August 25-30 2019: Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan Visit London

During this week of the London Temple closure, Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan came to visit us. We were going all week long as we visited sites in London and the surrounding countryside.

London Hyde Park

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan at the Prince Albert Memorial.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan at Royal Albert Hall.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at the Hyde Park Chapel. We listened to the short films in the visitor center which talk out the Missionary work in the UK, the temples in the UK, the Hyde Park chapel and the History of the Church in the British Isles (at one time there were 34,000 members in the UK and 12,000 in America) and then attended the Hyde Park 1st ward at 10:30.

Victoria and Albert Museum

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in front of the Victoria and Albert Museum

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie in front of JMW Turner's painting entitled "Life-Boat and Man by Apparatus Going Off to a Stranded Vessel Making Signal (Blue Lights) of Distress."  However, President Monson called this painting "To the Rescue" in is conference talk of the same name.

British Museum

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in front of the British Museum.

Uncle Ryan, Aunt Julie and Sister Burkinshaw at the back entrance of the British Museum.

Uncle Ryan (to the right) of the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum.

Uncle Ryan in front of the Assyrian Lion Hunt Relief.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie in front of the facade of the Parthenon.

Aunt Julie in a red London phone booth.  Uncle Ryan was abused by a bird above him while this picture was being taken.  We would have photographed him but he didn't look very happy at the time. ;-)

Trafalgar Square

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in front of the pedestal at Trafalgar Square.

Elder and Sister Burkinshaw at Trafalgar Square with Lord Admiral Nelson looking down.

Sister Burkinshaw and Aunt Julie with a red London phone booth.

Westminster Abbey

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in front of Westminster Abbey.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan at Westminster Abbey before the organ concert we attended.

Aunt Julie and Sister Burkinshaw on the Westminster Bridge with the London Eye and London County Hall in the background.  Just to their left is Big Ben but it is covered with scaffolding as it will be refurbished and open again in 2021.

Buckingham Palace

Aunt Julie, Uncle Ryan and Sister Burkinshaw walking towards Buckingham Palace.

Ryan and Julie in front of the Queen Victoria Memorial in the circle in front of Buckingham Palace. It was a very warm day in London, about 90 degrees.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at the gate to Buckingham Palace.  Unfortunately Queen Elizabeth II was not there to invite them in for tea. ;-)

Tower of London

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie in front of the White Tower at the Tower of London.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie in front of the Tower Bridge.

National Gallery

Aunt Julie, Uncle Ryan and Sister Burkinshaw on the porch of the National Galley which overlooks Trafalgar Square.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan with Pierre-Auguste Renoir's "Night at the Theatre" in the National Gallery.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie with Claude Monet's "Water Lily Pond" in the National Gallery.

St Martins In The Field Church

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in front of St Martin's In The Field Church where we heard a concert by music graduates from Cambridge University. There is a free lunchtime concert Monday through Friday here and Sister Burkinshaw, who has been wanting to do this, finally got the opportunity to be here at lunchtime.

Piccadilly Circus

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in front of the monument on Piccadilly Square in Piccadilly Circus.

 Kensington Palace

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at Kensington Palace which had an exhibition on the life of Queen Victoria. We found out later that there is a nice place to have the traditional British "tea" right next to Kensington Palace, maybe next time.

After visiting Kensington Palace, Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan went to see Wicked at the Apollo Theatre but we didn't have any pictures of that to post. 


White Cliffs of Dover

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan scouting out the white cliffs of Dover with Dover Castle in the background.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan with the white chalk cliffs of Dover in the background.  Calais France is just 19 miles across the channel from here. Because of the heat you could not see France.

Sister Burkinshaw and Aunt Julie at the Dover cliffs.

Dover Castle

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at the entrance to Dover Castle.

Sister Burkinshaw and Aunt Julie at the Dover Castle entry stairs.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan on the roof of Dover Castle.

Uncle Ryan in front of the high table in the Dover Castle banquet hall.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie (lower left) in front of Dover Castle.  Initially built by William the Conqueror in 1069, this is the largest castle in England.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at the rear gate to Dover Castle.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan with the Dover Castle complex in the background.

Sister and Elder Burkinshaw with the Dover Castle complex in the background.

Canterbury Cathedral

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan at Canterbury Cathedral.  The Cathedral is undergoing external renovations in preparation for a conference of the Worldwide Anglican Communion next year, but Elder Burkinshaw did a great job of hiding the scaffolding in the background.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in front Canterbury Cathedral.

The London Temple

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie in the grounds of the London Temple.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie with the London Temple reflection pond.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie in front of the London Temple east entrance.  The limestone steps to both Temple entrances are currently being replaced with granite.

Isle of Wight - Osborne House

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in the courtyard of Osborne House which was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's holiday home on the Isle of Wight.

Uncle Ryan with the wild boar which protects the entrance to Osborne House.

Aunt Julie and Sister Burkinshaw in front of the display which recognizes the importance of birthdays celebrated at Osborne House by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children. Much of the decor in the house comes from birthday gifts.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at the beach near Osborne House.

Isle of Wight - The Needles

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie in front of "The Needles" which is a unique chalk formation at the far west end of the Isle of Wight.  The column at the far end is a lighthouse. As you can see the weather gifted from the 90's to the 60's in a day.

