13 February, 2011 – Off with her head

Well, being my last day in London today before heading out to Bath I was determined to visit the Tower of London, although it was quite busy being a weekend, and I didn’t actually realise how cold it was until I had arrived. Being a weekend, there was maintenance on the Tube, so it was a bit of a hike over London Bridge (it’s the boring bridge) and along the River Thames to the Tower. It was very pretty, despite being overcast, but with a wind that cut through you like a knife.  

Once inside I was just in time for a tour with one of the Yeoman (Bob). He was such a great guide. All the Yeoman and their families actually live in the tower and are locked in after 9pm each night. To become one, you need to be in the military for at least 30 years of scrupulous and highly honoured service – so quite easy really J Their uniforms cost thousands of dollars (and yes they are uniforms, not costumes!) and the really fancy gear worn on the Queen’s Birthday and other important occasions is worth 13,000 pounds per outfit. Bob was a great guide, really funny and informative – “Any Aussies in the crowd? Welcome home!” We got to see Traitor’s Gate and the Cathedral that holds the bodies of Lady Jane Grey and Anne Bolelyn. 

Then there are the ravens, there must be at least six ravens on site at any one time otherwise legend has it the Tower will crumble and the monarchy will collapse. Naturally theirs wings are clipped so they can’t leave, but they are looked after so well that they probably wouldn’t want to anyway – with the oldest raven on site living to be over 40 years of age.

There is a whole section of quaint houses for the Yeoman and an onsite doctor and priest and then of course there is the tower that holds the Crown Jewels. Unfortunately you cannot take photos in this section, but trust me, it’s amazing. To see the crowns and batons and orbs that have been held by so many over the years, and the massive 563 caret star of India sapphire is truly stunning. The way the light reflects off it in an array of colours is like nothing I’ve even seen. You stand on a conveyor belt and cruise by all these stunning pieces, including Queen Victoria’s lovely diamond crown, then round the corner to see the heavy robes worn at coronation and the massively elaborate gold place settings, including a wine goblet that can hold over 100 bottles of wine.

Then it’s on to the White Tower, the original and oldest tower, built in 1080. Here are the stairs where the bodies of the two young princes were found buried after being murdered a number of years before by an unknown offender. Their bodies are now in Innocents Corner in Westminster Abbey, but a plaque is dedicated to them here.

Inside there is another Cathedral where Henry VIII and other monarchs have been thought to sit and pray. One of the original tower toilets is even still here. It was nothing but a hole, with wood over it, and the hole simply ran to the edge of the tower, so everyone’s business would go down the hole and down the tower wall to the ground below. There was armour on display belonging to Henry VIII and his young son, as well as the largest suit of armour ever made. It was fascinating to see original plans of the tower, and an executioner’s block and axe. The Yeoman told us of one inexperienced and slightly inebriated executioner who required eight blows to remove the head of one unlucky man. Anne Bolelyn was so scared of an unclean execution that a specialist was brought in from Scotland, and she was one of the few to be executed by sword.

In one tower you can see a number of inscriptions on the walls carved by occupants awaiting their fate – this is just fascinating, with everything from simply names, to pictures to entire passages of thought. To think these were carved so many years ago.  The last execution took place in the Tower in 1941. The man’s name was Jakobs and he was a German sergeant on a spying mission – he was executed via firing squad.

Despite being at the Tower for most of the day, there were still a few areas I didn’t get a chance to see, so I hope to go back another time – perhaps when one of my dear friends reading this comes to see me I could escort you J

12 February, 2011 – To market, to market

Today I met up with a girl I met through TNT magazine and we went to Borough Markets. It was mostly fresh food here, and you have never seen so much cheese! Plus lots of exotic meats like reindeer, partridge etc. Then we went for a walk all along Southbank to Covent Garden, where there is another good market selling woodwork, paintings, interesting clocks and a variety of goods, I must go back another time. More importantly, there is also an Aussie shop nearby selling normal chocolate – yey! Mind you it’s not cheap, but it’s good to taste the familiar. Not all chocolate is bad here, other brands seem okay, it is just Cadbury’s.

There are also a lot of buskers here, my favourite being a man with his face painted and his legs hidden pretending to be a dog in a kennel. So clever, and funny. There were lots of quaint shops and pubs along the way, and although long, it was a nice walk and a good way to get your bearings. Top it all off with a hot chocolate and a white choc piece of cheesecake and it’s a good day J

11 February, 2011 – Celebrities and wax – believe it or not my dear Watson

Well today was a full on day. It started with a trip to the Sherlock Holmes Museum, naturally on Baker Street. This was set in such a cute, dingy old house- the floorboards really creak and groan as you walk about too. Each of the rooms were laid out for Sherlock and Watson, in a way just as they were described in the books. Seeing as Sherlock isn’t actually real (sorry if I spoilt that for anyone) there isn’t actually much to see as such, because it is all fiction, but it is great to see the rooms and stories brought to life just like you would imagine, with old books, fireplaces, old fashioned lighting, doctor’s utensils, pipes and other accessories. Sections of the Holmes stories are played out with dummies, although I must say the craftsmanship left a lot to be desired.

