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My Canterbury Tales – 12th February – day 1

Posted in Fun Stuff, Historical, It's my life, things to do in London, Travel, tagged canterbury tales, geoffrey chaucer, travels round london on March 10, 2011| 8 Comments »

So 12th February was the start of my big adventure, the start of my Canterbury Tales along the Pilgrim’s Route.
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” Jawaharial Nehru
Following in the footsteps of Chaucer, I had decided to visit all the places in Southwark, that were around in his day. I was chomping at the bit to get going. I have already been to most of these places in the past, (recent past that is, not a previous life’s past!), but thought that for the sake of the blog, I should revisit them. (p.s. it has taken me 18 hours to put this blog together!! So for the sake of my sanity….please read the whole thing! 🙂 )
Discussing the adventure the day before with my Social Media Strategist, Cémanthe, of @NewMediaAngels, she suggested that I tweet about my trip and use the hashtag #njgtravels. What a great idea! Of course I can then use that hashtag for the next leg of the journey too which starts on April 3rd 2011. At that stage I plan to start from Greenwich and over the week with a bit of luck and lots of walking…….reach Canterbury. Hhmmm!!
For now I would only be doing the first two stages of Chaucer’s journey; Deptford and Greenwich.

geoffrey chaucer canterbury tales pilgrims route to canterbury

probable route that Chaucer followed to Canterbury

Since this is the only map that I have been able to find so far, I am going to assume that this was his route and follow it. ( pic via httpfaculty.arts.ubc.casechard346map.htm). The names of the villages were apparently all mentioned in his Canterbury Tales, so one can assume that one way or the other, he visited them on the way. And so will I 🙂
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1342-1400) wrote The Canterbury Tales between 1387 and 1400, about half a century before Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. The first copies of Chaucer’s work were handwritten. William Caxton (1422-1491), the first printer in England, published two editions of The Canterbury Tales, one in the late 1470’s and one in the early 1480’s.

a sketch of Geoffrey Chaucer as he may have looked on his route to Canterbury

The last few days have been great fun, doing research on google (to which I am totally addicted), and finding out more about Chaucer and the Pilgrim’s route from London. (pic of Chaucer via telegraph.co.uk)
Also being able to visit buildings that were around in his day…..611+ years ago!!!….is just awesome beyond words. One of the reasons I love London so much is for that very reason…the history that stretches back over 2,000 years ago till well before the Romans even got here.

roman soldier museum of london london museum

pic of a Roman soldier – taken at the Museum of London (the best museum ever!)

So starting in Southwark – Visitors to the area included individuals such as Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, King Henry VIII, Sir Francis Drake, Geoffrey Chaucer and many others.
These are some of the places I have found so far:
London Bridge – in Chaucer’s day (14th C): Late Mediaeval: the Peter de Colechurch Bridge – There was a Stone Gate House on the bridge and on its roof stood poles where traitors’ heads were placed. This practice started in 1304 and continued until 1678. In the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell’s head was placed on one of the poles.
Southwark Cathedral – a place of worship on this site since 606AD – a medieval priory which today has become Southwark Cathedral.
Winchester Palace – the remains/ruins of a 12th century palace, London residence of the Bishops of Winchester.
The Clink Prison – 1144-1780 now a museum – The Clink Prison Museum is built upon the original site of the Clink Prison which dates back to 1144 making it one of England’s oldest, if not the oldest Prison. Now a museum (great fun for a visit)

Saint George the Martyr Church on Borough High Street – a church that was in existence during the 14th Century and before. The earliest reference to this church is in the Annals of Bermondsey Abbey, which claims that the church was given by Thomas de Ardern and Thomas his son in 1122.
and of course The George Inn – in it’s present incarnation, having gone through a number of fires over the years, and rebuilt. The George Inn was situated next door to the Tabard Inn from whence Chaucer commenced his journey to Canterbury.

Now, onwards with the journey…..I have listed the tweets I made in chronological order and will write my blog/s around that. There was so much I did and so many things I saw, that I am sure one blog will not be sufficient…..so I am going to break it up into sections and post them that way so as not to make it too long, but at the same time give you the full picture….so many brilliant places to see and learn about. And despite my having travelled extensively around London, I have not yet fully explored this area. It is as full of history as The City of London and Westminster….(little did I know at this stage just what I would find 🙂 )

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” – Martin Buber
13:41 my big adventure starts today http://ht.ly/3VaUT – will do updates on #njgtravels – am very excited 🙂
13:47 whoo hoo…time for the big adventure to start. Southwark 1st this afternoon & evening, then #Greenwich tomorrow. tweets under #njgtravels
I finally set off at 14:50 heading for the bus stop and as I got there I sent this tweet:
14:56 oh!? Right. Gr8 start! Its hailing. WHEN does it EVER hail in #London? Geez! Hahaha #njgtravels
So there I stood at the bus stop in the hail and rain, a precusor of the what to expect on the morrow?! Like Chaucer I had to change carriages and whilst waiting for the next bus further along the route (and I hadn’t even arrived in London proper yet!) I sent this tweet:
15:05 OKAY! So now its raining AND the sun is shining? Is this some sort of weird send off or what? 🙂 #njgtravels

I noticed this advert at a bus stop and could’nt believe what I read 🙂

I had a few things to do and places to go before I got to my point of departure and along the way….. Finally…….
15:58 ah ha! Now wer’e talking! Sun shining, blue skies, puffy white clouds. next stop #london bridge 🙂 hope its still standing! #njgtravels
Finally after what seemed like ages I arrived at London Bridge Station and started my journey! First stop London Bridge.
16:55 its still standing after all this time….yeah yeah yeah! #london bridge 🙂 #njgtravels
London Bridge: in it’s present incarnation is about the 8th bridge on this site, the first being in AD80.

London Bridge – still standing after all this time

From the bridge I crossed the road towards Southwark Cathedral.

southwark cathedral priory winchester palace

just off London Bridge; Southwark Cathedral

The cathedral is quite awesome and although it sits below street level from London Bridge, is no less imposing for that. The interior of the cathedral is overwhelmingly beautiful and I look forward to exploring it more fully again in the future when I have more time. From there I walked the short distance to Clink Street on my way passing the replica of The Golden Hinde berthed at Pickford’s Wharf. (The Golden Hinde is a full-sized reconstruction of the Tudor warship in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the world in 1577 – 1580.)

the golden hinde southwark drakes galleon

the Golden Hinde – a replica of Sir Francis Drake’s galleon

Although this was not around in Chaucer’s time the area definitely was. The next stop on my walk was Winchester Palace, the ruins of which show the remains of the Great Hall and the now famous ‘Rose Window’. (It is believed that the great hall was built c.1136 and that the rose window was added 200 years later).

winchester palace bishops of winchester southwark cathedral clink prison

the famous Rose Window added 200 years later….note the 3 doors mid-way up

(The remains of Winchester Palace showing the Rose Window and the three doors to the buttery, pantry and kitchen.)
By now the sun had started to sink below the horizon and as you may or may not know, being winter our days are quite short, and it was getting dark. The lamps lining Clink Street came on, creating pools of light and chasing the shadows away, lending to the atmosphere of days gone by. Southwark Bridge looked ethereal in the fading light.

