Lynnee in London

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Panarama - Buckingham Palace and surrounds

Day 2 Not much to mention except the flight was long. What is it about long flights that they constantly want you to pretend it's night time? We're flying over Siberia and northern Russian, the sky is clear and I can see the ice and the rivers that make up this incredible landscape. I'm thoroughly enjoying the view but I feel guilty because the inside of the cabin is made to look like night time and my window is burning through the dark. Maybe I don't understand the system but if people have a full 'night's sleep' on a day flight and arrive in London at 4pm local time, wouldn't they be up all night?

Day 3 I'm on my first couchsurf. There's another surfer here too. Juraj from Slovakia (pronounced Yuray). My host, John, met me the night before at the bus station and has set me up in his room while he bunks in the living room. Nice! Anyway, John has to work, so Juraj takes me for a long walk along the Thames to Richmond Park and back to Kingston. We were gone most of the day, it was the typical countryside with deer and woods, old country houses and English gardens. Still end of winter so no green on the trees yet. My first day was a nice welcome to this country. I had to laugh a little that on my first day in England I was shown around by a Slovakian. And he's a great talker, too!

Day 4 I went to visit the Queen today and Juraj wanted to join me. So we set out for the train in Kingston. There was to be a few changes of train with underground and a walk to get to Buckingham Palace. On the way, there were some interesting characters to watch and a group of mentally challenged people hopped on who proudly told me they were off to the Aquarium today. One lady took a shine to my newly acquired $5 op-shop coat with fur trim.

We get off at Waterloo (yeah, I'm in London really) and walk up the Thames. The walk was magnificent with the London Eye across the way, Big Ben Clock Tower up ahead, black cabs, red Tardis telephone booths, Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral (do you think we're in Westminster?), red double-decker buses, ye olde worlde architecture mixed with new. The Cathedral was brilliant and every available surface was covered in smalti mosaics. Stunning! I read a sign saying no photos, so you all know me by now, I secretly take pics without flash so as not to draw attention to myself (yeah, some of you are smiling over that comment) Kinda like my secret pic of the farmer who found the Terracotta Warriors. We didn't have much time to stay long but on the way out I noticed the sign about no photos and at the bottom of it, it says 'during service'. Ha, I'll have to come back and take some better ones. It's was a long walk around but we finally found the Palace in time for tea and the Queen was home too. Lizzie had a headache and wasn't in the mood for afternoon tea with a colonial so I said that's ok I'll come back on Monday to check on ya.

We stroll through Hyde Park towards Speakers' Corner (only on Sundays). We are due to meet John at the Paternoster Square near St Paul's Cathedral (yes, I AM in London) I wanted to visit the Museum of London today so he met us for that. We walk through lanes and mini parks toward the museum and find a memorial wall to mark the everyday heroes who died in the attempt to save others. Most are from 1800's but there is one dated 2007. The museum was great with a lot of the Roman artefacts too (you know how I love Roman history).

Where we are is the oldest part of London. The actual City of London. Today it has only 4000 inhabitants. We walk into the Barbican which is a community of people as well as arts, theatres, galleries, restaurants. It's a huge 1970's construction that is like a separate community to the outside world. John has heard a lot about an art display and we decide to visit. The queues are long but we figure it must be worth the wait. Only 25 people are allowed in at any one time. It must be good, we're thinking. We chat with the others in the queue to pass the time away. Our feet are killing us from all the walking today. We are due to meet at Aldsgate East station for our Jack the Ripper Tour by 6.50pm and we are still waiting to get in to the exhibit at 6.15pm. An hour and a half later we finally get in and walk along a boardwalk and see what all the fuss is about. There are birds, finches to be exact, who are flying around a large room. You can hear them twitter. There are cymbals and electric guitars set up and switched on. The birds land on the strings on the guitars and walk around and you can hear the notes of this over a sound system. Yeah! That's it! hahahahahahaha I attempted to liven it up a bit by putting some birdseed on the fret board. The sounds of this were more exciting than the birds. People moved in thinking there was some excitement. We didn't stay long. I can't help but wonder if the CD will be released soon.

Juraj leaves us and we catch a cab to Aldsgate East Station for the walking tour in Whitechapel. A very interesting couple of hours wandering the streets at night to imagine what it would have been like during the time of Jack the Ripper. The cobblestones were still visible in some streets and even some buildings remained. The doorway where the clues were found (a bloodied apron and message) after the double murders was still there but now it's an entrance to a fish 'n' chip shop. "I'll have the Juwes Family Meal Deal please!" ha ha! Our guide was brilliant and painted a gruesome picture. She also had photographs of the bodies after the mutilation. Eww!

We are to meet another couchsurfer at 10.30pm at Waterloo Station and being soooo hungry by 9pm, John and I go to the south bank for dinner. We enjoy a great gourmet pizza and bottle of wine on the Thames and finish in time to collect Warren. A strange name for a frenchman. Back on the train and home. I'm pooped and quickly pass out.

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Comments

[Martin and Nancy]

Glad you made it!
Hi from the Tree House. So glad you made it to the UK in time for spring! How long are you staying? I have just returned from Cairns - left Martin on his own for 12 days. He was doing real well until the night prior to my return. He managed to fall down rear stairs, with the hand rail making huge swipe on his let hip area. Called in the Ambulance to Redland Hosp. X-ray showed no broken ribs, but the experience shook him up a bit. I returned the next day in time to dress wounded hip and ego. This month I should win the Nancy Nurse Award hands down. Loved your pictures and quick history lesson too. Have a great time and w look forward to the next installment. PS: Martin did NOT get in the Super Club this time. Sigh.

[mum]

hi lynnee
good to see you are enjoying london, love xxx