» Listings for August 2013

1. Ride Burlington Arcade's Magic Carpet

   Posted on 10:45pm Wednesday 28th Aug 2013

    

    Burlington Arcade from the Burlington Gardens entrance - Note on the right hand side the Beadle wearing a top hat

   One of the pleasures of visiting London is constantly discovering new unexpected things. This week Julie Chandler and I met up to visit the Richard Rogers Inside Out exhibition at the Royal Academy. We were directed at the ticket desk to walk through Burlington Arcade to get to the exhibition hall. As we're both Westminster Guides we're very familar with the Arcade but we were delighted to discover that a new carpet been fitted with a rather unique and interesting design.

2. The Secrets of Twinings Tea Shop

   Posted on 9:00am Tuesday 20th Aug 2013

   The charming entrance 

   Twinings tea shop is tucked away on the Strand directly opposite the imposing Royal Courts of Justice. The shop frontage is only as wide as its doorway and reputedly the smallest shop front in London. Above the door are statues of a golden lion and two Chinamen, a reminder of the origins of tea.

3. What is the Curiously Named Punishment Parade?

   Posted on 9:00am Tuesday 13th Aug 2013

    The Blues and Royals at the Dismounting Ceremony -  recognisable in their blue tunics and red plumed helmets

   The Changing of the Guards ceremony is one of great displays of British pageantry. However it’s extremely popular, so why not avoid the crowds and as an alternative check out the lesser known but equally photogentic Punishment Parade? 

   The Dismounting Ceremony, to give it its official title, takes place daily at 4pm within the courtyard of Horse Guards. The tradition dates back to 1894 when it is said that Queen Victoria arrived one day without warning to find that her guards had failed to turn out when her carriage went passed, as they were drinking and gambling in the middle of the afternoon instead of guarding her palace.  She then gave orders that the guards should be inspected daily for the next one hundred years. The tradition continues to this day although the timescale for this has passed.

   There are two monuted guards at the entrance to Horse Guards every day from 10am to 4pm. The guards on duty belong to either the Lifeguards or the Blues and Royals, two of the most senior regiments in the British Army which make up the Household Cavalry.

4. Exploring the RAF Museum London

   Posted on 9:30am Sunday 4th Aug 2013

    Blériot XI in the Milestones of Flight Gallery - named after Louis Blériot, the first person to cross the English Channel in an aeroplane

   Although I have often travelled past it I had to admit that until recently I had never visited the RAF Museum in Hendon. The first thing that hit me when I arrived was the sheer scale of the place, it is massive housing over 100 aircraft housed within five galleries. The display is impressive and varied, there really is something for everyone and you don't need to be an enthusiast to spend a few enjoyable hours there.