Tate Gallery

As I make my way along the Thames, the City of London seems to be quieting down. The rush hour traffic is still zipping by, however, I see that Londoners are starting to gather at their local pubs, have a pint, and chat with their "mates".

I make my way around the bend and head North. After walking for about 20 minutes, I come upon Buckingham Palace and the actual changing of the guard. It is quite the ceremony as 4 guards relieve the 2 other guards standing at their post in the front entrance. The guards at their posts have the strict order of standing at attention non-stop for 4-5 hours---not moving or talking at all. Don't think I would fancy that job.

Across the way I see St. James Park and the Royal Garden. The Park has a beautiful lake with many different types of birds and animals found all around the area. Also, the actual gardens are quite magnificent as the flowers are all in full bloom right now. I go to a small coffee stand, get a latte, and make my way to a bench and relax. There are several people out and about, enjoying the late Friday afternoon. I remember coming to these gardens before when I lived in London and I'm still in awe by it's beauty.

After about a 1/2 hour, I start up again on my tour of London and head down to the Tate Gallery. Lucky me, I find that the Tate Gallery is open and free! AND, every Friday night they have a BBQ, along with bands, dancing, and other activities in or around the Gallery. What a brilliant idea--and did I mention, it's free?!
I ordered a veggie sandwich from the grill, (which is outside on the lawn of the museum) and once it's prepared, take it to the a bench along the side of the Tate. I watched kids play soccer in front of me as instructors help them. It's fun to watch the kids playing with such joy and enthusiasm. After my meal, I head into the museum and music swells in the foyer. To the left of me an older gentleman is teaching a group of people how to 2 step. It was quite interesting to watch, especially when the class was surround by incredible works of art. The exhibit that was going on at the Tate consists mainly of Modern Art and Portraits. As I made my way around the museum, there was another band playing salsa music. Again, the band was set up in a hall surrounded by artwork and in front of the band, people were dancing. The band were kids of middle school age and were really having a fantastic time as the audience cheered them on. You couldn't help but get caught up in their infectious spirit.
It now 10pm and the he museum is about to close. I make my way out the doors and I'm surprise to see that it's still light out. I find a tube station and get on the next train as I know I'll need to get up early tomorrow for Scotland. What a wonderful day---filled with art, history, architecture and adventure---what more could one ask?! Scotland will be a treat as I look forward to exploring and learning more about the beautiful country up North.