Monday, September 04, 2006
Sunday 3 Sept
Sunday was a magical day. Fantastic weather. About 25c and clear blue skies. Picture-postcard. Started the day at the Matins service at St Paul's Cathedral - the cheapest way to see inside. Cost me a pound donation. Then headed for a long walk across 'London City' - the banking district - to the Tower of London. What a fantastic place. Took lots of photos. And the tour guides were wonderful. Beefeaters - all army guys with 25+ years active service, now living at the Tower and managing it. Knew their stuff! Our guide said he was tested every day for 6months when he first got the job. Watch out Savannah Guides! You've got quality chasing you!
There were two guided tours, two different roving performances, and about 10 different sections to explore including the Crown Jewels and the White Tower, where the kings of England used to live and all the prisoners different towers. Public beheadings make R-rated movies today look like fairy stories. What violent times!
Saw the real thing of Henry x111 and his horses armour. They were big people then - shrunk later when the diets became more carbs rather than protein - and only just growing again now. He was 6'2" and carried 100lb of armour and his horse had to carry all that plus it's own 100+ lb of armour. No wonder they rode Dressier Stallions!
I was at The Tower from 12 til 6pm and could have stayed longer....anyway walked then to Whitechapel Rd (of Monopoly fame) and Petticoat Lane and there's a place called Brick Lane there that is about a mile long and is lined both sides with curry houses toating for business. Had 3 courses of Bangladeshi curry for tea for a whole £6. This area is the only bit of London that was dodgy. Not Brick Lane but the area around.
Joined another London Walk this night - Ghosts of old London. Lots of churchyards, narrow lanes, stories of the Plague and Great London Fire. Hey Hunter - I went down Diagon Alley - and got photos! Got back to St Pauls about 9.30pm knackered after being on my feet since 7am.
Monday 4 September
Well know I know why people DON'T like London...aagghhh...started the day well with some forward travel planning and a visit to the Globe Theatre for a tour and exhibition sticky beak. Got to the Globe Theatre walking across the Millenium Bridge from St Pauls - very scenic. Sat on the river wall at Bank Side and ate my cheese sandwich and apple. All well so far and then caught the tube - mind the gap - to Charing Cross.
Well, the plan was a quick trip to the post office to post some stuff home, then to the book exchange to get rid of a heavy book I had finished reading and then some time at the National Gallery. The post office took and hour and $15 to post next to nothing. Their are no book exchanges as we know them in Britain and the 2nd hand book stores don't buy 1's. And then there was a bomb scare at the National Gallery and I had to walk miles to get around it - and missed the Gallery. But I do know what a UK police siren sounds like now. Ullo, Ullo, Ullo, what's go'n on 'ere then....
Went and found a quiet arcade (the Opera Arcade) off Regent St, bought a big mug of Cappucino from a porteguse cafe and spent 3hrs doing more plans instead.
Finished the day well when I caught up with Leigh Sorensen for a Chinese banquet in China Town off Leicester Sqr. His shout - bless him - or I could never have eaten so well! News for those who know Leigh...he started work Tues 5/9 at TA. He's looking for real estate so he's got wealth to bring back in 3 years when the contract finishes and he brings his beautiful £ back as $. Kate gets to London soon. And he's hoping the TA office isn't too manic as he'd like a slow start to this new chapter - he hasn't caught his breath from the last chapter yet!
Sunday was a magical day. Fantastic weather. About 25c and clear blue skies. Picture-postcard. Started the day at the Matins service at St Paul's Cathedral - the cheapest way to see inside. Cost me a pound donation. Then headed for a long walk across 'London City' - the banking district - to the Tower of London. What a fantastic place. Took lots of photos. And the tour guides were wonderful. Beefeaters - all army guys with 25+ years active service, now living at the Tower and managing it. Knew their stuff! Our guide said he was tested every day for 6months when he first got the job. Watch out Savannah Guides! You've got quality chasing you!
There were two guided tours, two different roving performances, and about 10 different sections to explore including the Crown Jewels and the White Tower, where the kings of England used to live and all the prisoners different towers. Public beheadings make R-rated movies today look like fairy stories. What violent times!
Saw the real thing of Henry x111 and his horses armour. They were big people then - shrunk later when the diets became more carbs rather than protein - and only just growing again now. He was 6'2" and carried 100lb of armour and his horse had to carry all that plus it's own 100+ lb of armour. No wonder they rode Dressier Stallions!
I was at The Tower from 12 til 6pm and could have stayed longer....anyway walked then to Whitechapel Rd (of Monopoly fame) and Petticoat Lane and there's a place called Brick Lane there that is about a mile long and is lined both sides with curry houses toating for business. Had 3 courses of Bangladeshi curry for tea for a whole £6. This area is the only bit of London that was dodgy. Not Brick Lane but the area around.
Joined another London Walk this night - Ghosts of old London. Lots of churchyards, narrow lanes, stories of the Plague and Great London Fire. Hey Hunter - I went down Diagon Alley - and got photos! Got back to St Pauls about 9.30pm knackered after being on my feet since 7am.
Monday 4 September
Well know I know why people DON'T like London...aagghhh...started the day well with some forward travel planning and a visit to the Globe Theatre for a tour and exhibition sticky beak. Got to the Globe Theatre walking across the Millenium Bridge from St Pauls - very scenic. Sat on the river wall at Bank Side and ate my cheese sandwich and apple. All well so far and then caught the tube - mind the gap - to Charing Cross.
Well, the plan was a quick trip to the post office to post some stuff home, then to the book exchange to get rid of a heavy book I had finished reading and then some time at the National Gallery. The post office took and hour and $15 to post next to nothing. Their are no book exchanges as we know them in Britain and the 2nd hand book stores don't buy 1's. And then there was a bomb scare at the National Gallery and I had to walk miles to get around it - and missed the Gallery. But I do know what a UK police siren sounds like now. Ullo, Ullo, Ullo, what's go'n on 'ere then....
Went and found a quiet arcade (the Opera Arcade) off Regent St, bought a big mug of Cappucino from a porteguse cafe and spent 3hrs doing more plans instead.
Finished the day well when I caught up with Leigh Sorensen for a Chinese banquet in China Town off Leicester Sqr. His shout - bless him - or I could never have eaten so well! News for those who know Leigh...he started work Tues 5/9 at TA. He's looking for real estate so he's got wealth to bring back in 3 years when the contract finishes and he brings his beautiful £ back as $. Kate gets to London soon. And he's hoping the TA office isn't too manic as he'd like a slow start to this new chapter - he hasn't caught his breath from the last chapter yet!
# posted by The Essence of Good Taste @ 2:54 PM 