The staff are dressed in period costume and even Dr Watson was on call for those wanting a picture. There were lots of letters on display from Holmes fans requesting autographs, my favourite being from a little boy, who had to write a letter for extra credit at school, even though he told his teacher it was stupid because everyone knows Holmes isn’t real!

Next it was on to some more lifelike models at Madame Tussauds. Unlike the old days, it’s fully interactive now, so you can touch and get photos with the ‘celebs’. There are a number of themed rooms, from the red carpet party, to the sports centre, the World Leaders section, Royalty, musicians and the Chamber of Horrors.  The Chamber of Horrors isn’t that scary, except it’s really dark and as you’re trying to find you way people leap out at you and growl and spit and pretend to lick you and stuff like they are crazed. Although they don’t actually touch you they get really close and come out of nowhere, so it’s pretty freaky. There’s plenty of blood and gore with displays showing the guillotine and other methods of torture.

But, back to the nice stuff. Had to do what everyone does when they’re here and get photos with the celebs like Johnny Depp, Helen Mirren, Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Steven Spielberg, Robin Williams, Audrey Hepburn, Robin Williams, Oscar Wilde, Henry VIII, the Queen and many more.

Some of them are so well done it is scary, like Morgan Freeman, Nelson Mandela, Whoppie Goldberg and Yassah Arafat. Others actually leave a lot to be desired. John Travolta, David Beckham, Mel Gibson, James Dean and Elvis all looked nothing like the real people in my opinion. All of the models are supposedly meticulously done, and I guess it’s hard to create ones of those people who have already passed away – but John Travolta! Come on, he obviously never modelled for them, they must have just guessed.

Another thing – it’s really hard to take photos of yourself with the models, although it does look more authentic I guess. Later on my friend Saba joined me, so that made it easier, but even then the models have this distant look in their eyes and are looking in different directions, so it makes it difficult to look like you are actually with them. But that’s all part of the fun I guess. The rooms they are in are also cool, done like movie sets, with fancy lighting and props. A lot of my personal favourite celebs were missing though, no Meryl Streep, no Tom Hanks, no Clint Eastwood. Oh well, will just have to meet them for real some day J

In the red carpet section they had a Japanese wax model pretending to take photos of the celebs, and she was so lifelike, I actually went to ask her to take my picture! And while I was waiting in the hall for Saba (who got a bit lost) I was sitting on the floor with my legs crossed, and people coming out of the lift thought I was wax! I moved at one point and this lady actually screamed!

It’s quite amazing how Madame Tussauds came about – she used to work for a man who worked with wax and made death masks of those executed in Britain. Her museum was a huge attraction for many years before becoming what it is today.

There was also an awesome ride through a mini London with a black cab as your vehicle. On the way you were shown the history of London, the kings and queens of old, medieval times (complete with rats gnawing fruit on the ground), war time, carnivals and more, all created with moving models and sounds. It was so cool we went on it twice! There was a merry go round with a freaky model on it that would snap its eyes around to look at you every time it went past – seriously it was like an adult chucky doll.

Then it was on to the Marvel Comics section, where I decided to hang with Spiderman. The best bit here was the 4D movie. 4D is always awesome, no matter what the genre, and this was no exception. As the comic characters go on their adventure, not only is it 3D, but you feel the water splash on you, the whoosh past your ears as Spiderman releases his cobweb, or the Hulk smashes his hands together. The freakiest part was when Wolverine stuck out his claws and you felt the jabs come through your seat. It was really cool, edge of your seat stuff, and the girls behind us literally screamed every time this happened.

Then after a nice dinner at Balfours (a lovely Italian place with profiteroles to die for) I headed off to Ripley’s Believe It or Not Auditorium, which is open till midnight (and I was there that late too). It was interesting in parts although a lot of the things weren’t real (i.e. there might have been a cow born with a leg coming out of its back, but this was just a model) and it was highly overpriced for what was there, but hey, it had some interesting stuff. Loved the mini-cooper covered in Swarovski crystals, the paintings crafted from gumballs, chewing gum, lint, pennies, plasticine, stamps and even butterflies, the Titanic and Tower of London models crafted from toothpicks, the pants of one of the world’s heaviest twins, the shrunken heads , and the comic containing the dead creators ashes! There was also a torture section here, which wasn’t much, but the horrifying bit was the electric chair re-creation – you pulled the lever and the model writhed and squirmed and smoked to an extent that was so real it was horrifying.

