Windsor and Imperial War Museum

On Saturday some of us went to Windsor Castle and Eton. Windsor is the oldest royal residence and Eton is a college famously attended by Prince Harry. Both were a lot of fun. We took the train there and got there early enough to beat some of the crowds. It is an audio guided tour and I think their goal was to talk through the entire thing. You start by walking up this hill and Charles welcomes you and I know this is close to blasphemy, but he such a bore. However, he did tell us that when the Queen's colors would be flying when she was there...and they were! We saw Mary's royal dollhouse. It is a dollhouse that has running plumbing, a working vacuum cleaner, and miniature crown jewels. Then in the royal apartments we got to see each of the monarchs' taste and how it effected the decor. Also there was a giant gold tiger head from a palace in Mysore, where I went last year when I was in India. Oh imperialism. We did a lot more, like buying a postcard picture of the complete royal family, like cousins and all. It is very awkward though because half of the group is looking at a different camera. I wonder who will be sent that coveted find? We then walked over the bridge and went to Eton school. I have to say it isn't as pretty as Oxford's schools, but it was cool to see where Harry and William studied. 

The next day we went to the Tate art museum and the Imperial War Museum. The war museum was wonderful. It had so much that Katie and I didn't see half of it and when talking to others everyone saw such different things. We mostly concentrated on WWI and II. It was pretty similar to American museums on the matter, but the English made such sacrifices. There was a section about children that was very moving. Two days before war was declared starting WWII a million children were evacuated from the cities and moved to the countryside. For some children this improved their lives immensely, as they were inner city working class kids that were being brought to the countryside manor estates. Still, other children were forced to move into homes that were almost primitive, with no electricity or running water. The stories of the families reuniting were heartbreaking, many families did not recognize each other six years later and then many families were gone. The sacrifices we do not think about that England and the continent made are astounding. They were bombed for 57 days straight, they could buy one new outfit a year, they were rationed like in the states but much harsher, and the threat was right there at their front door. One of the coolest things we saw though was a carrier pigeon. In WWI when trench warfare was the norm the set up would be allied trench, no man's land, central powers trench, then the civilians of occupied France. Well the allied troops would fly over the french homes and drop pigeons out of the planes that came in little pouch like thing with room for their feet to move and then a tiny little parachute. Attached to their foot would be a message asking the french civilians to write down the coordinates of the central powers' troops. Then they would send the pigeons back to the allies. It was weird, but so cool. 

This weekend was very English. We got to see their history from the Medieval period all the way up to their contribution to the War in Afghanistan and Iraq, from monarch to soldier. It was fascinating seeing the change in culture, power, and people, but the love of one's country and dedication to the cause (knights, soldiers, work force) has never lacked.