More photos here. Now, this station is completely shut today. I know, it's a pain for tourists and such at the weekends - can't be helped, they're trying to avoid midweek disruption. Anyway, I was first there, and had plenty of opportunity to appreciate the biting wind. Apparently, we're headed for the coldest week of the winter - certainly feels like it! Anyway, two Meetup groups were meeting there at roughly the same time, which caused a small deal of confusion - the other was a photography course. Never mind, just after the photography guy arrived, our fearless leader appeared, unfurling his flag - and it was Jess again, of Fun London Tours! Excellent - he ran a great walk on Secret London, which I was on last year. I was rushing for that one - no such trouble today.
We hung on for about five minutes after start time, in the hopes that two final people who'd booked would show - but they never did. Never mind, off we popped to Charterhouse Square - which I'd never even known was there! Very close to where I live, it turns out to have been the largest mass grave in London during the Black Death! Oo-er..
..and as if that wasn't enough, they also used it as the exterior of Poirot's apartment building in the tv series:
On, then, to Smithfield Market - where I hadn't known they practiced wife-selling, a practice that continued right up to the last century! And to the perennial favourite, the Church of St. Bartholomew the Great, with its picturesque doorway: the story of the Bartholomew Fair, and the execution place of William Wallace, just the other side of the doorway - where someone has fastened a wee poem, "The Little White Rose"! Aww..
Down, then, to Pye Corner, where the Great Fire ended, and - being across the road from St. Bart's (with its Sherlock Holmes graffiti) - tales of the Resurrection Men, who procured corpses, for use by anatomy students, by means that were none too legitimate! We passed through the garden of Christchurch Greyfriars (for once, no mention of Queen Isabella!), and stopped at the Roman ruins on Noble Street. Finishing in the Guildhall, he told another tale I hadn't heard, about human remains they found that - based on the materials found alongside - give the indication of having belonged to a gladiator.. a female gladiator! If true, this would be the first found in Europe. Crikey, girl power, eh?
A much better walk than yesterday's - he brought pictures to illustrate what he was describing, kept his descriptions to what was relevant, moved at a reasonable pace. But then, he's an experienced guide! You can't possibly fit everything into one walk - there were things I could have added to what he had to say today, but I'm sure he was aware of them too. Always good, this guy - recommended.
Freezing cold and hungry, I fancied a Chinese - Google Maps helpfully suggested that the nearest was Ping Pong, six minutes' walk away. Ok then, and I was soon gratefully entering the heat of the restaurant. I got a table near the window; not a place that encourages lazing around, this - the chair backs barely deserve the name! Anyway, first I paid a visit to the loo - and the water from the taps, warm by default, was pure heaven on my frozen hands..
Dim sum only - I ordered prawn crackers (which come with a dip), rice (plain is the only option as a side), soy chicken skewers, and chicken and cashew nut dumplings, with a hint of sweet chilli. With a large glass of house wine, the bill came to just under £20 - just over, when the discretionary tip was applied. And it was all very nice - the blandness of the rice was compensated for with the judicious application of soy sauce, supplied in a jug on the table. I skipped dessert - I had chocolate at home (since finished).
I was frozen to the core on the walk home - so my first task upon arrival was to change into warmer clothes. See, this evening, someone suggested a classical concert in King's Place - and I thought, why not? So I booked. I was kind of regretting it, having to venture out into the cold again. Never mind, off I trotted - Google maps thought I'd need 30 minutes to walk there, so I left 45, and it took 40, what with getting slightly lost on the way.
The programme started with Janáček's Violin Sonata - an evocative piece, but somewhat discordant. The others were easier on the ear - Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2, and - after the interval - Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1. The elderly couple to my right didn't last past the first half - the sleepy student type to my left, however, got himself a hot drink at the interval, and kept time all through the second half, finishing with an enthusiastic round of applause! For me, it was a restful way to finish the weekend. And my walk home was five minutes quicker - boy, was I glad to be in!
Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, at Hampstead Theatre, for Dry Powder.
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