A Week Of Birthday Celebrations - Days 5 & 6

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Day 5:

They were predicting rain, so we got smart and decided we would sleep in and have a lazy day. We got up for breakfast and then Susan and I made our way to the Surrey Quays Shopping Center for a little shopping. Now, I don't need much here, but it was just the excitement of walking around and seeing all the stuff that I don't need... sweaters, boots, scarves, mittens... you get the idea. I won't lie, I bought a couple of things I didn't need (I couldn't help myself!) and then we met Marty at the movie theatre for a matinee of Iron Lady. Great movie. Meryl Steep is brilliant. See it if you are able to.

After the movie, it was more peace and quiet as we opted to lay low and rest.

Day 6:

There were a few things on the "Want To See" list, so we got up early to knock them off the list. First stop, St. Paul's Cathedral.

What a gorgeous place. Unlike the Salisbury Cathedral, no pictures were allowed inside St. Paul's. We were able to wander freely throughout the place. Again, with our personal headsets for our self-guided tour, we learned about the Baptism Font, The High Altar, The Whispering Dome, The Crypt, the architecture and design, the restoration efforts, the re-construction of parts of the Cathedral after the bombings during World War II.

It was really interesting. I highly recommend you use the personal handsets wherever and whenever they are offered to you.

We were able to walk up 257 steps to the Whispering Dome. It is the lowest part of the dome and there is a walkway around the whole thing. Once you walk up, you can sit on one side of the dome and whisper something into the wall and it will travel the wall to the other side where the person you are whispering to can hear the message. In true "little brother" fashion, I told my sister Susan that her fetl smelled. It wasn't after I said it that I realized everyone else sitting along the dome can hear the message as it travels passed them. This is a warning... don't say anything rude if you are going to go to the Whispering Dome. I would hate to see you get thrown out of a Cathedral.

Following St. Paul's we took the Tube to Harrods. We didn't want to shop, but we figured we should at least see the place. What a mob scene. It is no different than Macy's or Bloomingdales in New York City. It's just a giant department store with overpriced clothes and stuff. It was cool to see it, though. We made our way to the Confection Store and bought chocolates for people back home.

From there, I said goodbye to Susan and Marty as they headed to Westminster Abbey and The House of Parliament. I was heading to Soho to meet up with my friend, Robert Hatfield... The guy who made the "Don't fall off the other side of the mountain, Julie Andrews" comment back when I was climbing Table Mountain in Cape Town.

Robert lives in Toronto but was in London for one night. We got together for dinner, drinks, and an evening of laughter. What a great night. Robert has to be one of the funniest people I know. There are no pictures of our meeting... Frankly, it's best for everyone involved.

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Photos

Tower At St. Paul's
One of many

Susan and Marty
On the very steps Diana climbed to matrimony bliss.

Street Scene At Harrods
What you can't see are the limos lined up with bodyguards waiting.