southwark bridge london england, river thames london

Southwark Bridge looking ethereal at dusk, St Paul’s dome on the horizon

My next stop was the Clink Prison (this is where the phrase “in the clink” was coined). Here I met the gaoler man! Fortunately he let me off lightly and did a quick pose for my benefit. I then retraced my steps to Borough High Street (Before the building of Westminster Bridge, Borough High Street was the only connection to London north of the river, from the south, a major communications node for traffic between London and Portsmouth, Dover, south-east England generally and also travellers from Europe.)

borough high street southwark route to dover and southeast england

now a bustling, thriving area – Borough High Street

Borough is now a thriving cosmopolitan area of London.
and onto Saint George the Martyr: – The present church is believed to be the 3rd on this site. 1) a Norman church of unknown appearance, replaced at the end of the 14th C by a church with a bell tower; demolished 1734. The church was rebuilt in a Classical style to the designs of John Price between 1734 and 1736. I explored the perimeter of the church and on finding a gate open on the southeast side of the church, (I am quite unable to ignore an open door or gate)….I ventured within the grounds of the church. Down a short flight of stairs I noticed…..an open door on the east side 🙂 I quietly slipped inside and to my delight, on the wall across the room was this gorgeous stained glass window.

madonna and child saint george the martyr stained glass windows 3days in london

Madonna & Child stained glass window inside Saint George the Martyr Church

I noticed that the graveyard was still open so stepped inside for a quick look….it was very dark so I didn’t go far from the gate! This area has links with Charles Dickens as well. Making my way back to Borough High Street I turned towards the river once again for my next stop; The George Inn; where I planned on having a meal before my adventure the following day.
18:20 at The George Inn, 12th C rebuilt 1677 frequented by Chaucer, Shakespeare Dickens et al & now me #london 🙂 its jam packed! #njgtravels
With no idea what Chaucer may have eaten, although he probably ate meat of some sort. (I found this little ditty on the internet).
‘A Cook they hadde with hem for the nones,
To boille the chicknes with the mary-bones
And poudre-marchant tart, and galingale.
Wel coude he knowe a draughte of London ale.
He coulde roste, and sethe, and broille, and frye
Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye.
But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me,
That on his shine a mormal hadde he
For blankmanger, that made he with the beste.’
Translated into current English:
A cook they had with them, just for the nonce,
To boil the chickens with the marrow-bones,
And flavour tartly and with galingale.
Well could he tell a draught of London ale.
And he could roast and seethe and broil and fry,
And make a good thick soup, and bake a pie.
But very ill it was, it seemed to me,
That on his shin a deadly sore had he;
For sweet blanc-mange, he made it with the best.
Mediaeval blancmange was a type of moulded dish of either chicken or fish cooked in rice with almond milk. I chose fish and chips, a good old fashioned British meal….. or is it???

chaucers canterbury tales, fish and chips at the george inn southwark london, national trust properties, british traditions

mmmm…..yummy fish and chips with mushy peas

I tucked in with gusto whilst observing my fellow taverners (not sure if that is even a word), but hey, in the spirit of Chaucer…..I too can create a story! (Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories in a frame story, between 1387 and 1400) The Inn was packed with diners, bursts of loud raucous laughter raised the beams and merry-makers doth abound!
18:56 mmm! Fish delicious. Chips ok. Mushy peas – psychedelic green! 🙂 at The George Inn Southwark #njgtravels
As a kind of after thought, I sent this tweet:
19:01 earlier i walked past Southwark Cathedral, Winchester Palace, the Clink Prison & St George the Martyr Church. #njgtravels
My next tweet conveyed my delight:
19:08 this Inn awesome. Gives me a thrill to sit here trying to imagine what it was like in Chaucers day, or Shakespeare or Dickens! #njgtravels
I cannot even begin to describe how it feels to walk, sit or stand in places that have a history linked to some of our most famous figures. Imagine if Dickens or Shakespeare had sat in the very corner where I was sitting!

william shakespeare george inn southwark london, national trust property

William Shakespeare, he who frequented the George Inn

Mind-boggling. My appetite satiated, my meal cleared away and my refreshment keeping my blood warm (Bailey’s on ice), I decided to head on home. It was my intention to start off early the next morning and catch the sunrise over the city from London Bridge, much like Chaucer had done (I expect). I then sent this tweet:
19:12 right! Time to saddle up my horse & head on home. Early to bed for an early rise! #njgtravels
After exploring the Inn’s upper levels and checking out the restaurant I discovered on the galleried section,

george inn southwark london, national trust property, charles dickens, william shakespeare

the upper level of the galleries of the George Inn, Southwark

having a look up and down stairs, I headed off into the night. It was quite dark by now and I wondered what the night would have looked like at the time Chaucer set out on his pilgrimage. I have searched through dozens of articles about Chaucer and his pilgrimage and to date I have not been able to find out exactly which year he started out, but I did find that he most likely set out in April. “When April comes with its sweet showers…then people long to go on pilgrimages”
Which is just perfect since the next leg of my journey is planned for April 3rd 2011!

part two to follow………….

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Marie Curie’s ‘Great Daffodil Appeal’ and London goes yellow

Posted in Fun Stuff, idiot category, interesting things that happen in London, It's my life, things to do in London, Travel, tagged HMS Belfast National Theatre London Eye Trafalgar Square Piccadilly Circus go yellow, London goes yellow in support of Marie Curie Cancer Care, Marie Curie UK Great Daffodil Appeal on March 3, 2011| 4 Comments »

...And then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils.

So a couple of weeks ago I decided to participate in the Marie Curie UK ‘Great Daffodil Appeal’ that was due to launch on March 1st. I love daffodils and they are my 2nd favourite flower after yellow roses, which is brilliant, coz here in the UK they are prolific at the start of spring. A fabulous burst of bright sunny yellow to brighten even the darkest days at the tail-end of winter.
I usually buy a daffodil pin from Marie Curie each year (now have quite a few 🙂 ) and this year I decided that as part of my increased ‘contribution’ drive I would register to do a stint as a ‘Daffodil’ lady and be a ‘collector’. My chosen patch is in Hampstead Village and I will be there on March 11th for an hour between 1-2pm 🙂 So cool, it’s gonna be great fun and I am so looking forward to the day. I get to wear a yellow apron and a great big yellow hat too, so should look fabulous at fifty!! hahahaha. (Okay, okay dissenters in the troops, I know I am not 50 anymore……)

fab at fifty+

Anyhow, as usual I digress. So back to the daffodils. I connected with Marie Curie on facebook and twitter and a few days later noticed a status update to say that in support of ‘The Great Daffodil Appeal’, London would #goyellow for one night only on March 1st!!!! whoo hoo. Get ya boots on girl!! However, since it is not easy for me to get time off, especially at night, I thought I would most likely have to miss it….again!!! I have missed so many of this type of event the last few years, but lucky me…..as things turned out that night, I could take off and go #walkabout to get photos for my collection….awesome if I may say!