Sister Burkinshaw and Aunt Julie in the tunnel that leads to the observation deck at "The Needles" on the Isle of Wight.

The coast near "The Needles" on the picturesque Isle of Wight.

The Emirate Spinnaker Tower from the ferry on our trip back to Portsmouth from the Isle of Wight.

Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey)
Highclere Castle is a country house in the Jacobethan style which is the estate of the Earl of Carnarvon.  Highclere Castle was a filming location for the Emmy Award-winning drama series Downton Abbey and the forthcoming full-length feature film based on it.

Aunt Julie with Uncle Ryan saying "what is the big deal" it is just another castle.

Aunt Julie and Sister Burkinshaw in front of Highclere Castle, the castle is nice, but it is really the locations that stands out, the grounds were absolutely beautiful.

Entry door to Highclere Castle.  The inscription above the door is the motto of the Earl of Carnavon, "Ung je serviray" which means "I will serve but one master."  The date is MDCCXLLII or 1743.

Highclere Castle main hall. The castle is full of pictures of the family, but also photographs on easel's of still shots from Downtown Abbey, it was very well done to highlight both the uses of the castle.

Looking down on the Highclere Castle main hall.

Highclere Castle library.

Highclere Castle Library.

Sister Burkinshaw sipping a fresh raspberry lemonade on a lawn chair at Highclere Castle.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie in the backyard of Highclere Castle, the weather couldn't have been more beautiful for our visit.

Elder and Sister Burkinshaw with the beautiful scenery behind Highclere Castle.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan walking the paths on the Highclere Castle grounds.

Elder and Sister Burkinshaw on the Highclere Castle grounds.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie on the lawn of Highclere Castle.

Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is the weekend retreat of the Queen.

The round tower at Windsor Castle.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Stratford Upon Avon

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at the front door to Shakespeare's Birthplace.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at Shakespeare's Birthplace.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at Shakespeare's Birthplace.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie on Henley Street in Stratford upon Avon near Shakespeare's Birthplace. 

Sister Burkinshaw looking out into the garden at Shakespeare's "New Place" which was the estate he purchased in Stratford upon Avon when he became a success.

Aunt Julie at Shakespeare's desk at his "New Place" estate in Stratford upon Avon.

Uncle Ryan resisting Aunt Julie's PDA in the garden at "New Place".

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in front of the sculpture of Shakespeare at "New Place."   The quotation is from Hamlet Act I, Scene ii: “
"HE WAS A MAN, TAKE HIM FOR ALL IN ALL
I SHALL NOT LOOK UPON HIS LIKE AGAIN.”

Sister Burkinshaw and Aunt Julie at Hall's Croft, the home of Shakespeare's oldest daughter, Susanna, who married John Hall, a prosperous local doctor.

Uncle Ryan trying to ascertain the method in madness at Hall's Croft.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in the churchyard cemetery of Trinity Church in Stratford upon Avon.  Shakespeare was actually married and buried inside Trinity Church.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie in front of Trinity Church, Stratford upon Avon.

Sister and Elder Burkinshaw on the banks of the Avon River in Stratford.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at Ann Hathaway's Cottage. 

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie at the willow circle in front of Ann Hathaway's Cottage.

The thatched-roof cottage where Shakespeare's wife, Ann Hathaway was born and raised.

Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is the seat of the Duke of Marlborough and Winston Churchill's grandfather was the 8th Duke of Marlborough.

Uncle Ryan and Aunt Julie in front of the gates at Blenheim Palace.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in the grand entry at Blenheim Palace, and it is a grand entry!

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in front of the tapestry entitled "The Battle of Blenheim" where the John Marlborough led British troops to victory in 1704 against the Franco-Bavarian army near the German village of Blenheim and earned his title as the First Duke of Marlborough and eventually the estate which he named Blenheim Palace.

Sister Burkinshaw in the dining room at Blenheim Palace.

Aunt Julie and Sister Burkinshaw in front of the Marlborough family mausoleum in the Blenheim Palace chapel.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan in the gardens behind Blenheim Palace.

Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan at the back of Blenheim Palace.

Sister and Elder Burkinshaw with the Winston Churchill statue in the extensive grounds behind Blenheim Palace.  Churchill's grandfather was the 8th Duke of Marlborough and because he was raised primarily by his grandmother (the Duke's wife) he spent much of his childhood and youth here.

Sister Burkinshaw along the banks of the River Glyme with Blenheim Palace in the distance.

Sister Burkinshaw at the waterfalls of the River Glyme which borders the Blenheim Palace grounds.

We loved having Aunt Julie and Uncle Ryan come visit us and we kept them busy with over 750 miles driven and 42 miles (84,000+ steps) walking during the six days they were with us!  

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said: “Our second key relationship is with our families. Since “no other success can compensate for failure” here, we must place high priority on our families. We build deep and loving family relationships by doing simple things together, like family dinner and family home evening and by just having fun together. In family relationships love is really spelled t-i-m-e, time.” ("Of Things That Matter Most" GC Oct. 2010)  We spent a lot of time together and had a wonderful week!


Elder and Sister Burkinshaw