This means everybody goes to Greenwich - it's crazy here today! We locals have to head into the city for some peace ;)
so we did... first to Milkbar for great coffee and yummy brunch. Then, to what is reputedly the oldest tree in London. It is a plane tree and it was very lovely and has done well to survive. The streets around it have the best names: Poultry, Cheapside, Honey, Milk, Bread, Threadneedle...
I will post pictures separately, courtesy of the ipod.
After that we toodled over to St Paul's - mostly because it was there and so were we. What a great visit. First, we found the less well travelled south door (or some compass point) where there was NO QUEUE to get in and a cool automated ticket machine that liked our onesmart card. The entry price includes the audio tour - take note other attractions - which, while a tad preachy (funny that) was informative and definitely added value to the visit.
But we got to climb - to the whispering gallery, then further up, and up again, to look out from the dome and witness London in all its damp glory. Today actually started with blue skies and some promise. We decided that it augured well, despite the chilling temperature and cool breeze (forecast high of 12 today - again). Geoff donned a short-sleeved shirt and NO POLYPROP in celebration. When we emerged from brunch the blue was grey and it was business as usual. Anyway, St Paul's, inspiring architecturally, emotionally, possibly even spiritually, I suppose. I lit a candle for dad. I think he would have liked it.
It's a very popish church - they sell rosaries and everything.
The crypt also had lots going on. Good old Blake is here - resting - and we also found King Dick (I recognised his bust!), Freyberg and George Grey.
Possibly the best part was reading that the suffragettes had planted a bomb here in 1913. I think it was under the bishop's chair (?) It's interesting to reflect on that level of desperation in a crypt filled, in the most part, with dead men. Still, bombs, in any time and place, are not good and I'm not condoning it; just saying...
Bank holiday pictures have been posted separately, courtesy of G's ipod.
Time for an ale...
Oh well, you're obviously now flitting somewhere without the free wifi. Missing the morning read!! You'll be pleased to know that today our weather has finally gone out in sympathy with yours - only got to 16 today and grey and dismal. Thanks for the package.Exciting. Photos will follow. Just put your rubbish out which I forgot last week. Ooops! Not too smelly. Dlink delinked. Also as it was dark I noticed that your outside light was on. Oops again. Downside - will have cost you money. Upside - will have annoyed the neighbours! look forward to your next installment. Glad you did St Pauls. Think the term we Anglicans prefer is Baroque rather than Popish. Guess at least if those women had succeeded with their bomb they'd have had the skills to clean up afterwards!!
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