Then we came to the mirror maze. The most confusing part of the evening. By now it was after 11pm and I was pretty tired, and do you think I could find my way out of this daunting maze? I kept arriving back at the entrance, and it got to the point where I was starting to almost panic, I would imagine people have some real freak-outs in there. There is little lighting and you just go around and around in circles, seeing duplicates of yourself at every turn, no idea whether you can step through the space in front of you or if it is another optical illusion or dead end. As it was close to closing time and I hadn’t yet cracked it, I’m embarrassed to say I was led out by one of the staff – although it made me feel better when she made a few wrong turns too, and she knows the way! Then it was back home for a good rest!

10 February, 2011

Really terrible weather – finally the rain has come. Figured I was too lucky that it has stayed away so long, will have to but off my trip to the Tower of London.

9 February – Visit to the country me Lord?

Today Murray escorted me to Hertford, the country region where he worked for some time upon first arriving in the UK. The express train trip took less than half an hour, so it wasn’t far, yet it’s a world away from the city. Also Dad, just for you, we did pass Emirates Stadium (Arsenal’s homeground) but I wasn’t quick enough for a picture – I will make sure I get it another time.

Hertford’s everything you would imagine really – rolling green hills, quaint English pubs, friendly locals, gently flowing rivers, and plenty of ducks. I especially loved seeing the houseboats moored along the riverbanks, some dishevelled, others highly cared for. We were talking to one lady who was painting the inside of her boats door, and similar intricate detailing was evident on the outside – this was their home and a lot of work had gone into it. Rather like campervanning really, it’s a lifestyle. There were lovely little old houses and cobbled streets and even the remains of a castle. I even met some lovely ladies from the local council who were very funny and offered me a local walking map with the suggestion that Murray was only really familiar with the locations of the pubs J We were extra lucky, because the sun came out and it turned out to be a rather nice day. Basically I will let the pictures speak for themselves with this one. Even in winter the colours and surroundings were quite breathtaking.

February 8 – Rachel spends far too much money

Well today I made the mistake of going shopping! I was originally looking for some thermal underwear I had seen advertised, and while I did succeed in finding this, I also succeeded in finding lots of other things! After hopping off the train at Piccadilly Circus I took a stroll up Regent Street until I found the exciting attraction I had seen on my map – Hamley’s Toy Shop, which is celebrating 250 years in London.  This place is insane! Seven levels of toys! There was a section for boys, one for girls (with a giant barbie doll collection and some stunning dollhouses), one for pre-schoolers, one for hobbies, one for games (board and interactive) and a whole level dedicated to soft toys (I had to have a very high resistance in this shop – and yes there were penguins – there was every animal ever created!) There was a giant section for teddy bears (and there were some lovely ones), a giant section for other critters, an area where you stuff your own bear, and a collection of the very expensive Steiff bears. I think the dearest one of these I saw was around $1,000. I saw a great penguin keyring, but it was tiny and still about 20 pounds. They layout of the place was also amazing, with sections made to look like the red London bus and other displays that went on as far as the eye could see. Collectors would have a field day, with highly crafted tin soldiers, and limited edition Harry Potter, Batman memorabilia and more.  There was even a lolly section, and it’s safe to say their mint/choc fudge is exquisite.

On each level there were not only a number of friendly staff, but performers and interactive toys, either just set-up for playing with, or with staff offering demonstrations. I’ve never seen that in a store before, where they are happy to let people try things. You have never seen anything like it –there were toys I have never seen before in my life! Massive and gorgeous puzzles, giant seas of lego, even a pamper area where kids can get their nails and stuff done!

The kids party room was also pretty impressive – wouldn’t walk out with those kids without paying for it! Well being the big kid that I am I had to purchase something – so I walked away with three souvenir teddies (a bobby, a beefeater and a highland teddy) and a lovely set of tea towels and bag celebrating the stores landmark anniversary. Oh yeah, and I got a money box where a cat leaps out and steals your coins. Hey, I have all these extra pennies and nowhere for them to go. It doesn’t matter if you’re not into toys – this is a place you have to see.  Regent Street is crazy – with fancy heritage buildings housing massive department stores, including Apple and Nike.

Then I headed along the more affordable Oxford Street and purchased a few souvenirs and a cloche-style hat (my head has been freezing and I’m afraid that I look appalling in hats, so this was the least offensive style I could find).  Then with my wallet a little lighter, and my parcels a lot heavier, I trekked home.

