Guest Room Debut

I'm always encouraging friends and family to come visit us in England, but I seldom have any takers. I attribute that to the cost of getting here. Plus some folks just don't like long haul international flights. Fortunately, all three of our guest rooms got some use recently with a visit from my mother, hometown friend and her mom. 

Everyone arrived on Saturday, April 2, from Texas and Holland. My friend is a long term expat in Holland, so I'd almost consider her local if she didn't live on the other side of the English Channel. We kicked off the Mamarazzi Tour with lunch at The Anchor pub in Pyrford that sits along a canal. Long boats coasted lazily past us. Dogs were game for some exercise with their owners along the canal path in a typical spring mix of sun as well as clouds that spit out some sprinkles.

It wouldn't be a full on pub meal without fish and chips, so these two obliged with the traditional favourite. Everyone got settled for the week and we kicked off our touring the next day at Kensington Palace. Since no pics were allowed in the interior, and the exterior was underwhelming, I've got nothing to share. 

We were impressed with the Whole Foods Market we passed on the way from the tube station to Hyde Park when we dashed in to let the moms use the toilets. The highlight at Kensington for the moms was the temporary exhibit of dresses worn through the years by Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret and Princess Diana. It was an interesting contrast to an original mourning dress worn by Queen Victoria in her later years on exhibit. The widow's weeds were quite voluminous and not at all flattering, even when worn by royalty. Brown stitching on black fabric is beyond blah.