I had a fab time whizzing about and covered a large area within the two hours I had available to me.

I started my journey at London Bridge (quickly becoming another of my favourite places in London). I arrived there at 6.31pm and spent a bit of time taking photos of the bridge and buildings in the area. I am totally loving Number 1 London Bridge, such a fantastic building. From there I made my way along Queen’s Walk past amongst others, the London Bridge Hospital and Cotton’s Centre which looks totally gorgeous at night.

the Cotton's Centre, Southwark

It’s such a great area to walk along and if you continued straight along you would reach Tower Bridge.

The night was by now quite dark and the lights glittered brightly on the water. I kinda took my time at this stage and felt as if I had the whole evening ahead of me! There were lots of people about, striding along, strolling, meandering, standing tight in corners kissing and ahugging! 🙂

London is such a people city.

I strolled along the promenade and then voila! There she was…. HMS Belfast at her moorings, looking ghostly and surreal; bathed in a yellow glow.

HMS Belfast moored on the River Thames, London

I faffed around taking photos, sending a twitpic and a tweet to say where I was when suddenly I heard the chimes of the hour!!! 7pm already!!! What? I only just got here! This also meant that I was now 15 minutes behind schedule and it was time to get a move on!
Making my way back from whence I had come, I strode along with purpose towards Southwark Cathedral which was looking ethereal in the night light, albeit not bathed in yellow.

Southwark Cathedral, London

I am so loving this part of London, the cobbled lanes and alleys of Southwark – lined with buildings that crouch brooding in the dark, lamp-posts cast pools of flickering light that dance and chase the shadows, dark corners, ancient ruins, riverside pubs, historical and modern side-by-side creating a tapestry of mystery and excitement. This ancient area is a mix of very old and very new, neighbours that span centuries, comfortable together in their present incarnation.

modern buildings like phoenix rise.....

The scenery along this part of the Thames Path is wonderful and along the way I passed some of our iconic bridges and buildings, enjoying the night lights dancing on the Thames. The Thames tide was out and the air icy cold. By now my fingers had begun to curl with the cold and standing in one spot to type up my tweets was an exercise in restraint……the temptation to pop into the warm welcoming doorways of the riverside pubs and cafes was huge.

St Paul's Cathedral - ethereal in the night light

As I strode along I kept my eye on the profile of St Paul’s looming larger the closer I got. It is such a beautiful building and looked quite ethereal and mysterious from afar. The Millenium Bridge now faintly visible in the night light, a beautiful structure and the latest of the Thames bridges crossing from north to south, a gateway to St Paul’s Cathedral from Bankside.

the Millenium Bridge gateway to St Paul's Cathedral from Bankside

I finally passed Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, then Tate Modern after a brief diversion onto Millenium Bridge to take a couple of photos of St Paul’s and the river.

St Paul's Cathedral viewed from the Millenium Bridge

Took a few minutes to send a tweet….despite the cold. By now I was way behind schedule! I do wish I could just walk and not get diverted by all the gorgeous things I see along the way. Under normal circumstance the Thames Path runs pretty much right alongside the river through London central, with the occassional flight of stairs to ascend, a road to traverse, then a descent back onto the path, that mostly runs beneath bridges and in the open along promenades both narrow and wide.

along the Thames Path

So the idea last night was to do just that. I made good progress till……..disaster! Blackfrair’s Railway Bridge; currently under refurbishment; and unbeknownst to me, the stairs were sealed off! Urgh!!

Blackfriar's New Bridge November 6th, 1869

With no other choice but to make a long diversion at a very fast pace, my toes protesting mightily, I finally got back onto the path, now seriously behind time, but I knew that just around the corner was my next goal The National Theatre and then EDF London Eye.

Whizzing along now at great speed my eye on the clock ticking merrily away, I finally reached The National Theatre. I could see the great granite block all lit up but sadly could not find a suitable position to make a decent photo. However, I did what I could, sent off a pic and a tweet, and then without further ado I scooted off round the corner to the London Eye, my next stop 🙂

the London Eye....yes it is a bit blurry...I was shivering with cold!!

What a sight; it looked fabulous. The photos I took at the venue were sadly quite blurred, but in my defense it was really chilly and despite the fast pace, I was shivering. Nevertheless as I made my way across Westminster Bridge, Big Ben enticing me on, I stopped briefly for a view that is truly one of my absolute favourites…..and looking back……there it was looking brilliant, bathed in yellow; the London Eye in all her glory, stealing the limelight from the London County Hall crouched just beside.

London Eye and London County Hall bathed in yellow

By now it was 7.52pm

7.52PM - Big Ben

and I was seriously running out of time….I had to be on the train home by 8.30 and I still had Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus to get to. Thankfully the route along Whitehall is a relatively quick walk between Big Ben and my next stop……Trafalgar Square! Wow! The fountains were uplit with yellow and looked absolutely splendid.

fountain at Trafalgar Square - the photo doesn't do it justice

I quick-stepped up the stairs, sent a pic and a tweet, then at an increased pace made my way past the National Gallery, the Portrait Gallery and into Leicester Square, thence to Piccadilly Circus!

Hooray! At just after 8pm I finally reached my final destination…. Piccadilly Circus. 🙂

There on the board was the bright yellow of Marie Curie’s logo and details.

Piccadilly Circus and the Marie Curie 'Great Daffodil Appeal' 🙂

Sadly I missed the 7pm switch-on when the whole of the board was lit up with yellow, but I would never have made all of the stops if I hadn’t started at the other end of town at 6.30.

I had just enough time for a few photos and then back to Leicester Square for the train home. Piccadilly Circus was vibrant with energy, a kaleidoscope of colour, the endless flow of traffic, a mix of locals and visitors either milling about, rushing along or lingering, taking photos, sitting on the steps chatting, a swirling pool of noise and laughter filled the air. A fine end to a fun evening.

Then a quick walk back along Leicester past the Trocadero, the Prince of Wales Theatre, through Leicester Square, the garden area now boarded up and ‘Getting Ready for 2012’ (and the London Olympics) and so to the tube and home! (p.s. and it took me longer to prepare this blog than the whole #walkabout!! 🙂 )

Leicester Square - Getting Ready for 2012

So there you have it, and in my defense…..my mother did drop me on my head when I was a baby. 🙂
You know of course that you are either born mad or get dropped on the head…..mine was the latter! (Seriously!)

What a great life!! And just to finish it off, I have included the wonderful poem by William Wordsworth:

“Daffodils” (1804)
I WANDER’D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch’d in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:
I gazed — and gazed — but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

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the start of my pilgrims journey in the footsteps of Chaucer

Posted in Historical, It's my life, things to do in London, Travel, tagged a walk along the Thames pathway, chaucers canterbury tales, more london riverside on February 20, 2011| 7 Comments »

….following in the footsteps of Geoffrey Chaucer (c1340-1400), I embarked on the first leg of my pilgrim’s route. As mentioned in my previous blog, after discovering that Chaucer followed the Pilgrim’s route from Southwark to Canterbury, I have decided to as much as possible follow the route that he took. It is my plan to follow the English route (or one of them anyway) from London to Santiago. Once I reach Canterbury it will be a case of, do I go via Portugal (which I am inclined to do) or via Spain? A lot will hinge on whether or not I have my British Passport by that stage (means I don’t have to apply for a visa).