7 February, 2011 – The Abbey!

Today I headed off to Westminster Abbey – to look at the inside this time. Over 3,000 people are buried in these hallowed walls, mostly Kings and Queens of old, but also famous writers, scholars, poets and more.  There are tombs everywhere, some with massive monuments, others are right beneath your feet, with just engravings to mark their site.

This has been my favourite thing to see so far. I cannot describe to you how amazing the inside of the Abbey is. The ceilings are so high they seem to go on forever and the gothic structures and history are unsurpassable. When you first walk in it is completely overwhelming, with stained glass windows, a golden alter and a special section for the choir, with an organ that stretches on forever. It is here at this main alter where Prince William and Kate Middleton will be married. The original marble floors are so delicate they will need to be protected with carpet to prevent damage. The lovely volunteers demonstrated where the carriage would pull up (the western entrance) and where the Queen would sit – front row viewing of course. They expect around 2,000 people to attend, although a lot of these will be behind the choir area, so won’t have the best view. The choir is made up of just over thirty boys ranging from age 6 – 13. Anyone can apply to join the choir and it is highly competitive, because if selected they get all their education, board, food etc free – nothing at all to pay. They attend a special choir school and after turning 13 they go back to normal school once again.  I also learnt that when the current Queen had her coronation, a series of tiers were built in the Abbey to accommodate the 8,000 people set to attend. This is why it was 18 months after taking the throne before Elizabeth had her coronation, as it took this long to build the structures. And you should have seen how high they went – right up to the bottom of the top stained glass window – trust me, it was high!!!! Once seated, guests had to remain so for around five hours until the ceremony was over – bet the bathrooms were inundated!!! This main alter is also where Princess Diana and the Queen Mother’s bodies were placed for their funerals.

There are a series of chapels as you make your way around the Abbey, each containing massive monuments and inscriptions for the dead – duchesses, dukes, knights – many of them buried in the 1400’s, 1500’s and 1600’s. Edward the Confessor ( the Abbey’s founder) has a massive tomb here. He was regarded as such a saint that sick people were brought to spend the night by his tomb in the hope of curing them.

The highlight though was Henry VII’s Lady Chapel. Now I know you shouldn’t utter the words ‘holy crap’ within such sacred walls, but there was no other way to describe it. The intricate detail on the ceilings is incredible. Henry VIII’s little boy is buried here under the alter, and even Oliver Cromwell was buried here – for two years. After that he was dug up, hung, decapitated and shipped off elsewhere – so much for rest in peace. I guess he did contribute to the downfall of the monarchy though – seems they got their revenge.

In a room off to the side lie the tombs of Queen Elizabeth I and her half-sister Mary.  The likeness on top of the tomb looks just like Elizabeth, with the face believed to have been cast from her death mask – hence the realism.  Across the hall is the tomb of Mary Queen of Scots. It is supposed to be more grand than Elizabeth’s as specified by Mary’s son once he came to power. That’s right Queenie – you had my Mum killed, so I’m giving her a bigger tomb than you. However I couldn’t view it as it was closed for restoration.

Then it’s onto poet’s corner where the likes of Charles Dickens, Chaucer, Handel and Lawrence Olivier are buried. There are lots of other memorials to Jane Austen, Lewis Carroll, the Bronte sisters, Shakespeare and dozens of others, although their bodies are located elsewhere. Anne of Cleves (one of Henry VIII’s wives is also located near here).

The Nave is another glorious section that houses the tomb of the unknown warrior, a monument representing all of those unidentified victims of war, as well as Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin (although his monument is a lot smaller, so sad to say the Church probably still feels some animosity there).

Finally there are the Cloisters, where the Monks once lived and worked, in fact some families still live on site here, and it is cold!!!!! There is a door here believed to be the oldest door in England, built in 1050. Wow! That’s old! There is a lovely garden outside (where I was finally able to take some pictures, as they aren’t permitted elsewhere in the Abbey).

Well anyway, I think I have talked about the Abbey quite enough, but there really is something magical about this place, and the guides are really friendly. It almost makes me wish I was religious – reckon I might be if I could worship in a place like that all the time. There are many services held at the Abbey, so I might just attend one at some point. To hear the choir alone would be phenomenal.

Oh, one more cool thing, the Coronation Chair, built in the late 1200’s. It has been used for every coronation since and replicas of all the sceptres, swords and crowns used in the ceremony were on display in the Abbey Museum. This thing is so old that it needs constant restoration, it even has graffiti on it from the choir boys over the years.  The stone used as part of the seat is sacred to Scotland, so has been returned there until it is needed for the next coronation, which will be good old Charlie(or preferably William).

