Horse Drawn Carriage

A wee bit of traditional pomp and ceremony for my guests.  The horse drawn carriage did a couple of trips up and down the Mall.  Perhaps in preparation for the Trooping of the Colours next month.

Backdoor

It appears to be an ordinary house, so why all the barbed wire around it?  The other side of the fence is the grounds of Buckingham Palace.  I guess the ordinary house is actually a guards house or something similar.  The grounds are usually off limits to the public, however when the Queen is away during summer (August and September) and the palace is open to the public, visitors also have access to part of the garden and can buy an ice-cream made especially for the occasion.

Queen at Home

Flag is flying which indicates the Queen is in residence.

Skywatch Friday - Birthday Flyover

The Queen's official birthday celebrations were held last Saturday. After the official parade, the trooping of the colours, the royal party return to Buckingham Palace and greet the crowds from the balcony. This is followed by a flyover by the RAF, 29 planes in all in various formations. The last being the pictured red arrows.

Visit other skywatchers around the globe.

Skywatch Friday - Free to All

Those of you who follow my blog will know that London has been in full protest mode. After the weeks of build up, media saturation, and total over reaction. Not to mention, what decisions will really actually be made!!! Anyway ... some of you asked if I could take a picture of President Obama while he was here. So I parked myself (on more than one occasion) near, next to, in the vicinity of the places he was due to visit and I even climbed a tree at one point!!. Well Buck Palace (do you like that? Buck Palace. I have been here long enough to start using local language) was unachievable. Anyway back to the request. Too hard! sorry. Part of the security plans is the last minute departure from the advertised routes, and arriving at different times and different entrances. So, I am offering a view of the Mall (pronounced "Mal") when they might or might not have been taking this route on their way to the big meeting with HRH the Queen.

Bonus is ... this photo is free in full size to anyone who requests it. Just email me.

Nice sky though. All skywatchers here cos it's Friday