So to begin at the beginning, I set off from London Bridge Station, Saturday 12th February at about 4.30pm to explore Southwark more fully and to visit the places that were around in Chaucers day. In the Middle Ages the area hereabouts was known as the Liberty of the Clink and owned by the Bishops of Winchester. After some research (google) I discovered that not only was

1) London Bridge around, but so was

London Bridge - 1st bridge across the Thames as it is today

2) Southwark Cathedral (circa 606AD)

southwark cathedral and geoffrey chaucer

southwark Cathedral - a place of worship since 606AD

inside there is a beautiful stained glass window with the words ‘To the Glory of God and in honour of Geoffrey Chaucer’,

3) Winchester Palace (only a small section of which remains) – Great Hall of Winchester Palace, originally built in 1109, the residence of the powerful Bishops of Winchester.

remains of Winchester Palace showing the famous Rose window

4) The Clink Prison (now a museum)

The Clink Prison Museum - a debtor perhaps!!!

Although a prison was probably established within the palace in the 12th century, the first mention of the clink was in 1509. John Stow (1525 -1605) in his Survey of London (publ 1598), states that the prison was kept for those that broke the peace in the Bankside brothels. In 1761 the prison was described as ‘a very dismal hole where debtors are sometimes confined’. It later burned down in the Gordon Riots of 1780.

and of course

5) The George Inn (albeit restored after a fire)

The George Inn - the last surviving galleried inn in London

and I also discovered

6) St George the Martyr – a church that was in existence during the 14th Century and before.

St George the Martyr Church - Southwark

These buildings have all gone through different experiences and many are restored after fires that have raged through the area, so although they were about in Chaucer’s day, they were most likely in a slightly different form. Although I have to say that the UK is very good at endeavouring to restore their ancient, heritage to what it was before any disaster that may have devestated the original. There were also some remains of the Bermondsey palace, but I could not quite figure out where it was, so will leave that for another time.

I have listed these buildings or the remains of or the current form of those that were definitely around in Chaucer’s day.

I enjoyed a very happy 5 hours meandering the alleys, lanes and streets (*) of Southwark, starting off of course from London Bridge, I walked through the grounds of Southwark Cathedral past Winchester Palace along narrow, darkened lanes to The Clink Prison Museum (where I met the goaler man),

the goaler man at The Clink Prison (museum)

back through Borough Market which looked bereft and kinda spooky, nothing like it does on market days when the market stalls are set up and there is the hustle and bustle of shoppers and marketers, thence along Borough High Street which being a route from Southwark, London to Dover was of course also a main thoroughfare in Chaucers day. I visited St George the Martyr church and had a quick peek inside, then made my way back up to The George Inn for my evening meal. The George Inn is the last remaining galleried inn in London and has gone through many changes, almost lost to fire at one stage and frequented by the likes of Dickens, Shakespeare and of course Chaucer and me! 🙂

a new proprietor at The George Inn

So although he did not set out from this particular Inn I decided to have my ‘pilgrim’s’ meal and pretend that he did 🙂 I enjoyed a good old-fashioned plate of battered-fish and chips with mushy peas (that were a psychedelic green),

my pilgrim's meal - battered fish, chips and psychedelic mushy peas

washed down with a beverage that I am positive was not around in his day: Bailey’s Cream…..on ice 🙂 The Tabard Inn, that Chaucer set off from has long since disappeared.

By now it was getting kinda late but since I was in no hurry I made my way back to London Bridge and set off along the Queen’s Walk which makes up part of the Thames Path that follows the whole of the 215miles of the Thames from source to sea, with a few diversions. What a delight. It was interesting to see London Bridge all lit up in red (fire!!!)

London Bridge lit up at night

and a bit further along I discovered Cotton’s Centre which is a monstrous glass edifice and just marvellous, I also re-discovered Hays’ Galleria and on venturing inside the huge cavern found a most amazing and fantastical water-fountain! A metal boat like something out of the movie ‘A League of Extraordinary Men’. All I can say is that if you have not seen it yet…..treat yourself, it is fantastic.

the navigators a water fountain in hays galleria

'The Navigators' by sculptor David Kemp, 1987

From there I meandered along the bankside passing HMS Belfast on the way, admiring all the new and beautiful modern buildings that have grown up along that side of the river till I reached Potters Field, City Hall and The Scoop and thence to Tower Bridge. The night was perfect, and the river sparkeled and shone with the lights from the buildings lining her banks, their reflections dancing on the swirls and eddies of the tide.

I tarried a while and gazed, entranced at the beauty of the evening. The Tower of London, sitting squat and ominous, her turrets and towers underlit with spotlights, seemed to glow in the night with an eerie, and ghostly life of their own.

The Tower of London

Tower Bridge; an amazing spectacle of colour at night, with light shining out so bright I am sure it could be seen from space.

Tower Bridge lit up at night

Around me citizens strolled arm in arm, pushed buggys or walked in groups along the path, bursts of laughter echoed across the water and the shrieks of children rushing through the fountains that decorate the square filled the night with sound.

water glass and light at More London Riverside

Eventually, mindful of my intended early start the next day for my walk from Southwark to Greenwich, I strolled back via More London Riverside through this vast concrete jungle, towering giants of glass, steel and concrete; alien space-ships on ancient land.

I once heard someone say that they always thought of London as being grey!!!! Well, never could you be so wrong. London is a vibrant collage of colours….just take a walk along the banks of the Thames at night and you will see what I mean.

More London Riverside by night

I also wondered what it must have been like in Chaucer’s day when the lanes and alleys were frequented by the likes of tars, thieves, prostitutes and pirates…..a dark and dangerous place indeed.

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…and the travels continue….where east meets west and Canterbury here I come

Posted in Historical, Holidays, interesting things that happen in London, It's my life, things to do in London, Travel, tagged chaucers canterbury tales, the thames path from london to greenwich on February 15, 2011| 2 Comments »

….ok, so not quite yet, but certainly in the future! I had such a brilliant time on Saturday night and Sunday that despite my initial wtf am I doing……? I had a brilliant time. So my thanks to Geoffrey Chaucer for following the pilgrims route and to my employer for the London Walks cards via which I stumbled across this fact during my research for the pilgrims route for which I have to thank my Dad (this is beginning to sound like I have won an award at the BAFTA’S or something!) hahaha 🙂

So where to start……..? I saw and did so much that I could probably write a book (ok, ok family!!! I will…in time 🙂 ). Meanwhile, here is what was the penultimate experience I had on the journey! Standing on the meridian line. I cannot tell you what a thrill I get each time I get to stand on the meridian line, that I am seriously thinking how awesome it would be to live in Greenwich in a house that has the 0 degrees 0′ 0″ line running through it.

