With one thing and another, I was dashing to make the Ghosts of the Old City walk this evening, which was the one offered by London Walks that I was keenest to see. Nuts, it would be the earliest! Anyway, after a tortuous series of unexplained and unwelcome stops on the District Line, I had a scamper from Mansion House Station to St. Paul's Station, Exit 2, where the walk was leaving from. As if I knew where Exit 2 was! Anyway, I made my best guess, and Google Maps told me how to get there.
Now, Google Maps is a great resource, but they have a major flaw, which is that they invariably put the Tube exits in the wrong place, and never give them all. Which would be why, on exiting Mansion House station, I was utterly confused. I had taken the exit for St. Paul's (Exit 4), but came out in an alleyway. Luckily, I turned right, which was the way I needed to go, onto Cannon Street. Then I was confused again - I was now on the main road, where Google Maps Streetview had told me to go left, but it didn't look the same. Luckily, there was a map, and it turned out that the Google Maps exit for Mansion House station was actually across the road from where I was. I had, it transpired, taken the correct exit - it's just that Google didn't know it existed. (I do note that they seem to ignore comments about the location of Tube exits on their maps. Well, mine anyway.)
I soon saw a sign saying that St. Paul's, and the station, which is behind it, were five minutes away. Which is about as much time as I had. This was going to be tight. So off I scurried, still unsure about where exactly this particular exit might be, where they were meeting. But I had an idea that it might be on the side I was currently scurrying towards. Got there just after St. Paul's bells struck 7, the time the walk was due to start. I was willing them to stop, that the guide might not notice the time. There was nobody at the exit I was making for - nobody that looked as though they were about to head on a walk, at least. But then.. out of the corner of my eye, I spied the fellow on the video, standing on a bench, giving a speech to a large group of people. Just round the back of the station entrance. So I hurried over there, and slipped into the back of the group. He seemed to have just started, and was in full flow.. and he was finished taking money, so I got on the walk for free! Well, all right then!
My, but he's an entertaining fellow! All in black, with a full length cape and white face make-up, he has an actorly way about him. A voice that carries, and a way with words. He had plenty of entertaining stories to tell us over the next two hours. More funny than scary, but fascinating if you're into history, as I am. And he could sing! Broke into a few ditties as we went around.
There were about 40 of us in the group, and part of the entertainment was in passing all these people celebrating Hallowe'en. Drunken party-goers abounded, as we wound our way past pubs, and we had some fun with them commenting on us, and our guide commenting on them. Later on the walk, we kept running into other guided groups, including an Italian one. Our guide had to take us further over, and kept being drowned out by the loud Italian guide. He told us to huddle closer, and just pretend we were at Rome airport! We also had to compete, at one point, with the Ghost Bus, which stopped outside the same pub we did, at the same time. And the conductor came over, nearly to where we were standing, with a microphone he was using to communicate with his passengers. And drowned out our guide again. Honestly, no manners! and I've been on the Ghost Bus tour, and it's not great, in my opinion.. I think we had the better deal.
Our walk wasn't very scary - despite the half-hearted attempts to "scare" us by having people dress up in costume at a couple of spots. But it was very, very entertaining, and I do like getting into the nooks and crannies of a place - the spots you hardly ever see. And my, but our guide was energetic - he must have been middle aged, but he took off at a fair pace, and by the end, we'd had quite a workout. Actually, I think a number of people dropped out along the way. Fair play to the man on crutches, who lasted till the end! Recommended, if you like your history.
So, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend, for a well deserved rest, after all that moving. Nothing booked, but there is a play we might go to. And my last plan for Monday was a film - but I haven't had time to see what's on. Watch this space..
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