London - The End

23 November

Tuesday had arrived: the day of our departure from the fair island of Britain. As I was flying back to Munich and the two Slovenians back to their home country, we would be departing at different times: the Slovenians in the morning and myself later in the afternoon. That gave me plenty of time to spend a bit more time in the city, whereas the Slovenians would need to go straight to the airport. So we woke up early and I said farewell to Iain & Paulina, our kind hosts, and Peter and Matjaž.

I walked to the train station and hopped aboard the express train to London. Twenty minutes later I found myself once again in the great city with hours of exploration ahead. First, I took the Tube to Westminster where I walked past Benjamin Franklin's house on Craven Street. He lived here off and on from 1757-1775 while serving as a representative of the Colonies to Parliament. It is the only residence of Franklin's still standing...

Just up the street from Doctor Franklin's house is Trafalgar Square...

As I wandered the square I noticed a hawk flying from perch to perch around the square...

And then I saw the hawker. I went over and talked to him and it turns out that he works for a company that specializes in "avian solutions." The city of London hires them to bring their hawks to public places in order to scare away the pigeons and gulls. I had never heard of such a thing but sure enough, there wasn't a pigeon to be seen around the square.

It was interesting chatting with the fellow and seeing his bird up close. Then he had to get back in the van and go on to the next place. What a cool job!

The National Gallery at Trafalgar Square...

St. Martin-in-the-Fields...

Inside...

From Trafalgar I wandered up the streets a bit just to explore and see the old city. Every building is different...

I made my way over to Covent Garden and found a student group getting ready to rehearse some music in a church...

The Covent Garden Market...

The Royal Opera House...

As one wanders the streets of London, one can't help but wonder what many figures both great and small have walked these streets, passed through these doors, and looked from these windows....

The Grand Masonic Lodge of London...

Another pub...

London's most famous Hungarian restaurant...

Sleeping pigeon on Soho Square...

Soho Square...

I made my way towards Tottenham Court Road...

And then I found myself again at the British Museum...

Of course it is free and so I went back inside to take a look at a few things I missed on Saturday.

This is one of the earliest examples of writing known to exist. It explains how much beer should be given to workers. Mesopotamia, 3300-3100 BC

Standard of Ur, Iraq, 2500 BC

Ivory Sandal Label of King Den, Egyptian, 3000 BC

Sudanese "Obama" Sphinx of Taharqo, 680 BC

Arabian Bronze Hand, 100-300 AD

Glazed Brick Guardsman, Susa, Iran, 500 BC

Welsh Gold Cape, 1900-1600 BC. Did you know they were making stuff this nice in Wales that long ago? I didn't...

Iron Age Bronze Helmet, found in Thames, 150-50 BC. I don't care how tough the wearer of this helmet was, he must have looked silly...

Lindow Man in Bog, 2 BC-119 AD. Yes, these are the preserved remains of an actual human being...

There were quite a few school groups all around the museum...

Hinton St. Mary Mosaic, 300-400 AD, Dorset, one of the oldest surviving depictions of Christ. Not quite how I pictured him...

Pictish Carving 'The Burghead Bull' 7th cent. AD

Lothair Crystal, 855-869 AD, exquisite medieval artwork depicting the Biblical story of Susanna...

One of the most famous and archeologically valuable artifacts in the museum, offering a rare glimpse into the world of the ancient Anglo-Saxons: the Sutton Hoo Helmet, 600-700 AD

Norse Chess Pieces, 1150-1200 AD

I left the British Museum and took the Tube to the Financial District on the East End. It was time for lunch.

I love the mix of old and new in the Financial District...

Lloyd's of London is headquartered in this famous "inside-out" building...

Now, I'm afraid I must confess to a bit of foolishness: The trusty little London map that I had only showed me as far east as St. Paul's. Everything east of the cathedral, including the Financial District and Tower Hill, were not a part of my map. Thus while I was in these areas I had only vague notions of where I was headed. I wasn't too concerned, however, while I looked at this lost wandering as part of the adventure and fun.

And so I found myself in the Financial District with a most ambiguous sense of direction. I knew that somewhere nearby there must be a place for good cheap curry. As I sat amidst the skyscrapers housing some of the world's most wealthy financial institutions I knew that "cheap" would be something I might have to walk a ways to find.

So I walked...

And what should I come across but the Leadenhall Market!

Leadenhall is one of London's best-preserved Victorian markets.

You might even recognise it from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the scenes from Diagon Alley were partially filmed here. And no wonder, with caryatid dragons perched above...

After walking through Leadenhall market and chatting with a French baker, I continued my aimless quest to find cheap curry. I walked further east and was soon disheartened to find myself completely lost with no curry in sight. "In for a penny, in for a pound," goes the saying and so I figured it wouldn't do any harm to lose myself further and turn up whichever old street I came across. I did this several times, my hunger now ready to sit down in any old cheap eatery, and then the most peculiar thing of all occurred. I turned a corner and there before me were the gates to Little Bengal on Brick Lane!

I couldn't believe my good fortune as I hurried towards the gates. All at once I had my pick of Bengali eateries as far and wide as Brick Lane herself. The roadsigns and shops were all in Bengali and English...

I found a proper curry eatery that was within my budget and I sat down to a marvelous lunch of lamb with a mango juice to wash it down. I was quite satisfied and grateful for having found my goal without even knowing where to find it.

From Brick Lane I simply followed the skyscrapers back towards the Financial District. I strolled down Petticoat Lane, the scene of the selling of wares for centuries...

I wanted to buy a suit, but thought better of it...

I passed by the skyscrapers and took a short bus to Tower Hill on the Thames. The sky over the river was most spectacular with the stark colours giving one the idea that somewhere wet paint had condensed to form the clouds...

Here is the London City Hall with The Shard under construction in the distance...

I crossed the mighty Tower Bridge with a view back towards the Tower of London and the Financial District...

Blue clouds over Butler's Wharf...

Under the Bridge...

I had never seen such swirling colourful clouds in my life...

I walked up the south banks of the Thames passing the Horniman at Hays...

And the old Hay's Galleria...

London Bridge and St. Paul's...

Arriving at London Bridge I took peek behind at the way I had come...

It was soon time for me to slowly make my way to the airport. I took a double-decker bus from London Bridge back into the Financial District...

Passed by Dirty Dick's...

Finally I arrived at Liverpool Street Station...

I did a bit of snack shopping at Marks & Spencers and then boarded my train to Stansted Airport. My flight back to Munich was uneventful and finally I found myself home again.

It had been an excellent five-day get-away with good friends and great experiences. Later, Peter and I declared the trip a success and he said he was glad to be able to visit the great city of London before leaving on his mission.

A few weeks later Peter finally received his mission call:

London, England

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