0 degrees 0' 0" the meridian line

I could wake up in the morning, get out of bed on the east side (makes sense, doesn’t it), have breakfast in the kitchen which will also be in the east and then walk to the sitting room or my office in the west! at night I would go back to bed and climb in via the west side. 🙂

standing on the meridian line...where east meets west

……..the rest will follow in due course. Am writing a number of guest blogs for other travel sites at the mo and have a tall order from my daughter who has something up her sleeve: she wants 4 x 700 word blogs and 8 x 350 word blogs on London!! and photos to go with them. I am dying to know why? But, thankfully, coz I have already produced hundreds of blogs on London I have loads of material, so am currently editing those I have chosen and will be back to my Canterbury Tales in due course.

btw, did I ever mention just how fantastically brilliant London is. I cannot even begin to tell you what a treasure trove it is. As a taster of what’s to come……..I passed the 1620 Mayflower Inn (orig. the Shippe) and the church of St Mary’s in Rotherhithe (c14 rebuilt 1715) with links to the captain of the Mayflower Capt. Christopher Jones.

Capt. Christopher Jones of the Mayflower. (this sculpture is in the churchyard)

“From a Rotherhithe quayside, near a pub called the Shippe, the Mayflower set sail for America.”

More to follow……..and now since my break is almost over and I am back to work in 1.5 hours, it’s time for me to go!

Oh! and p.s. another wee gem to whet your appetite….I also made the acquaintance of Peter the Great 🙂 and sat on this throne!

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stepping back in time……..

Posted in Fun Stuff, It's my life, things to do in London, Travel, tagged exploring London by foot, George Inn National Trust, Golden Hinde London, ice sculpting festival London, London Bridge on January 15, 2011| 4 Comments »

I had such a fab time yesterday. Got to do one of my favourite things…..walkabout through London.

welcome to the City of London

I received a fab xmas present from my employer, a set of ‘London City Walks’ cards….50 in all. These cards direct you on walks through different areas of London….right up my alley (excuse the pun)…. 🙂

City Walks of London - 50 in all 🙂

So for the next year I will have at least one adventure a week….awesome!!

But first… it was to Canary Wharf to see the London Ice Sculpting Festival.

london ice sculpting festival january 2011

a polar bear

brilliant. I am so glad I went. I haven’t been to Canary Wharf in such a long time, preferring to walk about through the old city and Westminster, of which is there is much to explore. But I can see the modern skyline from where I live and it always looks tempting, so the ice-sculpting was a great excuse to get back out that way.

I headed off to Canary Wharf station on the Jubilee line and was reminded once again how brilliant our underground train service really is. Canary Wharf station is awesome, modern, wide open spaces and very bright and clean. I love the older underground tube stations with their history and grubbiness, but I have to say that some of the more modern tube stations like Westminster and Cnary Wharf are lovely.

the escalators at Canary Wharf tube station

The plaza at the station is brilliant; with a fab view across the docks and a display of clocks on the plaza, with the skyscrapers towering above; all steel and glass reflecting each other and the weather, it is a great place to meander. Lots of walkways, sidewalk cafes, pubs and food carts and a delightful Japanese style feng-sui garden…tinkling waterfalls and gushing fountains in a tranquil setting of trees and grass…lovely.

gardens at Canary Wharf

I can just imagine sitting out there on a bright sunny summers day.

Canary Wharf is a hive of activity, the financial district; a new kid on the block the area has a history that goes back hundreds of years, albeit newly regenerated with huge towering buildings that could overwhelm you but don’t,

canary wharf london ice sculpting festival

towering blocks of glass and steel; a modern architectural dream

an enormous underground shopping precinct – a rabbits warren of high street shops, cafes, restaurants, banks and designer stores. You could quite easily live there and never go without.

Lunchtime sees the hurry scurry of the folks who work in the tall buildings that surround the area. And the last 3 days in London, have seen the Ice Sculpting festival, both indoors and out. Great fun they are, the carving a treat to watch, using different tools to chop, chisel, buff, drill or saw the sculptors coax their creations out of the ice.

After that I made my way back down the massive escalators, stopped off to chat to the old gent who was busking in the great hall,

London Underground Buskers - Canary Wharf

then onto the tube and off to London Bridge

London Bridge....still standing after all these years 🙂

…which I am pleased to say is not yet ‘fallen down’ 🙂 Taking a walk across to the centre for a view of Tower Bridge and the HMS Belfast,

: HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge

I was reminded of the very first day I walked into London…another story! 🙂 Friday was a bleak and blustery day and I tried to make use of my new toy – aka as the vidcam that I got from ‘Sam’ta…but it records sound only too well and although the views are great the noise is not! Will now have to learn how to edit videos.

From there I made my way into Borough Market,

Borough Market, Southwark, London

a bustling thriving community of family owned stalls offering a selection of produce that ranges from cheese, vegetables, home-made pies,

Pieminster's homemade pies at Borough Market

meats, wines, to bread and flowers amongst others. All family owned stalls, the market has been around virtually since the days of Dickens and Chaucer and the current Victorian market stands on a medieval site that acted as a gateway to the City. The aroma wafting through the air is mouth-wateringly tempting and I had to bury my head and get out fast…before I emptied my purse! Then I stepped back through the ages into Southwark Cathedral, the oldest gothic church building in London.

a gothic church - Southwark Cathedral; a place of worship since 606AD

If you have never been to Southwark Cathedral….make a plan and go. It is exquisite. It has been a place of worship since 606AD when it was a convent, and a cathedral since 1905AD. The likes of Gower, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Jonson, Harvard and Dickens are among those associated with the church.

Then it was round the corner to see the Golden Hinde; a replica of Sir Francis Drake’s famed galleon, whence he sailed the 7 seas.

replica of Sir Francis Drake's famous galleon; the Golden Hinde

It’s funny actually, I have walked this route ahhh probably 4 times already and each time the weather is overcast and moody!! Then a short walk along a Dickensian cobbled alleyway past the remains/ruins of the Winchester Palace to the Clink Prison.

The prison, known as ‘The Clink’ from the 15th Century was owned by the successive Bishops of Winchester, and from the 12th century until it’s destruction in 1780, its inmates have ranged from priest to prostitute.

The Clink Prison Museum, Southwark London

A grisly yet fun place to visit, it takes you back to the days when whole families were jailed coz the man of the house had gotten into debt and when unable to pay, the whole family, kids and all were tossed into the goal….sometimes to die there.

not a good place to die........

I did say it was grisly. The name derives from the sound of the chains with which the prisoners were detained…..the ‘clink’ of heavy chains.

Next I walked beneath along ancient cobbled streets, through a dank dark tunnel to The Anchor Pub, past a wee shop named ‘Little Dorrit’ as in Dickens, and in my opinion not nearly old enough looking to warrant the name!

