping the Colours

Warning: this post contains pictures from two different cameras so it is a bit confusing...even or especially for me.

Wellington Arch

Walking past Buckingham Palace

St James Park with the London Eye in the background

Everywhere there was a visible presence of the police force. There was a group of four police officers outside the barracks.with one of them carrying an automatic weapon.

Catching the House Guards leaving their quarters. They marched with their marching bands in front of Buckingham Palace, down the mall and to the Parade Grounds where the Queen reviewed the troops. There were actually three different regiments each with its own band. One was the Irish Guard with a blue mark on their enormous hats. Prince William was wearing the Irish Guard uniform because it was being honoured. The "u" is so important.

Note the red plume in the uniform hats.

If you look closely you can see the blue in these soldiers' hats. Obviously I need to google it and find out what the hat is really called.

The mascot of the Royal Irish Regiment

The Royal Irish Regiment's Mascot, Brian Boru | Royal Irish - Virtual ...

https://www.royal-irish.com/stories/the-royal-irish-regiments-mascot-brian-boru

The Royal Irish Regiment's Mascot, Brian Boru. Shortly after the 2nd Battalion The Royal Irish Rangers returned from Gibraltar to Watchet in 1971, Major Alistair Hayes, to mark his retirement, presented the battalion with an Irish wolfhound. The dog was named Brian Boru after the High King of Ireland.

Royal Irish Regiment chooses new mascot | Shropshire Star

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2011/.../royal-irish-regiment-chooses-new-masc...

13 Mar 2011 - Royal Irish Regiment chooses new mascot ... At just nine weeks old, Finn the Irish wolfhound has become Brian Boru IX and like his ...

Image result for mascot of the royal irish regiment finn

Finn is new mascot for Royal Irish Regiment - Dog World

www.dogworld.co.uk/product.php/.../finn_is_new_mascot_for_royal_irish_regiment

Finn is new mascot for Royal Irish Regiment. A 12-WEEK-old Irish Wolfhound has become the Royal Irish Regiment's new mascot. At just 12 weeks old, Driftcot Chasing Liberty (Finn) will shortly become the star at the regiment's homecoming parades.

My view of the proceedings on the Parade Grounds of the Home Guard. Dad could see over heads and got some amazing pictures. I went and sat on a bench and chatted with a man/tourist carrying a cane. Dad said that it was very moving to see the ceremony unfold.

We were standing looking towards the parade ground of the House Guard just behind where the Canadian flag was flying at half mast.

These soldiers of Royal House Guard Brigade are the same ones who were guarding the streets of London just a few days ago. They were assigned to duty to ease the demands on the Metropolitan police following the recent terrorist attach in London.

Canons for the 41 gun salute that will be given later in Green Park.

The working dogs in the crowd are experts in sniffing out explosives.

The Duke of York Column

I assume this is the Duke of York of children's songs and nursery rhyme.

Oh, the grand old Duke of York,

He had ten thousand men,

Image result for location of equestrian statue of edward vii london

I tried to find this building online somewhere but had no success. The gold statue was impressive.

Crimean War Monument

Florence Nightingale

Caught on the tube. I am looking up at the map on the other side of the car.

Paddington Station

Our favorite Fish and Chips shop. An extra serving of chips.

Salt and pepper in London remain a mystery. The pepper is in the shaker with lots of holes. The salt is the one with only one hole. This is not just this restaurant. It is like this everywhere. The pepper and salt are both as fine as fine as powdered sugar. And almost impossible to see when you shake it onto your food.

A reminder not to turn on the hot water tap. It was still leaking in the pipe under the sink if the tap was turned on.

Some surprise and uninvited visitors on our balcony.

The tea cakes

People swimming at the Lido. On the Serpentine. As you can see, there is a roped off area for swimmers and the "pool" is open at certain times. It was so warm this week in London, but these are the first swimmers we have seen.