Wednesday
A wet and windy Wednesday in Lancashire greeted us when we got up so a taxi to the station was needed. We got an earlier train to Preston as there was only 8 minutes between the ones on the tickets. It was a bit of a waste of time anyway as there was a power failure between Lancaster and Preston so our train to London was 40 minutes late. So close yet so far.
C
an’t complain about the Pendolino – excellent, quiet ride. Great feeling as the train leant into the bends. Could do with an extra carriage as it was pretty full. Didn’t make up any time though still 40 minutes late into London.
Sat near a West Ham football fan, his conversation with someone he appeared to have just met was for 3 hours about how many grounds he’d been on, the journeys and the people who went every week by car so he’d not met them before. No wonder! Amazing use of the F word, someone nearby threatened to call the guard but only to a fellow passenger, no guts. Thought I’d keep my head down, might be a psycho. Although he looked like a decent enough chap.
Walked from Euston to the Bloomsbury Thistle. On Euston Road a flotilla of police cars surrounding a blue van passes through the red lights on the wrong side of the road, sirens blaring. This is London. As Eric Morecambe said ‘they’ll never sell any ice-cream going at that speed’. Minutes later I’m reminded of a mental association - a mouth full of diesel fumes. Yes, this is London.
Our room was a good size at a good price for central London, without breakfast. Although; it was on the first floor near the front of the hotel which has a busy bus stop outside the door. So it was a bit noisier than we are used to at night, but this is London. For some reason we never got any soap and used the gel which I thought was a new cost saving method until there was some soap put in for the next guests. Maybe our cheap price didn’t include soap, I once experienced that in Spain about 20 years ago.
It’s 12.30pm and we set off to Leicester Square to see if there are any half price shows we want to see. We decided that half price in London is equal to more than full price at our local theatre and nothing appealed that much. So we went on to Covent Garden and the Theatre Museum. This is free and quite a worthwhile presentation. There is the Dressing Room display of photographs of well known actors preparing for their shows. The photo’s are placed in a rather small dressing room area which adds atmosphere. Interesting story of how the theatre area developed and the effects of war, film, TV and all the lottery funding that has been provided. Good old lottery.
I was a bit thirsty and had a couple of pints in a pub across the road – I like those London pubs, nice pints too. We then went into the Royal Opera House having seen in the museum how much it cost to build. Well, I bet the escalator cost a million, very nice though. The conservatory style restaurant / bar area and balcony dining area all very classy. I’d have loved to have seen inside the auditorium but it was closed.
Next into the London’s Transport Museum at Covent Garden. Compact and accessable display of carriages, trams, buses, underground trains through the ages. Guides talking about the displays. Lots of kids. Didn’t realise the underground is literally a metal tube, at least originally. Was impressed to see a Dick Kerr Preston electrical power system on a tram. Good old wooden underground trains and learnt that the Metropolitan Line went way out of town which I remember thinking was a mistake on an old 
film.
Decided on a large coffee and then walk down to the Thames by Charing Cross Station. We saw the London Eye and noticed that there is a modern footbridge across the river to it, so off we went. Next thing we were 400 feet above London – excellent – although rather pricey, I thought worth it. You can see nearly all London; it appears. Looking down on Buckingham Palace, downstream to Canary Wharf and the Gerkin shaped building which is now so much part of London. My vertigo wasn’t too bad.
Tidied up at the hotel and later had a Pizza Express on the Strand – nice pizza and garlic bread there I always think. New dessert Summer Pudding and there is a nice cheesecake so we got both and shared.
Thursday
On the Thursday morning we got out of the hotel at 9am and walked to the Victoria & Albert Museum, 3 miles away. Quietish in Oxford Street at that time. Down New Bond Street and across to Mayfair. Through Hyde Park – walking through the Princess of Wales Rose Garden near Hyde Park Corner. Lots of early spring bloom. Horses galloping along the horse track including some cavalry being trained to turn corners in formation – sergeant calling ‘you morons’. Also a dog racing a horse – great those sheep dogs, it really moved and gave the horse a good run, didn’t think it would.
Got to the V&A and had a nice coffee and very good fruit crumbly style dish before we visited the International Arts & Craft Movement Exhibition. Really my wifes subject, some interesting features – I rather liked the way some of the buildings had been designed based on interpretations of plant shapes. The Americans as usual going the whole hog and giving the designers an unlimited budget to design whole buildings way back in the 1920’s. I was also interested in the German interpretation which allowed greater industrial involvement as long as quality was not compromised.
In the V&A there was also a display of Queen Maud of Norways’ dresses. The thought left me cold but actually they are very elegant and even I appreciated their shape and the fancy stitching. She must have had a very small waist size and great taste. Very worthy of a display.
