Walk - Secrets of the Riverside Part 1: Tower Bridge to London Bridge

Today, I was back with Discover London, for a walk entitled Secrets of the Riverside Part 1: Tower Bridge to London Bridge. These events are excellent - I was delighted to be back on one! And this one booked up, well in advance.

My day's exercise started early, when I saw the bus approach and I wasn't quite there yet! Trotted over to it - and what with two people boarding before me, I made it. Now, it's supposed to stop just at the south side of London Bridge - nope, although the button was pushed, it carried on to the station. I wish TFL wouldn't confuse us like that - I've complained (again). Well, I got to the location about five minutes before she said she'd be there - to discover I was the second to arrive! In the end. out of over 20 that RSVPed yes, only seven of us showed up! Now, I know the weather forecast was bad, but it's tough on the people who couldn't come because all the places were taken.

Well, as to the people who didn't come, it's their loss - it did spit a couple of drops of rain on us as we went around, but no more. Meantime, the first I noticed was how much my shoes were slipping on the wet, flat surfaces - all of these super-flat surfaces that they've put down for tourists are a nightmare when wet! I spent much of the day worrying about falling over.. When we were walking along the merchant line, which shows imports and exports, at least I could walk along the middle, which has a rougher texture!

Cute scale model of the area, at the end:

As ever, fantastic views awaited us at the riverside:

Crossing to the other side, for the only time, we were introduced to Father Thames, at the top of the Four Seasons:

And somoene remarked how like tridents were the lights at the bottom - good point, I hadn't noticed!

We schlepped along to the old Billingsgate fish market:

Now, I heard a lot of facts on today's walk - some of which I knew already, some of which were new to me. But I'd certainly never been in the church of Magnus the Martyr before!

And oh, what a spectacular model of London Bridge in 1400.. gee, I'd like a copy of that myself:

And such attention to detail:

Why, there's even a miniature Henry IV!

And the sculptor himself, depicted as one of the hundreds of tiny figures: he's in this picture, in his policeman's uniform, just to the left of the chap sitting on the edge of the bridge:

Another terrific walk from this guide. She took us to the Monument pub afterwards - those of us who wanted - and we had lunch: unfortunately, they never do have the full complement here! Mind you, at least they had food, unlike the last time I was here (but then, we were earlier today) - but only roasts. Still, they did have the lovely sauce for which Greene King pubs are noted - and the Yorkshire pudding was particularly nice. And a few of us made an afternoon of it. Nice atmosphere in this pub.. and a very nice day was had.

The next two days, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) - for some reason, I only just saw their advertised trip, tomorrow, to see Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel, at the Arts Theatre. Awesome! This should be good - title decided by the audience on the night.

On Tuesday, we're back at the Park Theatre for the Make Mine a Double series - this week, it's Press, which examines the world of journalism, and Tunnels, about two cousins hoping to escape East Berlin. So, darker than last week's.

On Wednesday.. same problem as last Wednesday. Until just recently, when the London Classical Music and Theatre Group advertised a London Philharmonic Orchestra concert at the Royal Festival Hall for that day! And wouldn't you know it, there's a Black Friday discount until the end of tomorrow if you book on the LPO website with the code BLACKFRIDAY. As I'd only just seen! ;-) So now I'm going to that.

On Thursday - well, my contract has been extended, and the new company is busy with a background check, and hasn't yet given me a start date. Which is just fine, as I only have to give a week's notice. I booked an online talk, The Life and Times of Magnus Folk, from the Surrey History Meetup. One of the earliest electrical engineers in England, it seems. Anyway, it's free, and I've now cancelled - I found something more interesting while I was waiting for the play on Thursday night. The Arabic Music, Dance and Party Meetup Group are advertising an evening at the Bethlehem Cultural Festival - tickets from Eventbrite - in which there's a talk about 19th century travellers, as well as discussion of a forthcoming book, and a talk from a female artist in Gaza. Not that the group is advertising it, but there's also an Arab dance after, and another talk - you can go to some, or all. Happening in The Tabernacle. So, I booked a ticket - stopped short of joining the group though - we shall see.

Then back to Ireland for the weekend again - flying Aer Lingus for a change! My passport is due to expire, you see - I don't technically need one to travel between Ireland and the UK, but Ryanair demands it. Aer Lingus doesn't.. I've finally gotten around to starting the online renewal process. Fingers crossed it goes quickly..

On the 5th - yep, the London Chess Community again looked like the best option. Hmm. But just lately - hallelujah! I was saved by London Social & Cultural Meetups, who have scheduled a talk on The 70th Anniversary of the Great London Smog. (Although oddly, we're meeting outside - perhaps the venue is hard to find?) Anyway, I'm delighted - this is that friendly group I joined a while ago for Evensong at St. Bartholomew the Great, and I'm glad to be seeing them again.

On the 6th, well, Free Stuff and Free Events are holding another online singalong. Again, I cancelled my attendance at the last of these I booked for, so was reluctant to rush off and book again.. Or the Garden Talks have one on How Did Language Begin? Unfortunately, my free trial has long since expired, and they won't let me take out another. Well, I might have paid - but I'd be paying for a month's worth, so I figured I might as well wait until closer to the date, and get the value.. And yay, just yesterday UITCS jumped to the rescue again, with a comedy called Dinner with Groucho, at the Arcola. The setting is a dinner, somewhere in heaven, with Groucho Marks and T. S. Eliot the guests.. best available seats for £15 with the code FRANK15, until Friday.

On the 7th, I'm back with UITCS for Baghdaddy at the Royal Court. About a little girl, realising she's half Iraqi, just as the Gulf War is raging. I see CT now has tickets for this.. unusually for this venue!

On the 8th, I've signed up for another Watkin's Bookshop talk! This is Colin Stanley on Colin Wilson's Introducing the Occult. Well, the last talk I was at here was interesting, so..

On the 9th, I'm heading to Lightopia, at Crystal Palace Park. As suggested by Over 40 Living the Life, who are not actually hosting a trip themselves, but just wanted to advertise it. 15% discount if you subscribe to Lightopia's mailing list, 20% discount for purchases of 10 or more tickets. And durnit if Groupon hasn't just advertised cheap tickets..

On the 10th - I've bravely scheduled another meeting of Those who Do Not Come. It's my last weekend in London before Christmas, you see. Well, so far Ivan and my first boss in London are probable attendees, the one person who came the last two times probably not, for once. We shall see - I've booked The Lucas Arms - O' Neill's isn't taking bookings for that day. Deposit payable, refundable with cancellation up to 72 hours beforehand.

And on the 11th, I'm vaguely thinking of heading to see Carnaby Street's Christmas lights..