Henry VIII and Kirsten Dunst

The travelogue continues with a quick stop at Hampton Court and Wimbledon. Both are in the same neck of the woods so we spent the morning at Hampton Court and then the afternoon at Wimbledon.

Hampton Court has always been one of my favorite places. I love all of the chimneys. Evidently after 500 years they need to be rebuilt and so it is going to cost £20,000 each to preserve them! I think are 241. I also really like the kitchen, but I spent more time in other parts of the palace that I've never visited even though I've been there twice before.

They've really stepped things up to encourage tourists and so Henry VIII and Catherine Parr were strolling the halls before a staged wedding ceremony was held downstairs and we caught a glimpse of them. We also were speaking to guide who was so nice and opened up an out-of-the-way door to show us a hidden staircase that Henry used when he stayed there.

I'd like to go sometime without students and spend the whole day there. There is never enough time to see all of the grounds which they spend so much time on. We always have to go see the grapevine that Capability Brown planted that is hundreds of years old. It's some sort of obligatory ceremonial communion that Dad has to experience each time we go.

Wimbeldon was more fun than I anticipated. We had scheduled a guided tour that was to be 2 hours long! Fortunately our guide was excellent. His name was Andy and he is a blue badge guide that does all kinds of stuff in London. He moved things along and was fun and interesting.

The pictures I'm sending are of him telling us how poorly Kirsten Dunst served the ball in the movie when it was being filmed there. He demonstrated how she had about 20 takes until they finally had something they could use. When we went and sat in Court 1 that was really fun because he told us all about the electronic fences they have up to keep the foxes out and then a hawk called Hamish they bring in to scare away the pigeons - especially in that court. He doesn't attack them or anything. They are just afraid of him and so they stay away. Of course, this is the stuff that would interest me since I'm not what you'd call an aficionado.

They are building a roof over Centre Court which is controversial but necessary I guess and they are building a new Court 2 which is good according to some because I guess it is supposed to be jinxed.

We also went in to the BBC desk which is almost sacrosanct but they let Dad and Jess do a little "commentating" while we took photos. Then we went to the press room where the players are interviewed and the girls each got to take a turn sitting there. It was a fun outing because it was different than what we usually do.

The guided tour did last over an hour and then there is a state of the art interactive museum downstairs. (See hologram of John McEnroe.) So, it was a fun day AND the weather cooperated.

love,

mom/Becky