You're nuts

I have spent the last few days (on school holidays) being a tourist in this city. The weather has been very kind to me, not overly warm but at least sunny for most of the time! Today was gorgeous, it was so nice to stroll around Buckingham Palace and the parks that surround it with the sun streaming down.

St. James' Park is beautiful - all sorts of flowers blooming, ducks and birds of all shapes and sizes swimming in the big lake and so many squirrels running around, I couldn't believe it! You can actually buy a bag of peanuts and feed them, which is so cute. As I was wandering around the park I spotted a squirrel and decided to start whistling to it. It came bounding up to me, jumped on the top of the small lawn fence and looked straight up at me! I was so shocked at how bold and fearless it was, then panicked it might jump on me thinking I was a huge nut (haha). But I managed to get the most amazing photo of the squirrel! You can see it up the top, but its so much better in its real, bigger size (click on the picture to enlarge it if you want). Totally captured that moment.

I didn't spot Prince William while at the palace, but did manage to get some random Italian guy asking me if I wanted to go out for a coffee or a drink after briefly walking past him! They really are so upfront, I don't like it!

I have to go back to Buckingham Palace tomorrow as the 'changing of the guard' wasn't on today. I did see the Royal Horse Guard though, which was very formal and pompous (you should see the big black boots the guards wear!). I spent Monday at Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye - will definitely have to go up the London Eye when the weather is really clear and sunny though! Still have to see the Tower of London, Kensington Palace and Harrods (I've been told they sell the infamous Krispy Kremes and everyone keeps telling me to try one) before next Thursday.

I also bought my first hat the other day! I am so anti-hats at home (hate them and they hate me), but that's because you only wear summer hats and they're always so daggy (unless you're going to the races and even then, fascinators are much prettier). You never get to wear hats in winter in Perth! Over here there are so many kinds of hats, in so many colours, fabrics and styles. So I caved and got one - a chocolate brown suede baker boy cap, which will also be good for hiding bad hair days (which are frequent in London)!

Slowly I'm putting together an online photo album of all the photos I have taken so far. I'm just in the process of arranging them and adding footnotes to each. As soon as it's finalised, I'll send everyone an email with the website address.

Not long until Paris!