Buckingham & Downing Street

We were rushed from the Tower by our Tour Guide, as we were scheduled to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Unfortunately, a short rainfall cancelled the event, though it could have been staged, with our guide suggesting there had been no rain and no cancellations and a Monday morning was vulnerable to a quick cut. We did see the Palace, though, which was quite close to our hotel, and did see a changing later in the week at Windsor Castle.

Buckingham Palace looked quite splendid in the sun. Despite the necessary security fences, all present were able to see the building and get pictures of the Queen's balcony, the guards on duty, and the gardens around the building.

The same need for security means that Downing Street, where the Prime Minister leaves at the famed #10, is no longer open to tourist traffic. The dead-end street is gated and closed to the public, so this is the best I will get as a view to #10.

Our guide did add an interesting note, hard to comprehend by an American so used to the deadly opposition of the political parties. When Gordon Brown became PM, succeeding Tony Blair, he did NOT move into #10. These men, members of opposing parties, had swapped living addresses long before. It appears that Brown, with a larger family, swapped places with Blair for the convenience of the families. A nice touch of cooperation among opponents that might be lost on an American audience loving the nasty interaction of political enemies.