After a very wet morning at Canary Wharf the day ended on a dry note at Highbury read Chris' tour of Highbury when I went to watch Arsenal take on Fulham with my Aussie mate Dom Tilden and his fellow Fulham supporters Damien and David (lots of 'D's huh?). I left Borough on my way to Highbury, however my first task was to buy a water-proof jacket, which for some reason was one of the items culled from my luggage before leaving Australia.(“hmm, its never going to rain in London” could not possibly have been a thought of mine before leaving Sydney, but your mind plays silly tricks on you when you decided to pack lightly). Anyway I was back on The Tube and up to Oxford Circus in search of some wet-weather gear and amazingly ... read more

A sunny day inspired me to take off early from the flat and head into town for a day of 'tourist-like' sightseeing. I took off towards London Bridge, stopping for a capucinno and then into London's financial district which led me on to St. Paul's Cathedral. St. Paul's was an inspiration to Britain and in particular Londoners during the Second World War, when much of the surrounding area was destroyed during the Blitz, there are many pictures of the great cathedral standing steadfast surrounded by smoke and flames. Its domination of the local skyline makes it an easy landmark to find and its size is quite incredible. I’m not sure which is larger, St Paul’s or St Peters Basilica in Rome but they are both magnificent buildings. The only unfortunate thing about St Paul’s is the ... read more

Well the first week of my European Adventure is over and for one reason or another the seven days in London just flew by so quickly. With the exception of yesterday (Friday 19th August) the weather has been fantastic, you could even describe it as Sydney-like. My friends Mick and Sally arrived from the North of England on Tuesday and we spent the days wandering around the town and allocating plenty of time to drink coffee and read the excellent newspapers of London. I’ve taken a liking for the Guardian and the Telegraph however there is always The Times, Independent and a number of tabloids to read as well. On Thursday, Sally and I took the tube to Hammersmith to do some shopping, a busy, vibrant place with a great selection of shops. Interesting to note ... read more

Tuesday 16th August. Today I made my very first trip to Highbury Stadium, the home of the mighty Arsenal Football Club (The Gunners) and an important part of Jack family history. David Bone Nightingale Jack (my grandfather for those who don’t know) was one of the great footballers of his generation in the 1920s and 1930s with Bolton Wanderers and Arsenal. When he moved to Arsenal from Bolton, the club paid a world record fee for him. I have seen him described as “… a vital and elegant man who scored his goals with sharp-edged charm and even good manners.” (I’m not sure how you score goals with good manners, perhaps he apologised to the goalkeepers after scoring!) So I was extremely proud to walk into the stadium yesterday and see a number of references to ... read more

So where is Borough and what type of a place is it? Early on Borough became known for its inns and bawdy behaviour and as a hideout for felons. Today it is very much a part of London, and its unsavoury reputation has gone. The neighbourhood is now a Conservation Area to preserve its special character. There is a great potpourri of architecture, from the beautiful Hop Exchange and The George Inn, built in 1676, to the numerous modern office blocks and warehouse conversions Running south from the southern end of London Bridge, Borough High Street winds its way down from London Bridge to the unusually named Elephant and Castle. (hmm more research on this one for later). It's a very busy street, with plenty of shops, cafes and offices, and it's not exactly the most ... read more