Day 15

London

This blog was initially all about letting my cherubs (and friends) share in our travels but I’m realising now that it serves to stave off that holiday blur (what day is it? what country am I in ? blimey what DID we do yesterday?) and it will be a nifty journal for years to come – you know when we’re arguing about what we saw or when we saw it (yes, we’ve already had that confusing discussion). When we’re travelling from country to country there’s a lag time for unpacking and setting up equipment resulting in a day or more when I don’t download photos or blog and even in that short space of time I find it hard to remember what we’ve been doing (ah the joys of aging). So thankyou blogland for helping me keep a grip on reality and on my memory.                                                                                   

So on to today … we thought we’d follow up our walking tour of Oxford with a walking tour of London. Rob asked if it felt like I’d been here just yesterday and truth to tell I hadn’t thought about it in quite those terms. Certainly though, it feels like there has been no time at all between being here with him. That’s when you know you’re good friends, when the years in-between dissolve and you fall back into the same old easy friendship.                                                                                                                     

After a nice leisurely breakfast with another old friend – vegemite, the one thing I forgot to pack and which, after nearly two weeks, I realise I can’t do without – we headed into London so no view from the window this morning (not organised enough) but here is a view you should recognise…                                                                                             

It’s so good to have your own tour guides, we found lots of places that aren’t on the walking guides. like the original London Bridge which is unrecognisable, covered in a new bridge. The Lovely Liz is a font of knowledge so we didn’t miss any of these great little bits of info.                                                                                                                    

At home we navigate by train stations even if we don’t commute but in Ninja-land we navigate by pubs. It’s actually really interesting listening to Rob and LL working out where we’re going by this kind of sentence ‘no it’s down this road remember we had a great pub roast there the day when we were with….’ So this is what we saw between pubs (such a good set of parameters!)                                                                                     

Tate Modern

   

We only just went inside the door – even so this space is amazing. If we have another day in London I hope to go back and spend dome time inside – MGM is not a fan of galleries though so  I  may have to park him in a pub (somehow I don’t think that’ll be too much of a burden).                                                                                                                      

          

the Globe (want to go back here too)

                   

lunch time pub                                                           best fish ’n chips e-v-e-r!

   

love the mix of ancient and new architecture. That’s The Tower of London in front with the ‘Gherkin’ behind (just love that building!).                                                            

      

popped into the National gallery (visited the Impressionists) with Trafalgar Square opp.

Buckingham Palace. We walked towards this gorgeous building as the sun was setting, down The Mall, which on Sundays is closed to anything but foot traffic until, as it happens, around sunset. So we were standing in the middle of the Mall taking photos when we found ourselves in the middle of the cars and taxis all wanting to be where we were standing. An interesting  little shot of adrenalin that sent us in search of the next pub.                         

Last word(less)