Off to Europe : Young Tour Leader Loose in London : An 8-year-old pursues his own interests in the British capital, educating himself and a grown-up.

TAKING THE KIDS

March 21, 1993|EILEEN OGINTZ

We didn't make it to all of the top tourist attractions. (Cut your itinerary in half if you're touring with kids.) We left midway through the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace because Matt couldn't see over the crowd. (It occurs at 11:30 a.m. every other day in winter, daily in summer; get there at least half an hour early for a good viewing spot.) On the other hand, we stumbled onto the Changing of the Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall (held daily at 11 a.m.) and had a great time. There was as much pomp and circumstance, and far fewer people. An added bonus as far as Matt was concerned: the horses. He shot almost a roll of film.

Speaking of pictures, Matt carried his own small inexpensive camera and took his own pictures. I could tell his interest level, in fact, by the numbers of shots he took (none at Westminster Abbey, lots of the pigeons in Kensington Gardens). He kept a journal of the trip, writing a paragraph each night about what we'd done that day.

His favorite memory? Chasing--and catching--a pigeon in Kensington Gardens on a rainy Saturday morning.

Forget force-feeding culture. Just being there is enough.

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