That night I went with a girl I had met (Saba) to Chinatown to celebrate the Chinese New Year of the rabbit. Unfortunately, there were some departure delays, and we arrived just in time to hear them announce it was all over.  This was a real shame, as I had been looking forward to the event all week. Nevertheless we still looked around and had a lovely dinner – and I must say, they were very efficient at cleaning up afterwards, within a few hours the streets had been cleared of rubbish and washed. Very efficient.

6 February, 2011 – Books, books, books

Well my time at the Alhambra B&B has sadly come to an end. I cannot recommend this place enough to anyone coming to London. The service is excellent, it’s really clean and the gentleman that runs the breakfast room is so friendly. It was a real shame to go.

Before heading off to my next destination I took a trip to the British Library. It’s not too much to look at from the outside, but it houses some real treasures. The highlight is the King’s Library Tower. It’s impossible to capture this large column of books in a photograph, so to give you a better idea there are 85,000 books contained in a giant glass column in the centre of the library.  Some were published as early as 1454, and they all used to belong to King George III. His family kindly donated them to the library on the condition that they be kept separate, although people can still look at them for research purposes when needed.  There was also a display about Coleridge, including some of his original manuscripts, letters etc.

There’s also a massive collection of stamps and postcards here from around the world, many are very old. One letter was from a soldier who was supposed to deliver another letter to Australia. In it he explains why the letter took several years to deliver, and apologises for the delay and its bedraggled appearance. First this guy’s plane went down, then his ship and all the while he held onto the letter and ensured it was delivered, in the end.

There was also an awesome painting, done like a magic eye. If you stood off to the side you could see it was 3D, but upon walking around everything melded together and it looked like you were walking amongst shifting library bookshelves. Seriously clever.

There was a display on the history of the English language, and the way words, grammar, slang etc have developed over time. There was even a place where you could record your accent for research purposes and archiving, as accents are evolving and disappearing over time.  So like a fool I stood there and read a passage from Mr Tickle – hey, everyone keeps telling me how strong my accent is J

Then there was a rare collection of ancient bible, books and memorabilia, including (for Beatles fans) some of Lennon’s original song scribblings.

I am now staying at the Generator Hostel for a week, and I have to say, although I have only been here a few hours, it’s not really my thing. There is nowhere to put anything!! Everything has to be locked away for security and showering is a bit of a nightmare - everything gets wet! I put my pile of clothes on the floor only to discover that’s where everyone’s water supply runs to. Mmmm, soggy.  I guess I sound like a whinger, but I need to get it out there so I have an authentic record of my travels. Oh well, I’m here for a week so will have to muddle through – hopefully I’ll make some friends.

5 February, 2011 – Break Day

Today I simply had a much needed rest and caught up on some communications, blogging and minor job hunting J Just a minor note though – the Cadbury’s chocolate here is horrible! It has a completely different taste and is quite revolting. And watch out, because they have already started changing some of the Australian chocs to the UK recipe. On the plus side, they haven’t yet done away with the sickening unhealthy but delicious breakfast cereal Frosties – so that’s a plus!

4 February, 2011 – Arches, Apsley and Arthur

Today I headed back to Wellington Arch and went right to the top viewing platform for a good view over Hyde Park, Green Park and beyond.

The history of the arch is most interesting. Originally it was designed to rival the Arc de Triomphe in France (didn’t come close by the way due to revenue issues) as a bit of an ‘in your face’ gesture for losing the Battle of Waterloo. Originally a giant statue of the Duke of Wellington was erected on top of the arch, and this was a source of criticism for many people at the time, as reflected in Punch magazine, with the statue shown as being so large it was almost bigger than the arch. Over time Wellington’s statue was moved elsewhere and replaced by the Angel of Peace -  probably was time to stop rubbing in the victory. There were some lovely views of the surrounding area, but the wind was fierce from that high up.

This excursion was coupled with a visit to Apsley House, the residence of Arthur Wellesley (aka the Duke of Wellington), and still the residence of his descendants today, hence only some rooms are accessible. You weren’t allowed photos in most areas, but I did get a few. The most impressive room was the Museum, which houses all the gifts showered upon the Duke after his victory over Napoleon at Waterloo. The entire room is filled with gold dinner sets and table settings. There’s the Prussian service – 64 desert plates depicting Wellington’s life and campaigns, as well as vases, fruit platters, wine coolers and more. Or the even more impressive Saxon service, hundreds of plates made in 1818. There are batons on display, and swords, including one left behind by Napoleon when he was forced to flee from his carriage. The giant Waterloo shield is probably the highlight, and the Standard Candelabras (nothing standard about them I must say) – designed for the sideboard at parties.

