Taylor Winston

We are going to London in June. Has anyone attended the Royal Ascot races? Are they fun? Has anyone taken Astral Tours Bards and Battles tour to Oxford, Stratford and Warwick? Tell me about your experience please. Thanks.

xxx3

I haevn't taken the tour you specified, but I did take another Astral tour, which was very good, and deliverd all that was promised.<BR><BR>BUT a tour that tries to do Oxford, Stratford, and Warwick Castle all in one day won't do justice to any of them. You can do these by yourself as day trips or one-night trips from London, there's even a bus route that stops no too far from Warwick Castle.

Charles

Yes I have been to Royal Ascot. It is quite an experience. We went on what is called Ladies Day, and according to the cabbie we had, it is called that not because it is a day for ladies, but because all the horses that race that day are female. When we went the Queen was there and we were able to see her in her royal enclosure (from a distance of course). <BR><BR>You should plan on dressing up if you go. Many of the people are in very formal clothing (men in tails and top hats, women in very nice frilly dresses). We wore business attire, which was adequate (suit and tie for men, dress for women). Do not go if you plan to wear casual clothes, as you will be sorely out of place. Tickets are hard to come by. You can buy from scalpers on the street, but be careful and haggle with them. We actually bought from a fellow on the street for just a bit over face value, but some of the scalpers can be quite pushy.<BR><BR>Be prepared for a lot of drunken people, and I mean REALLY stinko. This is the only place I have ever been where I have seen a woman stand up at the urinal in the men's room and pee...true story, we were in the men's room and a group of women, tired of the long queue at the ladies room, proceeded to come into the mens room, and one walked right up beside me, pulled up her dress, down her knickers, and peed into the urinal while standing next to me. One of those things that you never expect and never forget!!!<BR><BR>It is interesting place to go. DO NOT even attempt to drive there, take the train. Easy access from the train station to the track. One other word of caution, do not be flippant with the police officers. They will take no lip from anyone. I saw many men and women, dressed to the nines and drunk as lords, being not so gently hauled off by the police.<BR><BR>

xxxx

Wow, Ascot sounds like a really delightful classy experience!

janis

Royal Ascot is wonderful. Ladies Day is an experience - the Queen always attends on Ladies Day. That is the day you always see on the news - the formal attire for men and hats (required in some enclosures) and dresses for the women.<BR><BR>If you attend on other days during the Royal Ascot meeting, the dress is not as formal but is still quite dressy. <BR><BR>Champagne, Pimms, etc - really tempting to get blotto but not as bad as Charles says. <BR><BR>And Charles is correct - Ascot is not a place ro drive during the entire week.