WINDSOR UPDATE
I don't normally wear a collar and tie unless I am working (when I usually do) but I thought I should for the Queen, or at least her representatives. We have an update at Windsor every couple of years and I missed the last so it has been four years since I have been there and it feels like almost as long since I guided there.
This seems to be because the Castle introduced sound guides - automated guided tours given through a wand (a device like a large mobile phone) - and this seems to have persuaded tour operators to skip the expense of a guide, which is a shame as I enjoy doing a quick Windsor and then having an hour to browse through the shops in town or a cup of tea in one of the many olde tea rooms. Usually we can live with these machines but here they seem to be replaing us which is a shame for our income and client's visit.
Windsor also has an airport style security procedure which can take ages to get through - several guides complained about this - and if you only have a few hours in the town you can easily waste half of one going through these barriers. it would, of course, be simplicity itself to leave a bomb outside the castle if you wanted to cause chaos.
Last update had a lot about the town and its shopmobility scheme for the disabled which was useless for tour groups, while today had a talk on St George's Chapel which we are virtually unable to guide in at all unless our group is seven or less and Saville gardens, which Iam ashamed to say I have never visited.
Of most interest was the Q's assistant Press Secretary, an elegant lady called Samantha Cohen, who fielded questions about The Queen film starring helen Mirren and indicated that it got it more or less right, although she could not possibly comment on what the Q thought of it, even whether she had seen it. I thought it was a great film and true to life, showing how the old stiff upper lip monarchy had to be transformed into a touchy feely one - quickly and not v comfortably with a bit (a lot) of help from T Blair and team.
Some guides are republicans, of course, and are under no obligation to defend the institution but, as I said in Walk This Way, a tourist guide supporting republicanism is a turking voting for Christmas...
This seems to be because the Castle introduced sound guides - automated guided tours given through a wand (a device like a large mobile phone) - and this seems to have persuaded tour operators to skip the expense of a guide, which is a shame as I enjoy doing a quick Windsor and then having an hour to browse through the shops in town or a cup of tea in one of the many olde tea rooms. Usually we can live with these machines but here they seem to be replaing us which is a shame for our income and client's visit.
Windsor also has an airport style security procedure which can take ages to get through - several guides complained about this - and if you only have a few hours in the town you can easily waste half of one going through these barriers. it would, of course, be simplicity itself to leave a bomb outside the castle if you wanted to cause chaos.
Last update had a lot about the town and its shopmobility scheme for the disabled which was useless for tour groups, while today had a talk on St George's Chapel which we are virtually unable to guide in at all unless our group is seven or less and Saville gardens, which Iam ashamed to say I have never visited.
Of most interest was the Q's assistant Press Secretary, an elegant lady called Samantha Cohen, who fielded questions about The Queen film starring helen Mirren and indicated that it got it more or less right, although she could not possibly comment on what the Q thought of it, even whether she had seen it. I thought it was a great film and true to life, showing how the old stiff upper lip monarchy had to be transformed into a touchy feely one - quickly and not v comfortably with a bit (a lot) of help from T Blair and team.
Some guides are republicans, of course, and are under no obligation to defend the institution but, as I said in Walk This Way, a tourist guide supporting republicanism is a turking voting for Christmas...
posted by tourguideddie at 9:50 AM
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