Then there’s the grand staircase featuring a giant naked statue of Napoleon. During World War I a maid was staying in the house alone when it sustained damage from a bomb blast. When a neighbour came to check on her the biggest concern was that the blast, much to her horror, had blown the carefully placed leaf from the nether regions of the statue – this needed to be amended immediately!

There are several massive drawing rooms full of paintings, and I mean full, from floor to ceiling, and it is amazing to think the Duke held parties here celebrating his victories. The ornate ceilings and chandeliers are so intricate and dripping with gold, and much of the original furniture is still on site, including a marble table presented by Tsar Nicholas of Russia.  

A trek through Green Park soon led me to discover more squirrels (yey!) and then it was past Buckingham Palace for a visit to the Royal Mews, where the Queen’s horses, Royal cars and carriages are kept. It is called the Mews because it used to house falcons, and the name has never been changed.

A few horses were around, including one with a penchant for smiling at the camera – no joke, every time I raised the camera he smiled - but most of the thirty or so on site were out of view. The Queen personally names all horses, and their name and year of birth are displayed on a plaque above their stall. The Queen’s State Carriage was on display, as was an Australian coach and the coach that all the recent lady monarchs have travelled in for their wedding day (including Princess Diana). There were some more informal coaches also (like the goat cart!), but the highlight was the Gold Coach – a four tonne beauty that only moves at snail’s pace, even when pulled by eight horses, and dates back to the 1700’s when it cost a small fortune to make. Apparently it was quite a bumpy ride though, so the wheels were padded for extra comfort. Only the most well-behaved horses, decked out in their finest, are permitted to pull this beauty! To get the coach out of the display area for use is quite a task, with hidden doors having to be removed to permit its exit.

3 February, 2011 – Mmmm Free Tour

Today I decided to head off on a free tour of central London and here I met Gina from Hawaii and Saba from Canada. We visited many of the same places Murray had already taken me, but I learnt lots of interesting things along the way.

Also, before the tour I was lucky enough to see the police hold up traffic while the cavalry crossed through Hyde Park and across the road in preparation for the Changing of the Guard.

First we learnt all about the history of the Wellington Arch, then it was off to Buckingham Palace to catch a glimpse (literally) of the Changing of the Guard.  We learnt all about previous Palace break-ins, including the one where the Queen woke up with an Irishman in her bed – mmm top security. However at the time he did it there was actually no law against it as there is today, because different laws applied to the Palace than to common soil. It took the police over half an hour to arrive after being called, even though they’re right up the road. Well if the Queen can’t get priority service, who can?

Then we went past the residence of Charles and Camilla (and yes, they were home) and St James Palace – home of Princes William and Harry and commissioned by Henry VIII many moons ago – in fact he tore down a home for lepers in order to build it. No wonder he had bad karma.

We even saw a Gentleman’s club, some of which have a 60 year waiting list, and cost 3,000 pounds to get in.

Then it was on to Trafalgar Square, and guess what, the fountain was working today. It looked beautiful!  Admiralty Arch was next on the list, built for Queen Victoria, and just around the corner was the Banqueting Hall, the grounds of which will be used to play beach volleyball during the Olympics in 2012 – bit different to Oz.

Next were Churchill’s War Rooms (more on them later as I came back to see them that afternoon).

By now we were at the back of St James Park – you will love this story. When heads of state and other visitors would visit the Kings and Queens of old, it was traditional to bring a present. This usually consisted of some sort of exotic animal. For quite some time they were kept at the Park, but most have now been rehoused in London Zoo. That is except for a breeding pair of pelicans, which have had many babies over the years. However these pelicans have developed a strange habit. Apparently they have been seen to eat pigeons! Well there are plenty of pigeons around, so a good food source I guess, but I swear it is supposed to be true. Apparently there’s footage on You Tube for those interested.

Next came the glorious Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. Our guide Jo told as all about the political group led by Sir Francis Drake, who attempted to blow up parliament, and a graphic description of what was done to the traitors once caught. Hung, drawn and quartered as was a fond favourite of the times.

Overall the tour lasted about three hours, so in the afternoon I headed back to Churchill’s War Rooms. I cannot describe how amazing it is to stand in the same corridors where Churchill and his entire cabinet spent time during the war, making vital decisions. The chambers were not bomb-proof, so weren’t really that secure, but Churchill was determined to fight the war from Britain, like any other civilian. In fact when the bombs were going off, he would sometimes watch from the roof!

