Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London,

 

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Good day SUNSHINE—I’m back—yesterday was work and grocery shopping not exactly a red letter day but not so bad either.

 

 

 

 

94/95 ROLLING STONES Voodoo Lounge World Tour Program

 

 

 

 

How can anybody so buff and 6’3″  be this Cute?  He won Manliest Man in Scotland

 

 

 

 

 

Minature Vase COMMEMORATIVE CHARLES & DIANA'S Wedding 1981

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok back to London.  Thought I’d cover a few of the districts that have been of special interest:

There is the City of London with in the sprawling modern metropolis that is the heart and soul of the city.  The ancient city that set within the medieval (and before that Roman) walls.   This is where it all began and even though there’s bunches of modern there’s also Roman temple remains, medieval halls, Wren’s Churches (please let me explain if there is an old church in London it was probably rebuilt after the Great Fire by Wren or one of his underlings–which is why I like Westminster Abbey—it’s ancient and not dealt with by Wren) and lots and lots of Victorian trivia including monuments to their ongoing drive for power and glory–while trying to look (if not act behind closed doors) prudish and proper.  This is one of my two favorite places in the city–there are Dragons on some of the main street marking its boundaries–I like Dragons and I love London.

The other ancient district of the city is Westminster City.  Here you have the Abbey that Wren didn’t built…as well as an adjoining church which is where the common people went as the Monks didn’t like the common folks in their Abbey Church and which became Parliament’s Church when the Puritans didn’t like the ornamentation of the Abbey.  and just across the way setting firmly on the Thames and next to London Bridge is Big Ben in its tower and parliament the governing body of the empire ad formerly the site of a royal palace.    Here are wonderful squares, historic landmarks and government offices not to mention art galleries and the remains of ancient palaces.  I love it here and spend time rambling and roaming.  It is beautiful and impressive and exactly what you think London should (and is) be.

Piccadilly at it’s heart (at its Circus) is all encompassing for London’s tackiness and yet even with its signs and fast food establishment it still boasts beautiful architecture and Eros’ Fountain (think Cupid).  There’s lots of shopping here but I do not spend bunches of time here as I love the older classier areas–Mayfair which is between Oxford St. and Piccadilly has grand Georgian streets that are temporary homes to the international wealthy  as well as super-deluxe hotels, stores and art galleries.

Chealsea and Knightsbridge–My main time spent here has been shopping (a trip to Harrods is an adventure onto itself but leave bread crumbs as you may have difficulty finding your way out).   This is an area of quiet residential areas along with Kings Road and Brompton Cross stores as well as South Kensington museums.

Kesington, Notting Hill and Hyde Park have a palace (which I hope to visit next time in London), two beautiful parks (Kensington Gardens and Hyde) which remind me a bit (only they’re classier and have an underground river feeding one park feature) of Central Park and Notting Hill–which will always remind me of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts if nothing else.  It also has a market on the weekend and I spent time here when I stayed in London by myself for a couple of weeks and wandered around it quiet happily.  I wander if I went there now alone again if I would still yearn for home or just learn to live there?

 

Soho and Covent Garden is situated between the inner cities of London ad Westminster and like border towns everywhere they are where you find the slightly odd and always crazy.   Here are theaters, stage plays, musicals and bars.  Restaurant galore along with shopping and more shopping.  There’s even a few historical sites.  I mostly have shopped, eaten and drank here and my plans next trip is to do some night time partying.  An acquaintance after a trip to London overheard me saying I wanted to go to Soho…she warned me that this might not be the best place for a lady like me–I just smiled, next time I’ll take her to Key West for Fantasy Fest and see who blushes first (been there, done that and got beads for my efforts).

Holborn and the Strand is an area that incites me to wander.  In fact one of my favorite things to do in London is to pick an area and just take my time and pictures seeing what’s there and enjoying the old and to me new buildings and places.  One of the highlights in this district are the Inns of Court–still operating medieval institutions.  I took a walking tour (they have many in London) through this area and you can see everything including the only Templar Church (that I know of at least) in the area.

South Bank was originally swampland with some areas of if not really island then rather water intimidated series of dry land.  The Romans formed the first London Suburb here.  It was the site of Dicken’s stories of poverty and grief  (his father went to debtor’s prison here and his mother and youngest brother resided with them in the institution–the wall to that prison can be seen still in the area).  Here Shakespeare plied his trade and there are theaters and the remains of theaters not to mention an aquarium and the London Eye to name a few.   Old Warehouses have become the residence of the affluent  and there is the ruins of a bishop palace where a King of much renowned danced.  Last trip to London (3 years ago this month) I did one of my own self researched walking tours of the area.  We saw ancient inns still functioning and that also served as the original play houses (gallery around a court yard) and ancient churches not to mention a pub that provided a view to the great fire.  It is a must on your visit to London.

 

Come on back tomorrow for my favorite places.

 

 

 

 

Original BEATLES Trading CARD With Repo Signature of George Harrison 2nd series #66

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Go where we may, rest where we will,
Eternal London haunts us still.”
Thomas Moore

 

 

 

 

SIGNED GAS/Japan  4 1/2 Heavy Crystal Cigarette Lighter

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