Started our day with a traditional English breakfast of interesting edibles that included kippers, smoked haddock, streaky bacon and eggs before heading off for a tour of Buckingham Palace (only available in August and September) and worth every penny – I mean pence.  The entry ticket (£ 15.50) to this very organized visit included an audio tour, rich with so many palace details that another visit is needed to absorb all the facts.

The dining hall was impeccably set as if ready for one of the two state dinners held a year with attention to minutia – from measuring the space between the seats and glasses to the exact placement of the silverware.

I knew I had just unearthed an item to add to my short bucket list that until this moment only included attending the Academy Awards.