There was much to be seen, including the war cabinet room, where all the important figures met to discuss further actions, and the transatlantic telephone room, which was disguised as the PM’s private toilet but actually contained a secret line directly to the US President.

The corridors are dingy and quite narrow in places, and it’s hard to imagine just how many staff worked and lived here underground in the height of the war. Actors in period costume were even walking around to add to the experience. There were original signs, furniture and mementoes from the times, such as the original keys for locking doors. But my favourite item was the original sugar ration of a worker. Sugar was precious and he had stuffed it away in his drawer, with his name on it, where it was found many years later.

There were living quarters for the detectives, major representatives and staff, the PM’s dining room and a kitchen.

Churchill and his wife Clementine had separate state rooms, which can still be seen decked out with some of the original furniture and layout as they would have been many years ago. One little gem was a piece of wartime graffiti in the conference room – where someone has scribbled an image of Hitler flat on his bottom! Not a bad drawing either J

The map room still contains the original wartime maps, complete with pin holes depicting the positions of various troops, and the Churchill Museum will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the man himself. From his early childhood and a lock of his hair, to his schooling days and a record of his misbehaviour in class. From his days in the army to his letters and his love of books (you know we used to use soft toy animals to mark where a book had been removed from his shelf – must have been a great man). There’s so much memorabilia, from his many medals, his outfits, old cigars, his hearing aid and his personal paintings are all on display. So not only can you learn everything you wanted to about Churchill, it really is just thrilling to be underground, walking the same corridors as these people did so long ago.  

1 February, 2011 – Now that’s a Museum



Had to get the phonebox shot



Mmm Paddington

Today Murray escorted me to the British Museum. This place is huge!!! There are five levels, and entry is free. It is just so amazing to think that this place houses some of the most ancient artefacts in to world. One of the first things you encounter is the Rosetta Stone, complete with its three types of ancient writing. Then there’s some of the artefacts from ancient Greece, including ancient pottery, crockery, coins, statues, spearheads, figures and more. The remnants of an ancient mausoleum were also of interest.  I was lucky to look around a quarter of the place in the time we had, so decided I would go back the next day. We then went down to Waterloo and took a river cruise along the Thames, thus avoiding peak hour Tube time – which is pretty hectic. The cruise took us to Tower Bridge via Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral and more. Then it was time to get off for a look at the bridge and the Tower of London. The Tower really is one of the most impressive things I’ve seen yet, I can’t wait to go back and check it out properly. After dinner at a local pub, we rounded the day off with a quick trip to Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Chinatown, as I wanted to go back on Sunday when they celebrate the Chinese New Year. This year is the year of the rabbit – I think that’s my year actually.

 
 



Rosetta Stone



  

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Cruise on the Thames

   

    

 



Chinatown

 


 

Outside the Museum

2 February, 2011 – British Museum Continued

Well it was back to the Museum today, and I’m proud to say I got to see most of it this time.  There were still a few bits I missed, but honestly, after a while, there is only so much you can see – no matter how old it is J A highlight in the African section was the giant tree, chair and animals they have constructed out of old guns. This idea came about as a result of a project to clean up the area’s abandoned guns after the war – and they look really cool. The Egyptian display was probably the best though. To see not only the sarcophaguses but the mummified bodies themselves is quite an experience. Just think how old they are, still embalmed after all these years. There were also mummified falcons, baboons, cats, cow calves, crocodiles, fish and other creatures. The body of an elderly Egyptian lady was on display, and had been unwrapped completely from her tomb. You could practically see the expression on her face, and there was a hole above her waist where her internal organs would have been removed. There are original jars where organs were kept, and mini statues designed to be placed in the tomb with the deceased so as to serve them in the afterlife. Real servants would have been most pleased with this development, as it meant they were no longer killed for the same task once their master died. The figures could do the job instead. There were even examples of mummified bread and duck that were placed in the tombs for the afterlife, still remarkably preserved. Of course not everyone was rich enough to be embalmed. So it was interesting to see the contrast between those buried in different ways. In one display case was a man who had been buried directly in the hot desert sand and he is remarkable preserved. Although this method of burial became a problem for many, as animals were digging up the bodies. Therefore the Egyptians began to bury bodies in primitive coffins made of wood. However as the body wasn’t up against the sand, it quickly deteriorated, so there is nothing left but bones. It was really interesting to see the difference.  I deliberately allocated time to fit in the tour of Egypt being run at the Museum, this was most interesting, particularly the translation of one of the hieroglyphic stones, which was a testament of what one particular Egyptian Prince (Rahotpe) wanted placed with him in his tomb for the afterlife.  The slab spelt out his name (three times), his position (King’s son), his  job (Priest) and his requests, including food and eye makeup.  The drawing of the lotus flower apparently means one thousand of each item – so he requested 1,000 linens, wines, perfumes and loaves of bread.  Think of the people that could have fed!

