Exploring London

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The weather didn’t cooperate for my day trip today. Apparently the storms last night were so bad that train service all over England is still delayed today. So I spent the day in London and ducked into convenient museums or Starbucks when showers threatened. I started with Rick Steves’s West End Walk which explores London’s theater district, Covent Garden, and Piccadilly Circus. The walk took me by some favorite places, including the fountain topped with the statue of Eros in the middle of Piccadilly Circus. Next I walked to the National Portrait Gallery to see the paintings, statues, and photographs of famous British people through the ages. It was only mildly interesting, but I was pleased to see “portraits” of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones among those of William Shakespeare and Winston Churchill. For lunch I stopped at a pub called The Sherlock Holmes. I ordered fish & chips and a pint of ale - a meal that seems appropriate if one is visiting England. Suitably fortified, I walked across the Jubilee (pedestrian) Bridge to the south bank of the Thames River and took a photo of the London Eye ferris wheel. I strolled along with the crowds and enjoyed being outdoors in London on a sunny day. The clouds were starting to gather, however, and before long I had my umbrella out. I generally carry a small travel umbrella and it certainly helped keep me dry today. I walked to small museum called The Wallace Collection. It is located in a London mansion and displays paintings, armor, furniture, etc in a way that is similar to how the well-to-do did it in the 18th century. It’s no British Museum, but it is reasonably diverting. By the time I left, the sun was out again and I couldn’t help noticing how many people were on the streets today, presumably typical for a Saturday in August. Tomorrow I will attempt my day trip again. Maybe I’ll have better luck this time.

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