Windsor, Eton, and dinner with the prospective in-laws

Still very tired today - getting old sure sucks!
We had planned to have a blob day catching up with laundry and not much else, but the skies were blue and I couldn't bear to waste it inside.
Dave was studying and then going to the gym, so the rest of us piled in to our rental and headed for Windsor.
It was still as pretty as last time - Mel knew where she was going which was great as she led us to the Long Walk (the Queen's back yard), a pretty amazing stretch of park leading away from the castle.

The Long Walk

Windsor Castle

Then it was back into Windsor itself, where we stopped at a little French café for lunch. I find it surprising that Windsor town surrounds the castle and is such a draw for tourists, but has managed to retain small cobbled streets, little boutique shops, quaint old pubs etc.
From Windsor we crossed the river to Eton. The Thames is flooded so makes quite a statement, with some seats under water, and bridges nearly covered up to the top. The current is impressive. 

The Queen's swans on the Thames at Windsor

We saw the Queen's swans, all tagged and protected. They have huge webbed feet, and seem rather supercilious.
Eton is another very pretty little town - VERY posh, and of course the school is an integral part of the town. On the walk down High Street to Eton College I lost count of the number of designer men's hand-made clothing stores. Figures. The buildings are well preserved, and I tried to imagine what it must be like to grow up in a country with this kind of history, and attend school with princes and future kings.

Eton College

En route back through Windsor to the car we see a school actually in the Castle grounds - it advertises itself as St George's School in the Castle, and takes boarders from 3 years to 13. Goodness.

Walking back from Eton, across the Thames to Windsor

I was flagging by now so we dropped me off for some peace while the rest went to the supermarket. An hour's silence while I lay on the couch - bliss!
Tonight was dinner with Dave's parents. I had met them for brunch when over in 2012 with Lynette, and was looking forward to getting to know them better, and of course introducing Paul. After a drink at home we went to another local pub in the village and had a lovely evening sharing stories and jokes. Very successful!

Dinner with the in-laws at the George

Paul and Ali leave at 6am tomorrow for Ireland, so there was some reorganising of bags and people in preparation, but at last I could hit the sack. Another very full but enjoyable and satisfying day ends.