In Royal Footsteps-southern England and the long way home.

[drron]

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[drron]

The Royal bedroom.
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Now back down the main staircase.
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[drron]

The gift room.
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Next the Durbar Hall with lots of pictures of India and Indians.She obviously was very in to all things Indian.This predated her being made Empress of India.
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Including this one of Karim,a muslim,one of 2 she engaged 6 months after being proclaimed Empress of India.Karim became a permanent fixture for the rest of her reign teaching her Urdu.He was sent back to India after her death with a pension.
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[love_the_life]

Fascinating place drron. Loving the photos,

 

[drron]

And if you think it has been over the top already we now enter the main dining room.
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[drron]

Some of the trinkets.
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[drron]

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And finally we leave the house.

 

[drron]

The restaurant was set up for a wedding.
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You could eat outside but we all felt that a drink was all we needed.Mrsdrron and I went for something refreshing.The others couldn't kick their caffeine habit.
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So if Victoria and Albert were alive today they both would have recently celebrated their 200th birthday.Both born on 24/5/1819.
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[drron]

More wisteria.
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[drron]

We now set out to walk to the Swiss House built by Albert for the children.
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And this was the skylight for the ice house dug into the bank.Would make a jolly good wine cellar I would think.
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A raptor overhead.And typical English paths.
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[drron]

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[drron]

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Nice view from the dining room.
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[drron]

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Even a scale model grocers.
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And the boy's fort.Wouldn't get away with it today.
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They even had a mini zoo.
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[drron]

But there is more.The kids had their own museum.
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[AisleSeat]

Just catching up. My parents stayed in the Albert Cottage back in April, they enjoyed it.

 

[drron]

Rooflyer will be pleased that they learnt about rocks.
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That wolf was shot in the Ardennes.
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[drron]

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Then we set off for the beach.
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[drron]

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Some wildflowers.Was trying to snap a butterfly but he was too quick.
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Then back to the apartment for a light lunch.

 

[drron]

After lunch a rest until the maddening crowd had left and then another walk to the walled garden.Though some wildlife first.
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We were all wondering what the very large pine trees were that were the scond line of trees lining the driveway.Then one had a plaque.
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Cedars of Lebanon.
The Royals were at the forefront of another trend in English Gardens.
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Apparently the giant redwood was first planted in England in 1847.
A tree looking a little precarious.
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Then into the garden with a good collection of fruit trees.
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[drron]

They harboured more life.
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Notice the grubs in the last pic.But spring was in the air.Hundreds of them doing this.
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