This was supposed to be a 'barbeque summer' for the sun-loving British. But after the Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, the sun disappeared, rain arrived and everyone who had stayed home to enjoy a barbeque in the backyard complained bitterly about the weathermen.

Fortunately, television coverage of the Queen and Commonwealth exhibition alerted me to the opening of Buckingham Palace for summer visits, this year from July 26 to September 30. The official home and administrative centre of Queen Elizabeth, Buckingham Palace, is that rarity today, an actual working palace. Opening the 19 State Rooms to the public was initiated only after that fire at Windsor Castle, which required substantial sums for restoration.

Since the Queen spends her summers in Scotland, it was decided that people like you and me would have the privilege of walking where the high and mighty tread. This was especially intriguing as it was coupled with a display of the Queen's wardrobe and gifts from her more than 170 official visits to Commonwealth countries over the last 60 years. I phoned up expecting to be told that I couldn't get a ticket for weeks, only to hear that the next day would be just fine! I went for broke and spent £30 to visit the Royal Mews, the Queen's Galleries and the State Rooms, ordering tickets in advance for a specific time so that I didn't have to wait in line, which turned out to be a great idea as the queue next day just for the State Room tickets was huge.

The Royal Mews or stables are literally that, the courtyard where horses and now limousines are maintained. The Coronation Coach, all in gold, each wheel weighing a ton, is unimaginably impressive, though apparently not all that comfortable what with old-fashioned suspension and because of its weight, the coachman has to plan to stop far in advance of its destination. As in all United Kingdom museums, audio guides and photographs accompanying exhibitions are invaluable to appreciating fascinating details of history.

The Queen's Gallery with artworks is of interest, especially the extraordinary jewels and Sevres porcelain, but the State Rooms are stunning. I've been to Versailles in France, and to Italian and Indian Palaces, so I was prepared for the grandeur of gilt furniture and mirrors, silk upholstery, silver and porcelain, crystal and tapestries, oil paintings and marble carvings - but standing where the kings and queens of England have welcomed ambassadors, sat on their thrones, dined with heads of state - just knowing that you are there in the midst of this history is something special. When you're in London in the summer, visit Buckingham Palace. The experience is worth the expense.

Beautiful gardens

On the other hand, Sissinghurst Castle Garden was not. For years I'd read that this was one of England's most beautiful gardens, but trust me, early August is not the time to go. Near Cranbrook, Kent, it had seemed a nice outing from Ashdown Park Hotel where we were staying by Ashdown Forest, in Sussex. We were just half an hour at night from Glyndebourne for a performance of the opera Rusalka, by Antonin Dvorak, the Czech composer who brought his culture's folk music into such vogue. The only one of his 10 operas to achieve fame internationally, Rusalka was tragically beautiful in its rendition with Ana Maria Martinez as the water nymph who longs to be human. Tatiana Pavlovskaya as a foreign princess, Rusalka's human rival for a prince's affection, was extraordinary in this production.

Back in London, the finest meal of the entire trip was not in a restaurant, but rather in the home of a former restaurant owner, Devish Patel, who cooked the most incredible meal on his rooftop terrace in London. He started catering when he was in college and learned how to cook by taking summer jobs. At 23, he had his first restaurant, Le Troquet, a French brasserie, then a Mexican restaurant, an American Pizza place followed and finally Del Buongustaio, an Italian restaurant, and yet it was Indian cuisine he prepared that night which was unforgettable. It wasn't the idli or steamed rice dollops with yogurt which were delicious, but rather what he did with the coriander chutney and tamarind sauces that went with it. And the potato curry had crunchy roasted groundnuts and mango powder that had me asking for third helpings. I won't even tell you the rest of the menu. All I could think was that Chris Blackwell should get Devish to spend a week in Jamaica with his chef at Strawberry Hill or Goldeneye; it was that good!

Human interest stories

On a sadder note, when in England I always read newspapers for their human interest stories and The Daily Telegraph of July 30, 2009 brought news of the passing of Rajmata Gayatri Devi. Some of you may have met her on her visits to Jamaica with the polo team from Jaipur, India, as her stepson was a keen player even after the death of her husband, the Maharaja of Jaipur. She had challenged tradition by becoming the first princess to stand for election in the Republic of India, winning her seat by a landslide, and for her trouble 10 years later was imprisoned for six months during the worst of Indira Ghandi's state of emergency. (Those who know of Indira Ghandi only through her visits to Jamaica when Michael Manley was prime minister should read Rohan Mistry's award-winning A Fine Balance.) The architect, Evan Williams, brought the Rajmata to our home after polo one evening, just the four of us, and she was as down-to-earth and gracious with us as she would have been with the British royalty seen in the Telegraph photo. Speaking of photographs, Buckingham Palace does not allow any photographing so this time it's just a letter you're getting from me, with best wishes.