Well....today has been very hot....and as a furry bear I can testify to the fact it was very uncomfortable! Which makes it all the worse when you see so many going about that look chic and fool despite the conditions! Don't you just hate some people!!
So....they slept in today and they better not do that tomorrow or they might have to swim the channel instead of go under it! The went back to Cafe Benugo (www.benugo.com ) for breakfast and after a brief stop they were off...although later than hoped!
Today was going to be the 'long walk day' as the mid point of their walk would be Tower Bridge....which is a long way from the BT Tower where they are close to! They headed up and across Oxford Street and into Soho! 10am in Soho is probably too early to catch any 'excitement' but they walked through a number of the narrow streets! The highlight....helping a lady in a courier can to reverse round into a busy street so she could take off to her next delivery! Not really what you would hope for! (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soho )
From there they headed into China Town....again normally a very busy place but this morning there were deliveries going on and little old Chinese women were out shopping! No dragons, no Chinese music but still plenty to see! Many shops were selling wide varieties of food - chickens, ducks, lobsters and even some of the bits you would not normally think of....like ducks feet deep fried and ready to......crunch, suck or goodness know s what! And..surprisingly they found some Durian fruit! Large, very odd, mis-shaped fruits they are ok to look at - but don't open them as the stench from them is over powering! So...who will be buying these? Goodness knows....but not even Linda would try them again after her Singapore experience!
From China Town they finally came upon Trafalgar Square and they paid a visit to The National Gallery! Yes.....a cultural art Gallery.....but I soon discovered it was just a toilet stop...one of many during the day!so...they went in.....found a toilet....and left without seeing one Portrait!! Heathens!
So...out in Trafalgar people were battling through the crowds! The fourth plinth has a new exhibit....a huge, vivid blue Cockerel..which must be at least 10 feet high. I wonder if it was sponsored by Kellogg's? PS...that's it on the LEFT!!
The rest of the square (which it actually is not really) was bustling with tourists from many different nationalities! There are many street entertainers, mainly of the statue variety, who all seemed to be into appearing as if they were hovering a over he ground as they stood there! One would have been novel....but three or four all in a row...it loses the impact!
They took some photos at the fountain and a couple of selfies (oh dear o dear!) before he thought he'd be clever and climb up to one of the lion's! Well, she should have had the video going! But he made it...but decided against clambering to the front of it! He got his photo taken then a lady from Kansas asked if we wanted a onto taken together! Well, Linda said there was no way she was going up, even though her son offered to 'pull her up'!! But she stood below the lion and they had their photo taken! But the lady cut the he'd off the ....lion! Anyway, they reciprocated and took one of the lady and her son! At that point I was passed up to the guy to be placed on the back of the lion! Oh, the indignity of it all! But I too got my photo taken but I suddenly realised how small I am compared to the huge lion!
They moved on and headed for the wee river embankment! They were heading for the Millennium Bridge so they could continue walking down the south side of the Thames. First they went under the Hungerofrd Bridge before discovering the Embankment Gardens. They are a little oasis of quietness and beauty between high rise buildings and the river! It was popular with people sitting having lunch and the posers out with their physical trainers! (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Embankment_Gardens )
By this time the heat was getting uncomfortable and there is not much shelter down by the river! the Millennium Bridge is metal and so almost radiates heat! But it is always busy and is a direct route to the Tate Modern Gallery at the other side of the Thames. Again they gave this a miss and headed along the river!
The south bank from The Tate to Tower Bridge is a gret stretch to visit! The office blocks are full of busy working people in their stylish get ups and then mixed in you have a variety of tourist attractions! The Globe Theatre is a magnet...but they have done this before! there is HMS Belfast, The Clink Prison, Borough Market and a Hays Galleria! Then at the end of the stretch you come out and get spectacular views of The Shard, the London Mayor's office building and a huge complex of office buildings. They had lunch in Prêt, again, before heading to Borough Market for a gander! When they reach the 'courtyard' area round the Mayor's Office it is thronged with people eating their lunch in the blazing sun! There are tourists and hundreds of office workers! Many, the stylish women mainly, are either sitting gossiping about office goings on or how their friends are being difficult or they are sitting on their phones checking Facebook or texting! They are topping up their tans as they sit and take a break from their desk!
It is back across the river once again this time at Tower Bridge. It is always great to walk over this iconic bridge and it is always thronged by people taking photos and selfies as they go. The poor workers must get royally pissed off as they try and make their way through the crowds!
Linda needs a loo stop again and once off the bridge we enter a Starbucks and she joins a queue which takes about 20 minutes to go down! Toilets are in short supply generally and where ever you see a queue it's usually a toilet!
So.....off they went again along the North bank making their way back to the hotel...still quite a few miles away! They got great views of the Shard, Tower Bridge and Hays Galleria!
The target this afternoon was The Monument! ( www.themonument.info/) The Monument is a tribute to the people killed during the Great Fire of London in 1666! When Linda saw it stretch into the air and realised there was NO lift...she said 'I'm not going up there!' So he set off by himself! They gave The Shard a miss as tickets would have cost £60 between them but this was a pinch at £4. So Andrew set off while Linda sat at the bottom and looked up waiting is see if he would MAKE it to the top! Well...I can vouch he did as I made it to the top also! 311 steps up and 311 steps down make it quite a challenge! At least you feel you earn the view when you make it up the spiralling staircase that seems to go on and on and on! The top is not huge and everyone there squeezes past taking photos through the netting to stop you taking the quick way down!
You got views right round and could see most of the major landmarks in that area! A great view and well worth the climb if you are fit enough! And....you get a certificate once you come back down! Well, I didn't as you guessed she could not see me stuck in the bag as ever! But I did my bit and helped!
From there it was the long walk back to the hotel! Right up Cannon Street and The Strand with only St Paul's on the way to break the long trek! Next time they will do St Paul's but they always seem to end there by the end of the day when they are tired and ready for a break!
They returned to the hotel via Covent Garden and Soho once again before resting up before heading out to shop and eat!
They need to pack the cases tonight as it's off to St Pancras tomorrow and the Eurostar to Paris! Oui, should be fun!
More later!
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