Kew Gardens

So today was Kew Gardens, the botanical gardens in south-west London. Lots of mostly wandering around looking at plants, although there was a cool tree-top walk and some cool old green houses.

Being in south-west London, they were also right on the flight path into Heathrow, and we pretty much spent the entire afternoon watching large planes fly very low overhead with their landing gear down. I impressed the folks with my ability to recognize various airlines by spotting the tailfins, although even some of them escaped me. But would you believe I saw one plane fly overhead with "Kingfisher" printed quite clearly on the bottom? Either that's the most unusual sale of adspace I've ever seen, or the beer company also runs an airline!

Also among the more interesting tidbits I learned today was that the Duke of Northumberland owns a palace right next to Kew Gardens, Syon House. And so you'd think that would be a really nice and gorgeous place to live, right? But apparently the Duke of Northumberland almost never stays there, preferring to stay at Alnwick Castle.

So I'm wondering why the Duke of Northumberland would never stay at this gorgeous palace right near London, until I watch the planes coming in. Every 60 seconds (we timed it), a low-flying plane flies DIRECTLY over Syon House. The guy lives right in the flight path!! No wonder he's never there!!

Anyway, since he has another castle to go to, I don't feel too badly for him, but I did find it hilarious. Although that's a heck of a lot of planes coming into Heathrow, and it was amazing how they were all lined up, coming in one right after another. Amazing!