We then walked towards Chelsea and looked at the high class designer shops, no prices are shown so it must be pricey, at least £50 for a button, £45 for a clip, passing lots of embassy’s before somehow coming onto Victoria station where we decided we needed sustenance. We then walked to Chelsea Embankment and saw the Royal Hospital and a couple of Chelsea Pensioners. Then onto the Physics Garden which was closed. Next stop was a coffee on the Kings Road and a bus back to Piccadilly. Nice walking round those streets, London is a place of great contrasts – Pimlico river front high rise flats and next door there are millionaires mews houses. We all need each other so lets work together. Together we will stand every boy, girl, woman and man.
From Piccadilly it was back to the hotel and out again for food. Decided a veggie café in Neal Street was to provide it. This is one very busy little caf, down in the cellar the staff are working flat out putting out very large portions of rice with Lebanese spinach curry, crumbles and fruit salads. People almost sat on each others knee, not very relaxing. Next a couple of pints at another of Londons great pubs and on to the cinema to see the Aviator in Leicester Square Odeon Mezzanine. There were only 8 seats left when booked and the screen was probably 45 degrees above us, after 3 hours I had neck and bum ache. However the film was excellent. I’m looking for a good book about Howard Hughes, he’s one heck of a ‘going for it’ type of guy if the film is a true representation.
Friday
Day 3, Friday and there is a very cold north wind and showers. We are on the bus to St Pauls, no idea where we are. Then inside, beautiful ceiling around the alter area but otherwise a bit empty of atmosphere. I’m often a bit annoyed at the lack of respect people show in churches. How can people talk during the Lords Prayer. Over the Millenium Bridge to Tate Modern. Good views, great contrast between St Pauls and Tate Modern. Looking forward to finding something that could make some new associations in my mind. The big hall really hits you. The sound effects at first appear to be the wind but then you realise its part of the display, yes to that. Quite liked the ‘beyond painting’ display. I'm never sure what a lot of modern art is about - is it that the artists gradually develop their themes until they become unrecognisable and then they explain it and people of a like mind say 'oh yes, great thoughts'. Or is it a bit like the emporers new clothes. I view it as; do I like the appearance, does it make any thoughts click together, is it clever or technically well done? Then when you visit the galleries there is so much that you don't understand or need to think about that it becomes overwhelming and sometimes you need to get out and leave with a fairly negative mood. I think a guide is needed.
The Globe Theatre is next door to the Tate. I was a bit surprised at new the Globe looked, someone should cover it in dung and rough it up a bit. Add a few smells using real horse muck.
We bought a ticket for a boat trip to Embankment but the boat had broken down so they gave us our money back and we walked. Wasn’t far anyway and made our way across the footbridge to Charing Cross and sat in St Martins in the Fields church. A mini-orchestra was practising and it was quite pleasant, a nice church. A down-and-out was hiding inside but it was a cold day and we all need to make it through the tough days. Wandered through Soho and ended up at Liberty’s, then back to the hotel.
Decided on another Pizza Express – this was a nice one somewhere near Piccadilly with a Jazz Bar or as the waiter said would you like to go into the Jaiz Bar. I asked him what was the Jaiz Bar and he thought that meant yes so off we went into a cellar bar which if it hadn’t been a Pizza Express would have made me nervous. However it was quite good with the piped Jaiz music as well. Got to say the staff were probably the best I’ve come across and the room very cosy. Nice bottle of Frascati with my American Pizza. Followed by another night with Summer Pudding, Cheesecake with Ice Cream mixed desserts.
We intended to go to the Royal Academy of Arts late night opening of Matisse and Turks but it was very busy with a long queue in the freezing cold. So we wandered around the shop and made our departure. Couple of pints in a pub and back to the hotel.
Saturday
Saturday, sunny and still cold. Nice organic toast near St Giles in a trendy ladies hairdressers / therapy centre, felt a bit out of place. Although their toaster only worked on one side so maybe their shiny place was more image than substance.
Walked to the British Museum. Hadn’t seen the new atrium, very nice indeed especially on a sunny day. Hadn’t seen the re-work of the old reference library – very nice as well. Thought that they could have made a bigger play on that it was the famous reference library – wasn’t it? Where Karl Marx read. Such a fabulous museum. The Assyrian display always leaves me in awe. Also a Tate Modern like display of all the pills we take through our life with pictures of the dying – is it a health service or a sickness service. I’m healthy, I think, and a health service would keep me that way rather than shovelling pills down me when it’s too late. I want an annual service! An explanation of the Elgin Marbles controversy was based mainly on the context of the full museum ancient world displays. If I had something and the British Museum wanted to put it as a main display I’d be so proud. It is one of, or maybe up there as the, great museums of the world. Keep it free, keep it big and keep it growing, shovel in the lottery money.
It’s off to check out from the Bloomsbury Thistle before noon and then to Euston. Another great Pendolino experience arriving 5 minutes early and then onto the local train, packed from Manchester all the way to Preston, 10 minutes late, that’s why we won’t allow an 8 minute gap between trains. The line from Crewe to Preston being currently closed at weekend for Speedline and C&S work whatever that is.
A great few days in London, think I’ll be back as soon as my wallet heals and I’ve had a breath of fresh air and some silence.