Four: Last day of London Pass

Ok.

Today's plan was: go to the Globe Theater (before it closed at 12 pm), then the Churchill War Rooms, and finally to Handel's House. - then a quick grocery run and home before 4:30. Here's what happened instead.


I got to the tube station in plenty of time, only to realize that today was Saturday - which means... there was construction all up and down the line I wanted to use. And the signs were really confusing... so I didn't know how to get down to the other side of the river. Naturally, I took the 'wrong' way because it literally took me TWO HOURS to get less than 3 miles away. 

This means that I was just about 8 minutes past the last tour before the Globe shut down for tours. See, it is a working theater, right, so it closes to do a matinee. I knew that and had thought I gave myself plenty of time. I was so very sad. BUT I hear they sell tickets for £5 , if you want to stand the whole time... But that combined with the pain it was to get there and all my upcoming schoolwork (you know, the reason I moved to a different country), I may not make it back over there. Sad.

The Globe is right on the river - so I thought it would be fun to take the river-version of the tube (a "water bus"), little did I know that going basically across the river would cost me £6. Suffice it to say, I was incredibly annoyed at this day so far. Before I forget - I learned on my first day, that there is not any advertising allowed on the River Thames (despite all the traffic on and around it), because it is HRH the Queen's Highway, and she doesn't like advertising... so there isn't any. There is an old, famous, factory called OXO - which happens to have the "pattern" OXO all over the tower... which just happen to light up every night...

There was apparently a court case - and OXO won... because they said it was "an accident" - they won. Incredible. Another fun fact... The Thames floods every day - about 7 meters. And they have these beautiful lions above that mark - so they say "if the Lions are drinking - then London is sinking..." because it means it is starting to flood.

Oh and the last thing I learned that day on the river - there is a bridge built by the women during WWII - that is self cleaning stone. Meaning that every time it rains, it cleans the stones... I thought it was quite smart of the women to include that factor and thought it was pretty funny.

Ok. Back to today. Sorry - I loved that tour and learned a lot I forgot to say earlier.

Then, I was incredibly tired (lots of walking and stress trying to find a new way down...) - so I thought "If I don't go to Handel's house, I won't go..." (It was a bit out of the way, so I knew by the time I finished I would be too tired to go further). SO I went. It was way out of the way. BUT it was really cool to be there.

It was really, really amazing to stand in the room where the Messiah was written (and most everything else he wrote). Incidentally, Jimi Hendrix lived next door to where Handel used to live (obviously, not at the same time). I missed my sister very much. And naturally, I took some photos ... only to learn later that photography isn't allowed inside... so... I won't post them... Plus I take too many photos anyway (note - I did not take the two pictures right above this). I try...and fail... to not take pictures that people won't want to see - but then I take them because I like to take pictures - and remember things as I saw them, not necessarily the professional versions... 

After Handel - I tried to get back to see Churchill's War Rooms. Very cool. Like most things I walked into, I had no idea how cool they were until I was in there. However, it would be more meaningful if I hadn't tried to cram in 3 things in one day... because I was so tired. I knew this would happen, but did it anyway because it was more efficient and cheaper... ...and I don't know that I'll have the time to explore once school starts.

Churchill War Rooms - it's a bunker underneath Parliament Square. Apparently, some rooms were secret even to those who were down there basically for 6 years straight... Like, one was locked and marked as a bathroom - which held the direct line to the US President - they all assumed it was a WC reserved for the PM, Winston Churchill. Anyway - it was truly amazing to see all I could. I could and should have spent all day there - there was so much to see and learn. Amazing stuff. 

Then I started on my journey back. It took ages to find the grocery store. Tomorrow is Sunday, and as the day of rest, I wanted to have some food already purchased. BUT I can't even find the supposed kitchen on my floor that is supposedly open for me to use and store stuff in... so I mostly bought junk food and fruit... Ha. What the combo. 

Then I came home, wrote postcards, cleaned myself up, and now I am writing this. It has been a long day - a long few days. So excited for Sunday - to rest, partake of the Sacrament, and meet some new people (if it is like Thursday at the ward dinner thing... I will meet a LOT of people and so we'll see how it goes).

Side note: Today was my last day of the London Pass - it was pretty cool to have so many things to do for "free" well, if I had done everything I did, without the pass, it would have cost me - £112 - the pass itself cost - £76 - so all in all... definitely not free, but often I didn't have to wait in line, I got a handy guide book with a great map of the tube, plus info / directions to all the sites, help planning, etc. etc. I say, all in all, if you're going to be a first-time-tourist in London, get the London Pass. No, this is not a paid advertisement... or a sponsorship... just my opinion (though of course, that would be a great bonus...haha) 
PS you are all welcome to come visit me over here in London... we will explore. And I hopefully will have figured it out and we won't get lost so much.
PPS if it wasn't for my inability to think on my feet today, getting lost towards the Globe (unable to get in), I would have spent an additional £13.50. So. Definitely worth it to get the pass, if you are going to use it. I am going to be here two more full days - Sunday and Monday - so I just got the 3 day, so that I'd have the day when I arrived, plus 2.5 days to catch up, see free things, and do basic exploring. Also - full disclosure - I got a deal so I got the 3-day for a little less than the usual 2-day pass. So that was a factor too. But like I said, I'd probably do it anyway - for a first visit to London. And if not - at least take the river boat tour. Definitely where I learned the most - though everything else was definitely amazing and I'm glad I could go to all of it. 