There are a number of hands-on exhibits too, where Museum staff allow you to handle ancient objects and tell you more about them.  I got to hold a figurine of an old Roman God, amongst other things. The staff are so nice and helpful – and the guy could tell I was from Australia, because he’s been, so we had a good chat. Then it was on to the ancient money section.  There was an ancient jug found about 20 years ago full of Roman coins and a ring – it was really delicate, but we got to hold it. There were examples of coin forgeries, yes apparently it has always gone on. The main difference was size, the forgeries were slightly smaller than they should have been. People also used to cut off the excess silver from around the edge of the coins and sell it. If they did it right they could usually still get away with using the coin too. Coins were also used for propaganda back in the day, with one coin depicting a Jew crying on the ground next to a Roman soldier after being defeated in an attempted uprising. The coin served as a warning to other Jews not to try something similar.

There were a series of ancient stamps, warheads (including the oldest warhead known to be in existence at 1.5 million years old), and clocks - there were some truly awesome clocks. One in particular was a golden ship from around 1585, which was intended to announce banquets at court. Music would come from the little organ inside, and all the little men would march out on deck. The ship would even travel across the table and the cannons would fire. Fancy hey! Pity it doesn’t work any more L

So after feeling I had travelled the ancient worlds of Egypt, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, I had seen most of what the Museum had to offer.  Well worth the visit though. Then it was off to dinner at a fancy restaurant, The Blue Door, well I didn’t realise it was that fancy till I went inside. You know, one of those places where they put the napkin on your lap and offer you free tasters. Felt a little guilty for only ordering a main!

31 January, 2011 – My First Day in London

Murray chatting up a very life-like manniquin

Marble Arch

Well after a nice filling breakfast, Murray arrived to offer me the ‘London Introductory Tour’. First on the agenda was a trip to Oxford Street in search of a warmer jacket for me. Well once again I was reminded of home – whenever you are looking for something in the shops in a hurry, you will never find it - that’s familiar. Found a nice jacket, size eight, too big, need a six – there are none. Another nice one, size six, too small this time, need an eight, don’t have one.  After a few hours of strolling it was time to give up and head over to the Marble Arch, on the corner of Hyde Park. It wasn’t long before we developed a Jet Star theme throughout the photos – that explains all the jumping. Perhaps  Murray just wanted to humiliate me in hindsight J Although it was still only four degrees, believe it or not the sun was coming out, and we took the opportunity to go for a bike ride in the park, lest such a ‘nice’ day should never come around again. Well I am perhaps not the best bike rider, and this coupled with the fact I was already jetlagged (I will use that excuse anyway) meant that we only got half way to our destination before I was buggered.

'Feeding' a baby swan

At Hyde Park

 So we took a stroll through Hyde Park, which has the most beautiful white swans you have ever seen. They will come right up to you for food - and I intend to go back with some. Then it was on to Wellington Arch (more on that later) and the war memorials, including one dedicated to the British, one for the Aussies and one for New Zealand.

 Then it was across to Green Park and the home of her Royal Highness – Buckingham Palace. As it’s winter the guards were in their plainer uniforms, instead of the beefeater get-up. The gates were really impressive, as is the Victoria statue.



Buckingham Palace





Palace Gates



Murray & I at Buckingham Palace

 

Me with the old bill



Feeding the squirrels

    

Then it was onto St James Park and a real highlight for me – squirrels. Now I know other countries see them as pests but to me they are such a novelty.  They see you and come running down from the trees right up to your hand, place their little front feet on you and sniff you. They are so cute and their tails are beautiful. I don’t care how stupid I look crouched down in the middle of the park clicking my tongue (hey it works) I’m going to keep doing it!



Westminster Abbey

Then it was on to Trafalgar Square, where you can find the National Gallery, an impressive fountain (which wasn’t operational at the time due to repairs) and Nelson’s Column.



At Nelson's Column

Just around the corner are the Horse Guards near number 10 Downing Street, , which is hidden away and heavily guarded, gone are the days when you can just stroll by. The horse guards are the strong, silent type, but the horses are beautiful.  Poor things just stand there for hours on end and unfortunately no toilet breaks are allowed, so when they’ve got to go – well they go, as I was lucky enough to witness first-hand.

Me and a red bus



London Eye



Then it was time for a look at Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey – my favourite point on the trip. What a magnificent building! I am yet to go inside, but it’s pretty impressive. Then it was across Westminster Bridge for a look at the London Eye - and so my first day drew to a close. Mmmm tired.