mutteringhousewife

We thought we’d spend a few days in London before embarking on the big walk because it’s London, innit. We’re staying in a fancy part of London, right near Marble Arch, not because we’re rich but because of the Commander’s military connections. You see, we’re staying at the Victory Services Club, run by some kind of charity that supports veterans, and I think you have to be a serving member of some manner of defence force to book in.

It’s comfortable, easy walking distance to a bunch of stuff that I’ll get to in a minute, the clientele run rather to short bristly moustaches, and many of the rooms are sponsored by various organisations.

My first day here was dedicated to keeping me upright and in the sunshine until proper bedtime. So we walked through Hyde Park for some squirrel watching, had lunch in a crypt, saw Big Ben which was under wraps last time we were in London, bought some more sparkly eyeliner from Selfridges, had dinner in one of those tiny pubs Britain specialises in, built for the population of one street’s worth of neighbours. Yesterday we visited Buckingham Palace and very lovely it was too. Always a bit odd to be in rooms you’ve only ever seen on the television, like it’s a set or something rather than someone’s rather over the top home. Was tempted to get a set of Buckingham Palace hand towels, but managed to resist.

After the palace we attempted a bit of a Samuel Pepys walk. I’ve always had a soft spot for Pepys and all his failings, and talked the Commander into reading his biography, rather than the full diary, before we came here. He bought me a little book of Pepys Walks, and we had a stab at the first one, starting at Winston Churchill’s statue, heading up to Trafalgar Square and down the Strand. It did tend very much to the ‘and here is where Axe Yard used to be’, and ‘this is approximately where York Buildings were, with a view of where the Thames used to be before the Embankment’. But we did find some little bits of remaining seventeenth century London, and Nell Gwynne’s pub. After which we adjourned the walk for another day and went home.

Today we took a narrow boat down to Camden Markets, then walked home through Regent’s Park for more squirrel watching. I’m fascinated by the canal system, even more so after the commentary we got about the rules about living on the narrow boats and who could park where and for how long. Before we got on the boat we walked down the canal in the opposite direction and saw some very decrepit looking boats, so there are definitely some kinds of class distinctions going on in that community too.

Tomorrow we’ve got a Sherlock Homes walking tour booked, so who knows what that will entail, and might try to finish the Pepys walk. It ends in Chancery Lane, which I’m also keen to see because of Bleak House. You’re probably not going to hear about it unless it’s extraordinary because I want to save my blogging and your attention for the Big Walk. Better start packing the day pack.