Friday, 26th August 2005

Virginia had an inner urge to see Legoland so we went down to the Windsor area on the August Bank holiday weekend. Not an ideal weekend as it was the last weekend in the school holidays, and the bank holiday weekend to boot. Not an ideal weekend as the B&B we stayed in in Englefield Green was a lemon. Tiny dilapidated room. Fellow 'guests' who returned in the early hours to play loud music.

We did however see Legoland (best seen with the heart of a child,) and Windsor Castle (getting in was like boarding an airplane,) and had Sunday lunch with an aunt so mission accomplished on that front.

Getting into Windsor Castle was rather like boarding an airplane, but security checks are understandable. Once inside the scale of the place, and the serried ranks of portraits and china and swords and rifles and ornaments impressed. As they were meant to. Some houses are just for living in. But Windsor Castle is not. The size of the place, the solidity, the opulence, the order of the place are all designed to make an impression. To intimidate, to strike awe. But behind the pomp and circumstance there's only ordinary mortals.