Little Dorrit.....a Dickensian name

then from there to Neal’s Yard Dairy where I stopped to partake of the cheese and sourdough bread on offer. I love sourdough bread and recall it with delightful clarity from my days in Ireland.

neals yard dairy borough market southwark london

Neal's Yard Dairy, 6 Park Street, Southwark est. 1979 Covent Garden and opened in Borough market 1992

Then I made my way back to Borough Market, along another ancient road to the 1677 George Inn. The last of it’s kind, and still a lively pub – it is delightfully ancient.

george inn southwark london national trust

16th Century George Inn

Low ceilings with heavy wooden beams that have a smokey look, dark corners and narrow stairways onto ancient landings that just so take you back in time.

dark narrow staircases and low oak-beamed ceilings

When I arrived I got chatting to the bloke behind the bar and he offered to take a photo of me behind the bar…so I zipped in and stood with my hand on the ale pump just a two chaps stepped up to the bar. So just for fun I said ‘Serving gentleman’….and they took me for real!! The one chap started to ask for something …… hahahaha. I had such a laugh. Told them I was just a spectator and the real barman would be with them as soon as he had finished taking my photo. 🙂 great fun!

...now serving Gentlemen!!

While I was exploring the Inn, probably going into places I wasn’t meant to be by the looks on people faces, the heavens opened and the rain came down in bucket loads. Ok so no further traipsing for me then. So instead I ordered a Baileys on ice and a packet of crisps and sat at the window sipping my drink and watching the rain….musing on how lucky I am to live in this fantastically fascinating city, where you can sit and have a drink in a pub that dates from the 16th century; and in their day, frequented by the likes of Dickens, Shakespeare and Chaucer!

What a life!

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31.12.2010 last day of the year

Posted in family and relationships, Fun Stuff, Historical, Holidays, It's my life, things to do in London, tagged around London, Big Ben, Churchill War Museum, Jewel Tower London, London Pass, Old Year's Eve 2010, spending time with my daughter, travel to Twickenham, Westminster Abbey on January 1, 2011| 2 Comments »

I very sensibly put in for a few days of leave over New Year determined not to work again….for the first time in years. Leaving Highgate on Thursday I made my way over to Twickenham, looking forward to spending a few days with my girl. The evening was very therapeutic for both of us; we covered some tricky issues and managed to discuss some painful subjects and without realising it, I made a comment that suddenly gave her a completely different perspective on her current situation and opened a new door, completely inspiring her!

Friday I decided to make the most of my London Pass;

my London Pass

the intention was to visit places I had on my list and try to see as many as possible…. a quick pop in and pop out visit and gather material for the 3 Days in London blog. I managed to persuade her to come into town with me and we stopped off at Waterloo station for Starbucks (of course) and a chat. We then parted ways….she to Tottenham Court Road to do some shopping (part of her Xmas present I promised was a DVD player), and me to one of my favourite places in the world…. Westminster. I had a list of 4/5 places to visit.

I walked past Big Ben

Big Ben - 11 hours and 17 minutes till 2011

stopping only to take a few photos and then made my way to the Jewel Tower opposite the Sovereign’s Gate at Westminster Palace. I had been passed the tower but never yet visited…and it is great. The remains of what was part of the wall of the Westminster Palace complex. It’s a really interesting place to visit and there are some great items on display, amongst which were remains of original 14th Century wooden foundations, removed when the building was underpinned in 1955.

14th century wooden foundations

There is a fab view of the Sovereign’s Gate from the 1st & 2nd levels.

view of the Sovereign's Gate

The stairs, ceilings and walls are original; it’s really weird to walk on stairs where Kings and Queens once trod.

the Kings Privy Tower

From there I walked towards St James’s park via the grounds of Westminster Abbey. I had intended visiting but the queues were too long and I did not have time to waste, so made my to the Churchill War Museum; a place I had so wanted to visit in the past but never had the time. It was awesome. I was allowed to take photos inside and made a few videos too. The bunkers are set out exactly they way they were during WW2 and are quite simply awesome!!

The War Cabinet Room has been laid to show exactly how it would have looked on Tuesday 15th October 1940 at 5pm, shortly before the meeting of the War Cabinet

There is a recording of Churchill’s speeches as well as others and on one you can hear an air-raid siren. Brilliant.

Then I went back to Westminster Abbey and finally the queues were short enough to join. I am so glad I went! I have visited the Abbey before, a few years ago and had quite forgotten how incredible it is inside. The Abbey is so beautifully designed and filled with the most amazing memorials and tombs, and intricate carvings that defy belief. I was totally entranced and enjoyed a very happy 2 hours wandering about, visiting the various tombs, the Shrine of Edward the Confessor, Henry VII’s Lady Chapel, Poet’s Corner, Chapter House, Pyx Chamber

Pyx Chamber

and the Cloisters. The High altar is magnificent and the ceiling in the Lady Chapel is breath takingly beautiful. The Coronation Chair is currently being restored and situated in a glass room near the Great West Door.

Great West Door

Afterwards I made my way back to the river via Big Ben and walked along Victoria Embankment, intending to find a suitable spot to stand and wait for the London Eye fireworks

31.12.2010 - London Eye at 4.30pm

….except that I suddenly didn’t feel like standing for what would at that stage be 8 hours!!! So instead I went up Charing Cross to the South African shop to buy some eats, then along to Trafalgar Square to see the Norwegian tree that they send over each year at Christmas

the Norwegian Spruce Tree at Trafalgar Square - sent over each year at Christmas as a gift from the Norwegians

and then back to Embankment and onto the tube to Richmond and home.

We sat on the couch listening to music, chatting to my sister & her hubbie in SA via skype and then saw in the New Year and watched the fireworks on TV! Exactly what I had said I did not want to do…..see the fireworks on TV, but I was with the most important person in the world to me and we had a fab evening. A few hours later we finally crawled into bed, eyes heavy and ready to sleep, already well into 2011!

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communing with the dead

Posted in Historical, It's my life, things to do in London, tagged Highgate Cemetery, victorian cemetery in london, victorian london on November 28, 2010| 3 Comments »

one of the things I have found most fascinating since moving to the UK 9 years ago are the cemeteries! Not just any cemetery mind….but ancient churchyard cemeteries and gothic cemeteries. They are evocative, secretive, and fascinating in the extreme, offering a glimpse into lives long over, by a multitude of causes from disease to fire with in some instances whole families wiped out by one cataclysmic event, those of children the most heart-rending.

: Fanny Elizabeth Stokes – died 22 February 1873 aged 7 years

Ireland is one of the best countries for visiting really ancient cemeteries and graveyards, one of which of course would be Glendalough (see the link below)…..absolutely fascinating.

I have visited hundreds of churchyards since living in the UK and find the smaller graveyards in old churches to be of great interest. So much about a village can be told by the stories written on the memorials and gravestones. Nearer to home (currently) and on a much larger scale is the Highgate Cemetery….in Highgate of course 🙂 north London. Often on my way to the village I walk along the perimeter of the cemetery and spend time peering through the railings at the gravestones reading their stories. I also take loads of photos; of course! 🙂

entrance to the west side of Highgate Cemetery - the older section

Highgate Cemetery is a Victorian Gothic cemetery first used in 1860 to inter a young lass; Mary Ann Webster, a baker’s daughter.

