The Queen reunited with ...........

[hatusu]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... -Bear.html

This is the only newspaper article that's made me cry............

[Who2]

Nice to hear they are using Westminster Hall for the laying in of state.

I once met an MP who had an office and the bottom of the steps on the left.



A huge empty old vast chamber, I said "blimey a great party space" He laughed...
Little did I know then of its history...and it's written in stone on it's floor...
It's like an huge upside down ship..'which it is!

I worry about the guest list, in King Richard the Lionheart's days, it was 3000 max.
Probably King Charles' coronation will use Westminster Abbey. max capacity 3,300..

I've suggested to our market brewery to invest in some 8-10% coronation celebratory beer.
They have a few months yet...It's owned by that 'pop singer 'I'm gonna give you up' Rick something or other...

The beer idea is taking shape and "God Save the King ! he's been a,long time acoming....

There's going to be a huge influx of people to Londinium next week I reckon..

Ps: I hear it could be a 30 hour queue to pass her by whilst lying in state....

[hatusu]

I am SO worried as I fly (hopefully!) on the day of the Queens funeral. Luckily I've had my hotel room for the night before booked for some time, ditto my train ticket, but worried now about getting to the hotel,and the day after getting from the hotel to the airport as they don't have a shuttle bus. I'm always worried at the best of times, and unfortunately I seem to be travelling at the worst of times.

[HEPZIBAH]

I am SO worried as I fly (hopefully!) on the day of the Queens funeral. Luckily I've had my hotel room for the night before booked for some time, ditto my train ticket, but worried now about getting to the hotel,and the day after getting from the hotel to the airport as they don't have a shuttle bus. I'm always worried at the best of times, and unfortunately I seem to be travelling at the worst of times.

I can understand your concerns. The older I get I too have more pre-travel angst. I can only suggest that you allow much more than ample time for your taxi arrangements. Far better to be sat at the airport a couple of hours too early than arriving two hours too late because a taxi didn't arrive on time to pick you up.

[Who2]

It's good to see the mourners upon entering Westminster Hall,

You can just observe the very well hidden additions for the TV cameras ect.
When you look up 'It still amazes me 'an upside down ship..


And pretty lucky it's refurbishment was completed in time.



Here is an unusual view during it's refurb.





And an additional useless piece of information...

4. "Not only did the Hall survive the fire that destroyed the rest of the old Palace of Westminster in 1834, it also survived a German bomb in 1941. The Commons Chamber and Westminster Hall were both hit, but thanks to a Scottish ex-cabinet minister living nearby, the Hall was saved. Walter Elliot saw the bomb hit and rushed to Parliament where he directed the firemen to leave the Commons and save the ancient hall, personally taking an axe to the locked doors of Westminster Hall to let the fire hoses in!

Fascinating !........."I wonder if Walter received a commendation ?..........

Ps: Simona and I watched the procession for hours yesterday her shouting 'shut up I'm listening!
It's difficult explaining to a freed ex commie daughter about all the different uniforms and titles.

Pss: She is somewhere in the queue today...'probably sarf of the thames...

P*ss: I was once 'turfed out of Harrods toy department on a Sunday, as Charles our now King, was coming to play.
It was 1958. my uncle was MD.

[Teddyboy]

Is it actually a ship, Dear Doctor?

I had occasion to lodge on a farm near the Capitol (Beaconsfield, was it?) for a week or two. The lady farmer was a lovely big and jolly girl who delighted in showing me and my marras around her strange buildings. One of her barns was an upturned (Elizabethan, I think) sailing ship, which had travelled to America carrying some of the 'founding fathers'. I had no reason to disbelieve her, especially as she guarded it so very jealously, we certainly weren't allowed to smoke anywhere near it!

Maybe David Copperfield's friends, the Peggotty's, in Yarmouth weren't all that strange after all?

[HEPZIBAH]

Ship builders were, I understand, often used in forming the wooden frameworks of many types of buildings.
Just wish I could remember where I read about it.