European Tour Part 5- Hampton Court

Our final day in the UK-- Hampton Court Palace!

We took a train from London and landed here. I have to add, I was feeling very ill that day. I had to stop and rest quite a lot. But it was our last day! And we needed to see it! Onward!

The outside.

 In the garden maze

 They don't show you this in the brochure-- they were doing some exterior maintenance. This square was huge and really cool, it was part of the original palace before the add ons proliferated.

On the train home. 

Hampton court was really cool and so huge that it was a bit overwhelming. I recently read Wolf Hall, and Bring Up The Bodies, which take place in the time of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Henry VIII lived at Hampton Court for some of the book. I wish I would have read them beforehand! 

Another cool part that I didn't get pictures of-- the palace was slowly added onto, and you can see how the fashions evolved drastically. It struck me as funny that they decided to combine so many styles in one structure, like they weren't looking at the whole building, just "I like this style, so we'll just stick it on right there where it doesn't match or flow at all! Because I want to! So I can!"

It made me envision the kings who built it as a bunch of two year olds throwing a tantrum. 

Dallin and I fancy ourselves museum connoisseurs of sorts after this trip, and this audio tour was awful except for one part-- the kitchens. They walked you through where the servants cooked, what they prepared, how they stored food, the work that went into feeding the kings guests, etc. It was fascinating. 

While it was cool, I look at those pictures and remember how awful I felt. Meh. I was better by the next day. Good thing too, because that's when we jumped the channel....