Our day started like any other...except it started at 4:30 in the morning. We were up by 4:30, left the Mennonite Center by 5:15, and on the tube by 5:30 on its first run into the city. We were not happy, but we knew it was necessary if we wanted to see anything. We got off at the Charing Cross Tube Station and started our search for the best place to set up camp. We didn't have intentions of ended up at "The Mall", but we started walking and that is where we ended up. It was completely lined with people that had spent the night there, so we found some tents that were taking up a lot of space ad camped behind them. Our theory was that when they picked up their tents and condensed we would be 2nd row, maybe even first! Our theory worked. We had a really nice spot and set up our blanket and ate our sugar breakfast while passing the time.
Policed were everywhere. They knew that there could be crazies out there and they were going to take full precautions. To the right is what the mall looked like a little before 6 in the morning. Obviously, the route was closed to traffic, but they did send street cleaners down at least 20 times in the morning. And, like most saw of t.v., Union Jack flags lines the whole route too. These were absolutely massive!
As the time went on we got more and more excited for something to happen. The people behind us also were getting excited and were starting to really pressure us to stand up. We were getting closed in. We were trying to keep our blanket down and stay seating for as long as possible because we knew it would be a while until we sat back down again once we started. June was feeling the pressure and had lots of flags in her face from the kids around us...
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| Harry (and William) on the way to Westminster. |
Speaking of the kids...I had such mixed feeling on this issue. There were heaps of kids trying to stand in front of us. All encouraged by their parents of course. (I secretly thought that is how they were also moving to the front) I had mixed feeling because many of these kids were so rude. I had a little boy pushing me and standing on my feet the entire time. I guess when you wake up so early and these people the hour before, the sympathy just isn't there for me! Plus, they had no idea what was even going on. There was one boy who was very polite. Was very aware of our stuff and in the end we got him up to the front of the fence to see the horse drawn carriages after the wedding.
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Kate and her dad on the way to Westminster Abbey. They
pretty fast on the way there. |
The kids wouldn't have bothered me as much if they weren't waving flags in my face all the time either. Oh, and this one girl- age 13 or 14 thought that she was still young enough to plow her way to the front. We taught her a lesson on rudeness when I told her that the people that she just cut in front of had spent the entire night there in a tent. She didn't stand in front of us, but the message wasn't received when we saw her 5 feet down the fence...
During the ceremony we got to listen to it on the loud speakers. Most people had purchased the program with all of the hymns and reading in it and we were singing along all the way! It was such a festive time and it was obvious that the people around were really feeling like they were a part of it. Abby's updates and pictures on her phone were really helpful too! She would get a new picture of the dress or something going on and we would literally pass around her phone to the people all around us. It was so festive!
By the time that they came back down "The Mall" after the ceremony in the open carriage, Bethany and I had gotten placed on the front row. I think my bribing the people in front of us with the promise of pictures really helped. Because of this, I didn't have the waving flags as an obstacle so I was able to get some good pics. They were still going faster than I would have liked! It was hard not to be swept up in the Disney fairytale-ness of it all. Especially with his uniform and her dress and the carriage they were riding in. Everything was beautiful. The British know how to do this type of thing. You wouldn't get this is America, that's for sure!
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| Prince Harry and some of the kids |
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| Pippa and the rest of the kiddos |
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| The Queen and Prince Phillip |
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| So close, I could count the wrinkles on ol' Queenie's face! |
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| Both sets of parents |
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| Kate Middleton's mum |
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| Eugenie and Beatrice (cousins to the groom)- May I say, her fascinator was the absolute worst one I have ever seen. I think it looks like an octopus is on her head! |
After everyone went by we got a bit of a breather by eating in the park and relaxing for a bit. We had decided that we were not going to try to see the couples first public kiss on the balcony because it was going to be mayhem, but someone we found ourselves there. It was so packed. At one point I was somehow being held up, but not because I was standing on my feet... Our group even got split up and I was starting to feel a bit claustrophobic.
The threat of rain never came, even though we were prepared for it. I was glad that I got to see it, and that we spent the extra effort to go early to get a good spot. Not often does this happen and it was fun for us to have it happen in the year that we are placed in England. In Chicago before we came here we talked about it and thought it was about time they got married and then when they got engaged we thought that we would be gone by the time they actually tied the knot. Luckily it happened while we were here and it fell into place with the other plans we had. It was a lovely 3 days in London will the girlies.
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| "The Mall" afterwards |
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| Some of the major streets were closed down in London and it was a bit of a surreal sight. These streets normally have thousands of cars on them, but instead had people! |
Our day started like any other...except it started at 4:30 in the morning. We were up by 4:30, left the Mennonite Center by 5:15, and on the tube by 5:30 on its first run into the city. We were not happy, but we knew it was necessary if we wanted to see anything. We got off at the Charing Cross Tube Station and started our search for the best place to set up camp. We didn't have intentions of ended up at "The Mall", but we started walking and that is where we ended up. It was completely lined with people that had spent the night there, so we found some tents that were taking up a lot of space ad camped behind them. Our theory was that when they picked up their tents and condensed we would be 2nd row, maybe even first! Our theory worked. We had a really nice spot and set up our blanket and ate our sugar breakfast while passing the time. 
Policed were everywhere. They knew that there could be crazies out there and they were going to take full precautions. To the right is what the mall looked like a little before 6 in the morning. Obviously, the route was closed to traffic, but they did send street cleaners down at least 20 times in the morning. And, like most saw of t.v., Union Jack flags lines the whole route too. These were absolutely massive!
As the time went on we got more and more excited for something to happen. The people behind us also were getting excited and were starting to really pressure us to stand up. We were getting closed in. We were trying to keep our blanket down and stay seating for as long as possible because we knew it would be a while until we sat back down again once we started. June was feeling the pressure and had lots of flags in her face from the kids around us...
Speaking of the kids...I had such mixed feeling on this issue. There were heaps of kids trying to stand in front of us. All encouraged by their parents of course. (I secretly thought that is how they were also moving to the front) I had mixed feeling because many of these kids were so rude. I had a little boy pushing me and standing on my feet the entire time. I guess when you wake up so early and these people the hour before, the sympathy just isn't there for me! Plus, they had no idea what was even going on. There was one boy who was very polite. Was very aware of our stuff and in the end we got him up to the front of the fence to see the horse drawn carriages after the wedding.
By the time that they came back down "The Mall" after the ceremony in the open carriage, Bethany and I had gotten placed on the front row. I think my bribing the people in front of us with the promise of pictures really helped. Because of this, I didn't have the waving flags as an obstacle so I was able to get some good pics. They were still going faster than I would have liked! It was hard not to be swept up in the Disney fairytale-ness of it all. Especially with his uniform and her dress and the carriage they were riding in. Everything was beautiful. The British know how to do this type of thing. You wouldn't get this is America, that's for sure!
great pictures marie!!! still can't believe we were there! so much fun =) plus your birthday was a blast!
ReplyDeletewow awesome. I can't believe you were that close. We got your card from Flat Marie, the one with Wedding 2011 in it! So fun. Flat Marie enjoyed touring and helping out at our new house! She got to see the kitchen we are painting! wohoo. Hope you get your birthday package soon. Have a wonderful weekend Marie!
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