Windsor

Windsor was amazing (both the Castle and the town!) I took this day trip on my own and do not regret it one bit. I actually find that I retain more information and am more observant when I am on my own, so I did not mind being alone. I took the train from Paddington Station in London and it was a short journey of about 40 minutes to Windsor. Once I got off the train I walked through one of the cutest, intimate shopping centers I have ever been in. The Windsor Shopping Center had a number of boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and souvenir shops. It was not too crowded (which was nice) so I was able to quickly glance around before making my way to the Castle.

Upon first setting my eyes on Windsor Castle I was not too amazed. To me, it seemed extremely similar to the Tower of London. Since I have been to the Tower already I felt like I was looking at the same thing all over again. Well I was actually really wrong; Windsor Castle is beautiful! It had a whole different vibe than the Tower of London, as well. Windsor felt really cheerful and quaint while the Tower felt somewhat gloomy and impersonal. The scenery on the grounds of the Castle was beautiful. A number of flowers, trees, and even a garden were on the site. Overall, Windsor Castle was an amazing site to see and I am so glad I went!

Tradition
One part of the Castle which I found interesting was the Drawings Gallery. This room was full of paintings, drawings, sketches, and sculptures made by the Royals of the past! Queen Elizabeth I is one of the many Royals who has work on display here. The tradition of having the royal children practice painting and other forms of art has been occurring for many hundreds of years. They thought it was really important that they be skilled in the arts. This tradition came as a huge surprise to me because I honestly didn't think the Royal family would care about this. I personally thought they would just enjoy the works of others and not participate in the work.

Family 
Being at Windsor Castle I felt a sense of family. It felt like a very personal site and was not completely full of tourists. What especially made me attribute family to the Castle was that the current Queen's grandparents and parents are all buried here. This definitely shows how personal of a site the Castle is to the Queen and even how they keep this tradition going. Her family is so closely connected to the Castle that I completely understand why she chooses to spend her private weekends there. Also, Windsor Castle has been the residence of many kings and queens throughout history; basically being passed down from royal to royal. I love this tradition and I think that it would be quite an honor to have this continue being passed down in the family.