Highgate Cemetery, originally known as the Cemetery of St James at Highgate, is one of a series of large, formally landscaped burial grounds established around London during the early part of Queen Victoria’s reign, and offers a fascinating glimpse into Gothic London.
Victorian society had been outraged by the scandalous practices and overcrowding in existing burial grounds and the consequential insanitary conditions which this engendered. Parliamentary action enable private companies to create a ring of burial grounds around London which could reflect the eclecticism of Victorian taste; secure, elegant, ordered and imposing!

orderly rows of the dead

Highgate Cemetery is the most prestigious and dramatic evocation of these features.
Situated in the north of London N6, the first interment was on June 12th 1860 – 16 year-old Mary Ann Webster, a baker’s daughter was buried. The Cemetery, still a working burial ground has been run by the FOHC Friends of Highgate Cemetery, a non-profit organisation, since 1981.
Amongst the many tombs and graves that fill the cemetery to the brim, in excess of 50,000, are the world-famous Egyptian Avenue, catacombs, and a great number of ostentatious memorials heavily decorated, some featuring eye-catching inscriptions as well as poems.

169,000 people buried in 52,500+ graves

Highgate Cemetery is one of England’s finest Victorian cemeteries and is listed as a site of ‘Outstanding Architectural and Historial Importance’, a Grade I listed park. There are some 169,000 people buried in more than 52,500 graves in the east and west sides of the cemetery.
The formal borders and shrubberies planted by designers of Highgate Cemetery in the 19th century have largely gone and in their place, gentle decay, resulting in a ‘romantic confusion of plants, memorials and crumbling buildings.’

sunken graves and lop-sided stones

By the 1970’s the invasive sycamore created havoc as branches and roots damaged memorials and buildings. The cemetery offers a diveristy of wildlife and the introduction of native trees such as oak, willow, birch and hawthorn have greatly increased the diversity of insect life and provided a wider basis to food chains for wild life, with a developing woodland canopy with it’s undertow of shrubs, herbs and grasses, neadow areas and pathways where flowering plants such as greater burnet, knapweed, ragged robin, lords and ladies, ox-eye daises and many others grow, as well as ferns and and mosses.

this is one of my favourite pic - check how the vine has wrapped itself round the headstone, now almost one with the tree

A walk round the cemetery offers a remarkable insight into Victorian London and many famous persons are buried here; namely:
Douglas Noel Adams 1952-2001 – author of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
George Eliot 1819-1880 – English novelist and author of Silas Marner & Middlemarch etc.
Michael Faraday 1781-1867 – one of the greatest scientists of the 19th Century.
William Alfred Foyle 1885-1963 – Bookseller – founded the world-famous Charing Cross Road
William Edward Friese-Greene 1855-1921 – claimed inventor of cinematography.

memorial to William Friese-Greene 1855-1921

John Lobb 1829-1895 – maker of bespoke boots & shoes; shoe-maker to Royalty
Anna Mahler 1904-1988 – award-winning sculptor born in Vienna, daughter of composer Gustav Mahler
Karl Heinrich Marx 1818-1883 – the world’s most influencial political philosopher.
Richard ‘Stoney’ Hovis 1836-1900 Baker who in 1886 launched Hovis, the 21st mass-produced brown (wheatgerm) bread.

And many many more.

Visiting the cemetery: http://www.highgatecemetery.org.uk/

Glendalogh – glen of two lakes

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The Lord Mayors Show 13 November 2010

Posted in Fun Stuff, Historical, interesting things that happen in London, It's my life, things to do in London, tagged The Lord Mayors Show London 2010 on November 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Wow!! what a fantastic show. I had the best day ever on Saturday, was totally impressed and can tell you one thing for sure….no other country can do Pomp and Ceremony like the Brits!!! F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C.

Pomp and Ceremony

The day started out grey and grim and I sent a tweet to my twitterverse to please wish for sunshine….we almost made it. By the time I left home I could see patches of blue sky…and the rain held off for the day!! Bloody marvellous.
I was so excited by the time I headed off for the bus…I have been in the UK for 9 years now and this is the first opportunity I have had to attend the Lord Mayor’s Show; a nearly 800 year-old tradition in The City of London. An annual event of 3 miles of fun, music and pageantry to welcome in the new Lord Mayor.
The lastest mayor being one Alderman Michael Bear, 683rd person to be elected to office, and latest in a long line of Lord Mayors that stretches back through centuries since 1189 when Henry Fitz-Ailwyn first held office.

cariciature of The Lord Mayor 1881

An illustrious position once held by Whittington, Lord Mayor of London thrice in his lifetime, the first in 1398.
“Turn again, Whittington,
Once Lord Mayor of London!
Turn again, Whittington,
Twice Lord Mayor of London!
Turn again, Whittington,
Thrice Lord Mayor of London!

The Lord Mayor’s Show dates to 1215 when King John allowed the City to elect it’s own mayor. The processional route takes you through thousands of years of history; a rich tapestry of events, places and streets of London over the centuries.

the processional route

Starting at the Guildhall

The Guildhall (1411-1440 15th Century Gothic)

and accompanied by the Mayor’s personal bodyguard,

Pikemen and Musketeers

Pikemen and Musketeer The Lord Mayors bodyguard by Royal Warrant

the coach winds it was through the streets of London, preceded by floats, the Pageantmaster,

The Pageantmaster - responsible for organising the event

Livery Companies, organisations, Merchantmen, buses, businesses, flambouyant carnival style costumes, marching bands, horse-guards charities, Freemasons, members of the Territorial Army, Cadets and a long line of wonderful coaches bearing the Aldermen of the City of London, 145 in all as well as zulu warriors and dancers

Zulu warrior

– supported by Standard Bank and reminescent of the Lord Mayor’s roots.. More than 6,500 people take part in the show and hundreds of thousands of spectators from far and near line the streets to see it.
The Lord Mayor’s State Coach,

The Lord Mayor's Coach

built in 1757 has pride of place and travels to St Paul’s Cathedral where it stops briefly (about 5 minutes), the Lord Mayor is welcomed into the city and blessed by the Dean of St Paul’s, a ceremony that takes place on the steps for all the citizens of the city to witness.

re-joining the parade from St Paul's Cathedral

From there it re-joins the parade and proceeds along Ludgate Hill, into Fleet Street past Prince Henry’s Room

Prince Henry's Room - Fleet Street

and into The Strand to The Royal Courts of Justice,

in front of The Royal Courts of Justice

the crowds following close behind. The journey pauses here for just over an hour while the Lord Mayor swears his allegiance to the Crown.
The procession starts once again and winds it’s way through Temple, along Victoria Embankment up past Puddle Dock, into Queen Victoria Street and thence to Mansion House – (completed in 1758 a rare surviving Georgian town palace) – the home and office of the Lord Mayor for the time he is in office.
Thereafter a gap of approx 2.5 hours and to end the event a fabulous display of aquabatics, a row-past by the Thames Traditional Rowing Association, (at which point I waved enthusiastically to Joe (from twitter) of The Brightside Six) who were part of the regatta,

Thames Traditional Rowing Association

dancing water fountains and fireworks on the Thames.

