Parliament & Monarchy

On Nick's last day here, we had a wonderful day in London. We took a tour of Buckingham Palace, which was spectacular! The rooms are opulently furnished, and the art and architecture are remarkable. This year they decked out the ballroom as it would look for a royal banquet, and it was absolutely amazing! The following photo is the back of the Palace, taken from the garden.

We also happened to witness part of the famous changing of the guard ceremony. The guards marched and played band instruments, and it was exciting. Throngs of people were on hand to watch.

After Buckingham Palace we also had the chance to tour the Palace of Westminster (not to be confused with Westminster Abbey or Westminster Cathedral). The Palace is more commonly known as the Houses of Parliament, and the famous Big Ben clock tower is attached to the building. We learned a lot about the Constitutional Monarchy here in the UK, and it was incredible to be in those rooms we see so often on TV (especially the House of Commons). We had an amazing tour guide and learned a lot, but the architecture of the building was just incredible on its own!

Nick left Thursday, and arrived safely in Fairbanks early Friday morning; hopefully he had a good time while he was here. I'm going to miss him!

Jacob is doing well, but he's ready to come home. We're hoping he'll be home within the next week, maybe a little more. Here's a photo he sent; I hope you enjoy it.