As everybody knows, Buckingham Palace is the London residence of the British monarchy. It was among the historical landmarks that Benjie and Carmen Gonzales of Long Beach California, visited in their tour of Europe. The Palace is a setting for state occasions, royal entertaining, and is a major tourist attraction. More than 50,000 people reportedly visit the palace each year as guests to banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions, and the royal garden parties. When the Queen is at home, the yellow and crimson Royal Standard flies and when she is not, the Union flag flies .

The 19 State Rooms are the working places for Queen Elizabeth II and members of the Royal family. These are also used regularly by Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family for official and state entertaining. The State Rooms include the Throne Room, Picture Gallery and Ballroom, which is the largest room in Buckingham Palace. It is used for investitures and State banquets. The Grand Staircase, the Throne Room, and the Picture Gallery feature many world-renowned works of art. All the State rooms are opulently decorated with some of the finest pictures, tapestries and works of art from the Royal Collection. The extended visitor route includes a 450 meter walk through the south side of the Palace Gardens, considered the largest private gardens in London.

A must-see in the Buckingham Palace is the “Changing of the Guard Ceremony.” The Queen's Guard is changed at 11:30 in the morning inside the gates of Buckingham Palace and can be viewed from outside. It is a 40-minute ceremony and is the greatest display of pageantry in London. A similar ceremony not to miss is the changing of the Queen's Life Guard at Horse Guards, Whitehall, which offers a closer look at the pageantry.

The Monarchy, which Dates back over ten centuries, plays an important role in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

Benjie and Carmen marveled at the magnificence of the historical place. Whether you plan to take a tour in Buckingham Palace for a voyeuristic look at royal life throughout the ages, or simply look from outside the palace walls, Benjie and Carmen said guests of London will surely be impressed by the magnificence of this historical place.

The House of Parliaments was next in the destination of the Gonzales's. Its origin dates back to the 12th century. By the 14th century two distinct Houses, the Commons and the Lords had developed. The Commons involved representatives from counties, towns and cities, the Lords already consisted of members of the nobility and clergy.

Another interesting site in the city is the London Tower. Founded nearly a millennium ago and expanded over the centuries, the tower stands guard by the River Thames. It is an impressive London landmark walls. It is replete with historical relics like instruments of torture, including the infamous block and axe, and many others used in past centuries on prisoners. The ancient tower was where Anne Boleyn was executed. It has protected, housed, imprisoned and has been for many, the last sight they saw on earth.

The Tower of London has been the seat of British government and the living quarters of monarchs. It is also the site of renowned political intrigue, and the repository of the Crown Jewels. Here, a film on the coronation ceremonies of Queen Elizabeth II is shown. Inside the Treasury, there is the Imperial State Crown worn at the State Opening of Parliament. Also deposited in the Crown Jewels is the world's largest, top-quality cut diamond, Cullinan I, set in the Sovereign's Scepter. Wardens are on hand to answer any questions about the priceless collection.

Benjie and Carmen were filled with awe as they concluded their tour of the various historical landmarks in London. From there, the couple proceeded to France and that will be the subject of our next column.

If you want to see the places that the Gonzales's visited, call us at Travel International (310) 327-5143 or visit us on the web, www.travelinternational.net.