Today is going to be a short and sweet post. I thought I'd catch up on the weekend and plans for Wednesday's blog!
As I briefly mentioned in my last blog post, this weekend I had planned to visit Hampton Court Palace with mum. I'd wanted to go for a while and the last time I went I was knee high to a grass-hopper so I thought it was about time to go, especially as I had the weekend free. I've always had a soft spot for the Tudor era, so Hampton Court, the very Court of Henry VIII himself, was number one on the list of Tudor tourist hot spots to visit.
 |
| Hampton Court Palace in all it's majesty |
The Palace itself was amazing; very ornate and oozing majesty as you walked through the gate and through the clock courtyard. Walking round, it's clear to see that a very impressive and assertive monarch lived and reigned from these elaborate red bricked walls. The clock in the courtyard was very impressive with intricate gold detailing. Henry VIII was one for showing off; elaborate gestures of power and deeds of great prowess took him straight to the history books and the minds of many generations who, like me on that Saturday afternoon, were still marveling at the magnitude of his power and dynasty. The Palace alone was huge; anyone riding up to the Palace gates on horseback all those years ago must've been taken aback; this Palace is the essence of power, and a testament to Henry's imposing nature- this Palace belongs to Henry VIII, disobey at your peril!
 |
| The horse and cart in the gardens |
We decided to explore the gardens first and then head into the house. As we emerged from the inner courtyards, we were greeted with a breath-taking view. A water fountain stood in the middle with tree's and greenery acting as a frame making the whole scene one to really pause to look at (and to take a few pictures too) The bordering flower beds were filled with lots of colourful flowers even despite the time of year and I was soon taking pictures of my favourites. There was a horse and cart going round the huge impressive gardens, however they wanted £3 each for the privilege of riding through the garden and back. A privilege I chose not to indulge in. Why pay £3 for something I could and would rather do myself? The horses looked lovely though and of course they were worth a picture.
 |
| Look at that view......the garden's at Hampton Court |
As you can imagine, Henry's apartments were nothing short of impressive. Opulence and grandeur everywhere but the highlight was the Great Hall. My goodness, if you weren't impressed enough with the outside, then you'd have a hard time denying the impressiveness of the Great Hall. I mean, just look at that ceiling!
Impressed now? Well, maybe actually being there in the atmosphere of it helped a bit more, but just think of the sheer architectural design, time and money that was put into that ceiling alone! The tapestries were also very elaborate and detailed showing epic scenes from mythical and religious battles throughout history. Why would that be? Well for two reasons primarily; power and status. Henry wanted this room to really wow esteemed guests and foreign gentry alike. Henry saw his entire reign as an opportunity to set England apart from the rest of the world by impressing on the world stage. As you look around the hall, there are few spots to look out for in particular. One such spot was a symbol of H entwined with an A. If you're savvy on your Tudor history, you may have guessed just who the A represented: Anne Boleyn of course! You have to remember that Anne completely knocked Henry's socks off, he ended his 20 year marriage to Catherine of Aragon and even separated from the Church of Rome in order to get his divorce from Catherine. Nowadays just a box of chocolates or a bunch of flowers from the special man in your life would suffice, but Henry was smitten with Anne and this lady was not into MilkTray!
We followed our audio guides for the rest of the day and explored the William III rooms, Young Henry VIII exhibit and the Tudor kitchens. It was great to see and discover what this Palace would've been like back in the day, especially in the kitchens. Everything was so rudimentary and simple. Everything had a purpose and nothing was wasted. Maybe we could learn a thing or two about our historical predecessors.
 |
| The Tudor kitchens |
The Palace proved a great day out and it was lovely to go back after so long and explore. I would very much recommend if you like your history and indeed, your Tudor history.
This weekend also marked the start of something very daunting and indeed, very seasonal. Yes, I started my Christmas shopping on Sunday evening. I can't say what it was or who it was for as that would be telling! You'll just have to wait until Christmas. If you are struggling with present ideas though, then look no further than my top 10 gift giving tips! I can't really tell you what to get because well, that's just way too presumptuous but my tips will help you to come to your own conclusions and hopefully will encourage that little light bulb moment to happen.
That's all for tonight folks! I hope you've enjoyed today's post. I will be back on Wednesday, where I will be reviewing the 'Book of Mythicality' by Youtube duo Rhett and Link!
Share your thoughts :