Besides having really good Internet, Windsor offered up a few other treats. We did end up finding that nice little pub called The Fox and Hounds. Allan had one of his favorite dishes liver and onions, British style.
We met the owner and wouldn’t you know it, he was connected to the polo club. The Guards played just next door at The Great Park. The Great Park is a 500-acre park given to the public and maintained by the Crown. It is connected to Windsor Castle and the most famous view of the castle is a 5 km tree-lined great walk that leads up to it. The park is a heaven for horses and a haven for the royal deer.
Windsor Castle is, as you know, a living castle where the Queen lives. It has been home to the monarchy for 900 years and it is definitely worth a tour. I was surprised how much of the castle they let us see. It was all beautiful and so immaculately kept. They didn’t allow pictures inside so you’ll have to take my word on it…again.
We also stopped in for fish and chips and for tea while we were in Windsor, two things on our list of foods to have. Check and check.
One thing on Allan’s list was shooting Ascot. We didn’t have anything planned but Allan worked his magic and we both got press passes. It was a huge racecourse. You couldn’t even see the whole thing. The building itself was over a block long. Everyone was dressed up, lots of suits. We couldn’t go up to the upper levels because we didn’t meet the dress code of shirts and ties. All of the officials wore bowler hats. Frightfully British. The course itself was pristine. The horses ran on turf, were kept in stables off the course until race time and looked magnificent. What would you expect from a royal racetrack?
If there ever were a royal sport, it would have to be polo. We were lucky enough to fit in a couple of games. We watched The Guards, a professional polo club. There were whole stables of horses at the ready whenever players needed to change. Allan even got a souvenir book of the team and a polo ball to take home. Sweet. Windsor was a royal treat.