The Lord Mayor's Show - fireworks on the Thames end the show

fireworks on the Thames - a sparkling end to a sparkly day

The Lord Mayor is not to be confused with the Mayor of London, a completely different role. The Lord Mayor is primarily an international ambassador for the UK and spends 90 days a year travelling to around 23 countries, promoting the Square Mile aka the City of London.

griffin and herald - City of London

I was lucky enough to find a fabulous spot right near the steps of St Paul’s for that part of the ceremony and then another just past the Royal Courts of Justice for the 2nd part. I then followed the parade right to the end at Mansion House and thence to the Guildhall to see the coach in it’s display case.

The Lord Mayor's Coach

It was quite amazing to be part of this historical procession and to witness an event that has been re-enacted for almost 800 years. It was quite weird to see a funfair at St Paul’s too!!!

the fair comes to St Paul's

I phoned my sister in South Africa so she could listen to the bells ringing but unfortunately all she could hear was static. The bells rang out across the city, almost continuously for the whole time except when the Lord Mayor was actually at the cathedral. The streets were lined with thousands of people and an air of excitement pervaded the city. I had ever such a fabulous day, rushing along the pavements and streets of London following the parade, chatting to people, being cheeky with the police (heehee), and generally having a brilliant time. The day ended off with a pledge fulfilled and fireworks… the pledge was to Joe from twitter…I had said I would wave my pink scarf as they went by and so I did….and he saw me!!! how much fun is that!

It is fantastic to be able to witness these events and I am eternally grateful that I now live here…….London for ever 🙂 I am truly addicted!

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and on a lighter note

Posted in It's my life, things to do in London, tagged a ramble on Hampstead Heath. Hamsptead Heath on November 14, 2010| 3 Comments »

a view protected by law - London from the top of Parliament Hill

a ramble on Hampstead Heath….. ahh it never ceases to fascinate me that whilst one is doing one thing….there are a multitude of other happenings going on around you!!! Things you are not even aware of till later….ie Wednesday’s student protests in London. I had the afternoon off and had been debating about what to do, what to do!!! I love Westminster and go there as often as possible and since Wednesday was such a gorgeous day I had a mind to go walkabout through the area……however, I decided instead to visit Parliament Hill for some photos and then decide what to do.

a fabulous day - view of London from halfway up Parliament Hill

I stood on the crest of the hill looking at and admiring the view of London (which is protected by the way), quite simply enchanted by the view: St Paul’s, the London Eye, the O2, Canary Wharf….all are visible albeit tiny in the distance. After taking my fill of photos I headed downhill to the busstop having decided I could not pass up an opportunity to go into London.

On the way I stopped to look at an aerial map of the heath

Hampstead Heath

and noticed that right there in the middle, a part I had not yet explored was a viaduct bridge….and that was the end of my trip into town. and a jolly good thing too as it turned out!! Instead I spent the next few hours rambling about the heath, traipsing through long grass, under ancient trees, along a multitude of pathways, up a row of stairs to a secret glade and down again…walking along paths carpeted with a rich tapestry of autumn leaves.

a rich tapestry of autumn leaves

The viaduct bridge turned out to be magical

the viaduct bridge

and after taking my fill I climbed up to a beautiful spot above to just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet. I then headed back through the avenue ( a line of trees planted after the hurricane some years back),

The Avenue - a row of trees planted after the hurricane of October 1987

to the duck and fishing ponds and thence to home.

the duck pond

A marvellous day out, a day of sunshine, quiet contemplation and birdsong, a lovely interlude on a lovely day.

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even Katie Price has nothing on this guy!!

Posted in around the UK, Fun Stuff, Health, Historical, interesting things that happen in London, things to do in London, tagged bonfire night, events in the UK, gunpowder plot of 1605, guy fawkes, Traditional events in London on November 5, 2010| 4 Comments »

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot…

Yup, it’s that time of the year again….Bonfire night! aka ‘Guy Fawkes’ night. Guy Fawkes; infamous for attempting to assassinate King James I. All round about the UK this event (or non event) is celebrated/commemorated with Fireworks,

fireworks for November 5th

burning effigies,

effigies

and lovely brightly flaming bonfires!!

bonfire night

the sound and smell of autumn and the commemoration of an event that happened (or didn’t) 405 years ago!! talk about keeping yourself in the news!! Even Katie Price has nothing on this guy! excuse the pun! 🙂

Guy Fawkes - still in the news even after 405 years!

Guy Fawkes (13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606),born in 1570 in Stonegate, York, the second of four children born to Edward Fawkes, and his wife, Edith.

aka Guido Fawkes, the name he adopted while fighting for the Spanish in the Low Countries
Guy Fawkes belonged to a group of provincial English Catholics who planned the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605
Fawkes was born and educated in York. His father died when Fawkes was eight years old
His mother then married a recusant Catholic and Fawkes later converted to Catholicism
Left for the continent; fought in the Eighty Years’ War on the side of Catholic Spain against Protestant Dutch reformators
Travelled to Spain to seek support for a Catholic rebellion in England; unsuccessful. Later met Thomas Wintour, with whom he returned to England
Wintour introduced Fawkes to Robert Catesby, who planned to assassinate King James I and restore a Catholic monarch to the throne
The plotters secured the lease to an undercroft beneath the House of Lords, and Fawkes was placed in charge of the gunpowder they stockpiled there
Prompted by the receipt of an anonymous letter, the authorities searched Westminster Palace during the early hours of 5 November, and found Fawkes guarding the explosives
Incarcerated in the Tower of London,

Tower of London - Traitors Gate

over the next few days, he was questioned and tortured, and eventually broke

implements of toture at the Tower - the rack and manacles

Immediately before his execution on 31 January, Fawkes jumped from the scaffold where he was to be hanged and broke his neck, thus avoiding the agony of the drawing and quartering that followed
Fawkes became synonymous with the Gunpowder Plot, which has been commemorated in England since 5 November 1605
His effigy is burned on a bonfire, often accompanied by a firework display.

And with the fun and fireworks comes the dangers associated with fire. Of course this year the Fire Brigade have chosen this weekend to air their grievances with a strike that starts on Friday 5th thru to Sunday 7th November.

Here is some advice to keep you safe:

use a taper to light fireworks and stand well back

once fireworks are lit, dont go back!

if you are building a bonfire, keep it clear of buildings, fences, barns, garden sheds, foliage and flammable liquids

never ever use flammable liquids to light the fire!! they are explosive and can cause massive injuries, even death

be sure to keep your bonfire under control and never leave it alone and untended

keep children at a safe distance and dont leave them unattended.

keep a bucket of water handy to douse any escaping flames or sparklers and use said water to douse the embers once the bonfire has burned down.

Bonfire night is a wonderful excuse to don those winter coats, scarves and hats and head off to the professional events that are held country wide! have a great time and be fire-wise!!! Here is a site with Bonfire Safety Advice…take a look, it’s worth the time spent.

wish you all a great time and enjoy the firework displays if you get to go!!

thanks to: edinburgh-inspiringcapital.com; chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com and telegraph.co.uk for the pic off google images

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