We were to meet at St. James's Park Tube Station - 25 minutes walk from the office, which I figured was ok. Google Maps sent me across St. James's Park to get there - which was very dark, mostly unlit. But fine - everybody keeping their distance, so we didn't crash into each other.
More photos here. Anyway, made it to the station without trouble - and no sign of the organiser. Turns out I'd missed the message he'd posted on the event page the day before, telling us which of the three entrances he'd be at, and giving us his number - what I ended up doing was posting where I was, then charging off to see whether I could spot him, while he was coming to look for me in the other direction! Did ever spies have such trouble..?
In due course, we were off - as someone remarked afterwards, this guy really has the voice for guiding - nice and loud, easily heard over the traffic. And even for someone with only a passing interest in spy stories, I do recommend this walk. As I always say, it's great anyway to get to unfamiliar parts of town. One guy on the walk, who works in the City, remarked that he doesn't get over to the West of London much, and had forgotten how nice and leafy it is.
And so to the stories: hope the guide didn't think I wasn't paying attention - what I was doing was taking notes! Well, who would have thought that, for instance, the Special Branch started as the Special Irish Branch, dealing with the Fenians in the 19th century? We also learned how MI5 started life in the run-up to WW1, when they were afraid of German invasion, and how the ever-mischievous Daily Mail was dressing reporters in German uniforms, just to give people an idea what invasion would be like!
And did you know that the head of MI6 really is called C, just like in the Bond films?! Short for the name of its first chief, it seems:
Oh, and just like his predecessor, apparently the current C writes in green ink!
We stopped outside the Admiralty building, where Ian Fleming used to work. We learned about MI9, formed to help British prisoners of war to escape. But the most interesting for me personally was when we stopped outside the side door of the ICA, of all places. I've been there so many times - and never did know that the side door was rumoured to be the entrance to a secret underground tunnel system!
Our tour ended outside St. Ermin's Hotel, a longtime favourite rendezvous point for spies, it seems.
And yes, a few of us stopped for a drink in the bar - just like spies used to do! Mind you, at over £12 for a large wine, one was all we had.. and so home, via the office, but too late to blog.
Tonight, Crick Crack is telling stories - Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton are performing Metamorphoses at Rich Mix. However, the Rich Mix website doesn't seem to have heard of this.. unless you search for that specific day. The independent Crick Crack Club website has a link to buy tickets from Rich Mix though, and at the moment they're being sold at a discounted preview price. And now that the link is available, their Meetup group is advertising it too.
Tomorrow, Let's Do London - for less! is back to see Sleeping Beauty at the Opera House - and so am I. Honestly, this was a mistake on my part - I was booking a lot at the time and forgot I was already booked for last Tuesday - but hell, little beats an outing with the Man with the Hat. Amphitheatre, this time - it's been a while since I was there. Ooh, and I see - at time of writing - that they've released some last-minute tickets for tonight. Good luck to anyone who wants them! It's definitely worth seeing.
Sunday, London for Less Than a Tenner advertised "Soho: the Roots of the Swinging Sixties - guided walk"! Now, this confused me, before I read deeper.. I do recall the Man With the Hat saying that, while he was interested in guided walks, he wasn't interested in actually guiding them. Turns out someone else is doing the actual guiding.. Anyway, I booked, but it seems not enough of us did, and he's cancelled the event. The walk is still going ahead though - check out Back in the Day Walks for more details. Me? I might just go to a film - since John Wick Chapter 2 doesn't appeal (still highly rated!), Rogue One: a Star Wars Story is currently looking like it.
Monday, I'm off to see Russell Howard at the Albert Hall.
Tuesday, jeez, the Man with the Hat is back again! Hard to keep up these days - so I'm going with Let's Do London - for less! to The Diary of a Teenage Girl at Southwark Playhouse.
Wednesday, I finally get to go to something with the Post-Apocalyptic Book Club - not a book discussion this time, instead they're off to a play called The Machine Stops, at Jacksons Lane Theatre. Suitably post-apocalyptic. Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend.
Monday 13th, I'm with London Dramatic Arts at the Royal Court, for The Kid Stays in the Picture.
That rescheduled talk on Brexit Vs. Trump from a couple of weeks ago is on Tuesday 14th. Unless I decide to go to a film instead - being Funzing, I can get my money back if I cancel at least 48 hours in advance.
On Wednesday 15th, the Man with the Hat is taking London for Less Than a Tenner to Top Secret.
Thursday 16th, he's back to the Opera House for the opening night of a mixed bill of ballet. As usual, he's in the slips with London for Less Than a Tenner, and in the amphitheatre with Let's Do London - for Less!
Friday 17th, I got a cheap ticket to a very topical version of Twelfth Night, in the Drayton Arms. Ah, I remember when I was walking distance from there..
Saturday 18th, I'm back with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts for an Oliver Twist walk. Back with Hazel, excellent!
Sunday 19th.. not a Man with the Hat event, but one he's advertised. One member of his group plays Spanish guitar, and is giving a concert that night - so I've booked a ticket. Well hey, I do love Spanish music..
Monday 20th, I'm off to a Funzing talk on The Science of Psychedelics. Courtesy of London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less (nothing to do with the Man with the Hat). Unless I think of something better up to 48 hours beforehand..
Tuesday 21st, I'm with London European Club (LEC) for Carradine's Cockney Singalong, at Hoxton Hall. Had some fun with this last week, when I noticed another group member had confused it with something at a different venue, and thought it wasn't now happening..
Wednesday 22nd, I'm headed with LEC again - with a different organiser - to see 2 Cellos in concert in the London Palladium. Cool - never seen them before, never been there before, and I can probably walk there!
Thursday 23rd was another Funzing talk, with the same three groups, on The Science of Hypnosis. And yesterday, wouldn't you know it, Henning from the LEC advertised.. Hypnosis - Altering Consciousness! With Pint of Science. (What is it about that day and hypnosis?!) Anyway, I do enjoy events with Henning, and as I say, I can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours in advance without penalty. So I did, and booked the other instead. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again..
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