AND NOW for more pictures.

This is all I got to see. :(

It took ten years, just to get approval to build this. Why? The roof. It's thatched - and there are laws against it because of the London Fire - in 1666 - which one of the main reasons it was so bad was because of the thatched roofs. So anyway. That's that.

Courage of the Dutch - never heard the phrase before that I remember - but supposedly, they were the only ones who would trade with England during the plague - so England gave them all sorts of things - like no taxes - and then the word got around that the Dutch were very courageous... Sorry. That's another side note from my river tour...  Seriously, I learned a lot. And apparently, I am only just remembering it all.

Dumb ticket. Super expensive to go across the river - but I didn't want to try to find how to get to the bridge or worse, take my chances trying to get back with the tube or buses weekend schedules. So. There you go.

 This is where I would post pictures of Handel's house... here are two that I can show you:

Authentic staircase - mid to late 1700's. Haha. No. But I thought it was funny. 

Grownups aren't allowed to try them on. Even the short ones like me. Sad. Just kidding. It would have been sad, if others were with me. But, just by myself... that would be ... awkward. Haha.

Ok. In the room I am standing, it says we are allowed to take pictures. So... feeling slightly rebellious, I took a picture through of the area we aren't allowed to photograph. Technically, it is ok... but it's also a lame picture... so... there you go.

Sometimes, when you are tired and don't feel like trying to figure things out, you get out of the tube stop, find a possible exit, and take it. And it is usually these times you don't end up where you want to go. This next picture is where I ended up. It was very cool - even though it added about 15 minutes onto my walk. Oh well. :)

Finally found the War Rooms. Most places have been sparsely attended - and then it is mostly by women... This one was predominately male - with a lot of them being older gentlemen - and quite well attended even though tourist season is mostly over. I thought it was a funny difference (though it makes sense of course). 

The second longest line, after Westminster Abbey - though I think the abbey's line moved quicker...

 This is where it happened, people. How cool.

Note: these sometimes seemed like real people when I was far away. It is not well lit down there - a realistic version of how it would have been -  he would have been a real guard to the cabinet room.

The weather outside is 'fine and warm' - for those going up... thought it was funny.

This room is the one Churchill had a direct line to the US President - but the outer door marked it as a toilet - and the lock on the door caused many people (the room was a secret) - to think it was the ONLY flushing toilet in the bunkers - reserved specially for Winston Churchill. There were lots of secrets then, and still today I would assume.

 I did a double take, I did think someone was sitting in the chair on the phone - you couldn't really see clearly... very funny. :)

I don't know if you can (or want to) read this but I thought it was interesting. 

Also, this was really cool - it's a replica but still neat ;)

One of the fancier bedrooms

This is on a map - someone drew Hitler - apparently as graffiti. I know you can't really see it - but it was far away, and the camera's zoom caught it better than my eyes could. 

Funny story. This is his "clomper" - he apparently hated paperclips and staples. SO he had everyone use this little gadget he called the 'clomper' - a single hole punch in today's vernacular - then they would use a little tack to keep the pages together. 

Once, on a secretary's first day, Churchill asked her for his clomper. She didn't know what he meant, and a while later, she returned with a library book written by a Professor Clomper. What a good girl. Though... she could have just ask... or ask another secreatary - I imagine working for Churchill was a bit intimidating...

Master keys - cool, no?

 This made me laugh out loud. Ok. Upon their safety review of the bunker, this area (underneath some stairs) was the most vulnerable. So. What do they do? They fill it entirely with concrete. Haha. The tunnel was carved out later. I thought it was so funny. BUT it did the trick.

The official explanation of what I just told you... And upon reading it closer, it makes more sense. Still funny.

Phew. You made it to the end. These were my purchases at Sainsbury's today. I don't know if I have a kitchen - stove - microwave - fridge - etc. So, hurrying to find stuff before my feet gave up - I bought this stuff... super healthy... yep. Also - nutella is cheaper over here... shouldn't be a surprise to me, I guess. It is also in a glass bottle... but I didn't buy it since I am going to Scotland before I can move into my flat.

Hopefully my next posts won't be so long - I don't think anyone will ever read what I write since I write so much... This took me like an hour and a half to write it all... and I haven't gone back to edit it. So sorry everybody. Like I said, this is a journal... and not meant to be... uh... like a novel or high quality. I just want to remember what I saw and enjoyed - and thought... even though it seems a bit childish and silly... or just inconsiderately long. :)