Flat Stanley Visits Royal Sites!

Dear Gabriel,

Last week we took Flat Stanley to see a few Royal sites in London. Instead of taking the train into central London, we decided to take a double decker bus! Here is your primo Owen riding with Flat Stanley at the top and very front of a double decker bus! You can see other double decker buses outside the window.

First stop, Buckingham Palace. It's the big building in the background, behind the golden statue called the Imperial Memorial to Queen Victoria. Do you know who lives at Buckingham Palace? 

Here your tio Oliver is holding Flat Stanley in front of the main entrance to Buckingham Palace. Do you see the flag flying at the top of the building? It is called the Royal Standard.  When this flag is flying, it means the British Sovereign (the Queen) is in the palace!

Do you see the two guards in red, black and white uniforms behind Flat Stanley? They are sentries in the Queen's Guard. They protect the Palace and the Queen. Have you ever seen the changing of the guards? Look here!

Flat Stanley also saw a marching band of Queen's Guards! They marched from the Buckingham Palace gates, past the Imperial Memorial to Queen Victoria, then through Green Park.

Flat Stanley also got to see the Horse Guard Parade close up. These mounted sentries in red are called Life Guards. But they're not the life guards you see at the beach. Life Guards have been protecting the entrance to Buckingham Palace and St. James Palace since the late 15th century -- that's over 500 years!

We had a lot of fun visiting these Royal places with Flat Stanley! More to come!

Much love,

Tia Effie

Welcome to England, Flat Stanley!

Dear Gabriel,

Thank you very much for sending Flat Stanley all the way to London by air mail! We are very excited to have him as a guest with us. I hope he likes it here! I also hope you like the photos of his travels.

Your primo Owen was very excited to meet Flat Stanley and take photos with him. Owen is 5 years old and in Year 1 (or kindergarten) here in London. Owen took this photo of himself with me and Flat Stanley:

I took this photo of Owen holding Flat Stanley in front of our house:

Today we went to Central London (or 'downtown'). We took Flat Stanley with us! Here he is riding the train with your Tio Oliver:

And here he is with Owen and your little prima Marisol. Marisol is 2 years old! They are looking out the window at houses in South London, which is below the River Thames:

Flat Stanley checked the map for us. We were going the right way!

Flat Stanley also looked out the window and listened for our stop. They announced: "Queen's Road, Peckham Rye"!

 

When we were walking through London, we walked past 221b Baker Street -- Sherlock Holmes's address! It's a museum now. Do you know who Sherlock Holmes is? 

That's all for now, Gabriel! Keep checking this blog for new photos! And feel free to leave comments and questions on the blog. Your classmates can too! Flat Stanley and I will answer your questions soon!

Much love to you and your family!

Tia Effie