British Isles Friday

Joy's Book Blog is hosting this weekly meme.

October 2009 - London England

I had extra vacation time that year and decided to go and see my niece who was living in Birmingham. My BFF decided to come with me, her first time in England. What a blast we had. We started out in London and my niece came down to visit before we all went up to Birmingham.

We were walking down Pall Mall and noticed a crowd starting to gather. Peeking through the fence...

... it seems the Horse Guards Parade was about to take place.

Horse Guards Parade is the setting for various military ceremonies throughout the year including the Trooping the Colour which marks the Queen's official birthday. At the heart of Whitehall, it was the traditional entrance to the Royal Palaces and is still guarded by mounted sentries from the Queen's Household Cavalry. Changing the Guard takes place here every morning - 11am Monday to Saturday and 10am on Sundays - and lasts 30 minutes. It is at this time that twelve mounted troops in traditional costume arrive from their Hyde Park Barracks. At the Guard Changing ceremony, the Old Guard forms up on the north side of theHorse Guards Parade enclosure and the New Guard on the south side.

Here is a link to a great website Changing the Guard, different than the Horse Guards parade.

We had a sunny warm autumn morning! Once you pass through the arches there are police who guide you to a viewing location.