Walk: The Secret History of Magic, Witchcraft & the Occult

Tonight (Friday 13th, woo!), Walking in London took me on a walking tour of The Secret History of Magic, Witchcraft & the Occult. Starting outside St. Paul's, of all places. Mmm yes, had my eye on this for a while. And being Funzing, the code crazy_fun will score you a 10% discount.

So, off I meandered - had to take the bus, whereas I could've walked from the last place. Never mind. I arrived about five minutes early.. and as promised, he was on the steps, and already had a crowd around him. Oh hell though, he was nearly at the top of the steps! And me with a step phobia, and no handrails through the middle. Well, I managed to get up to them.. and not to fall back down the steps.. and I spent the whole time that he was telling us how this used to be a temple of Diana worrying about how I was to get down again! Well, I managed as far as the middle - and mercifully he descended the lower level at the side, so I had the handrail and was ok.

We made our way around that big hole they've dug in the road - the one that causes all the bus diversions. About six of us, he had - there were another couple of people that hadn't shown by the time we left. And as expected, we covered the same ground as some other walks, and heard some of the same tales. But yay, we heard some things that were new to me - such as how black Madonnas originate from Isis-worship, which was gaining a foothold in overtly masculine Christian Europe before they started to feminise it! Or the origin of the "shaggy dog" story..

Now, it hadn't been forecast to rain at all. But an ominous, black cloud lowered over St. Paul's as I arrived, and a flipping thunderstorm had started by the time we set off! I've seen worse rain showers associated with thunderstorms, but still.. Our guide was good enough to extend his umbrella over me, and stop under cover where possible - still, we were glad of a stop-off in Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. And it was here that our guide really came into his own! It isn't the best walk I've been on - he hasn't actually been doing it that long. However, he is an absolute fount of knowledge, and the most can be gleaned from this trip by scratching the surface and getting him to talk around his subject! Before we left, we paid a trip to the haunted, 13th Century cellars.

Around to Wardrobe Place, St. Bride's Church, and Dr. Johnson's House - places I've been before. Apart from some who needed to get home, we repaired after to The Edgar Wallace - where he told us lots about the current state of witchcraft and magic(k). Truly, a knowledgeable chap in these fields - and I do recommend the walk, if you're into such stuff.

And true to form, it'd stopped raining by the time we went home! Tomorrow, why, I was spoiled for choice! Up in the Cheap Seats alone has three events - I finally plumped for the first, chronologically: so we're off to see Machinal, at the Almeida. Always dependably good drama there - and again, close to me. And, it being Bastille Day, we're off to La Petite Auberge beforehand for lunch / brunch! Better get to bed.

On Sunday, well, my £3.60 club finally got tickets to Circa's Peepshow, the new cabaret circus act at Udderbelly! Awesome, another one I had my eye on - have seen cheap tickets for this already. This was much better than the other things advertised for that day - and with a regular price of £21.50 (or £26.50, at this short notice), a bargain, it has to be said - the regular price is quite high for a show that only lasts an hour.

On Monday, I'm with Anthony's Cultural Events & Walking Activities group, to see The Tempest at the free Outdoor Theatre in Westferry Circus. Seating on the grass, in the middle of a roundabout, it seems. Apparently they provide mats. Well, that should be interesting! Just as well my evening meeting has been cancelled - this is an early start. Set in outer space, this one, it seems.

Speaking of which, on Tuesday I'm with London Science Events for a talk on Moon, Mars and Beyond at The Royal Institution. Tickets from Eventbrite. And there'll be an astronaut there, and - something I haven't heard of before - if you want his autograph, it'll cost you £20! (discount prices for members of the Institution). I think I can live without.

On Wednesday, back with London Literary Walks (but of course!) for The Belgravia Walk.

And on Thursday, I RSVPed with North London Friends, for the first time in ages, for End of Term Moors Bar Blues Jam and Drinks. And then, wouldn't you know it, Ryanair announced another pilots' strike - for the next day, when I was to go back to Ireland for the weekend! Nothing about it on their website, of course - and you know, if it affects me, I'll just find out at the last possible minute. Like all of those delayed flights that they only email you about - with the option to cancel or reschedule - when they're already in the air! (when it's actually legally too late to cancel, even if you don't go). I know from personal experience how hard it is to get last-minute flights - and how expensive. So, for safety's sake, I'm now flying on Thursday.. damnit, I'll never get to that Blues bar! And this group will think I'm avoiding them..

Jazz Exhibition

Tonight, Let's Do This was off to a jazz evening at Two Temple Place. Beautiful venue -  a lovely evening was to be expected. Well, our evening meeting was rescheduled, and when it got to a certain time, rather than get into anything major, I set off - quite early. Got the bus to the West End, and with time to kill - and a Pret across the road - popped in there for one of their excellent chocolate "mooses". Which I took down to Temple Place with me. Jeez, I wasn't anticipating the wind, though - I was to be glad I went with my winter coat again, it was bitter! Anyway, I had my moose, and was reading the paper when our organiser arrived.

Inside the gate was a much better prospect, out of the wind, and that's where the group ultimately congregated. Much of the discussion centred on our two members who were just back from India's Golden Triangle - independently! Both agreed it was breathtaking. Anyway, although our organiser had printed off tickets for us, we didn't need them - just meandered in as we felt like it. And, with the cold, we soon did.

Beautiful building - now kitted out with all sorts of jazz memorabilia. I'd be surprised if anyone didn't find something to keep them occupied, in here:

More photos here. There is a bar - though we didn't avail of it. There's a live band, upstairs, which is excellent, and which we listened to for quite a while. Newsreels and other old films are projected on the walls, constantly displaying footage of dancers and musicians of the roaring 20s. And the single object that caught our attention most was something that we associated with our own homes:

Terrific exhibition - runs till the 22nd of next month, free, and highly recommended. And of course, you get to gawk at the gorgeous architecture while you're at it.

Afterwards, we repaired to the nearby Edgar Wallace, where we admired the decor:

..and seeing chicken curry was the special, I thought, ooh yes, and ordered it. Unfortunately, although tasty, it was quite dry - personally, I'm used to having some sauce left on my curry - and there was far too much food. I don't think I can have eaten half. Never mind, as we watched the lawyers pass with their cases full of paperwork, we had a good old chat, and it was indeed a lovely evening.

Tomorrow, Walking Victorian London has a walk around Il Quartiere - Tales from Italian Clerkenwell. Excellent - I've had my eye on that for a while.

On Friday, Helen's in town, so we're headed for lunch, somewhere TBD. In the evening, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On Monday, London Dramatic Arts was going to Caroline, or Change, at Hampstead Theatre. As usual, too expensive for me, and I got my own ticket, at about half the price. She was only going with one unnamed guest, and now doesn't seem to be going at all..

On Tuesday, Funzing (via Meetup) is throwing up a couple of things I've already done, and several I'm not interested in. The CLOG has an interesting-sounding walk - but frankly, I find  them a bit clingy - not inclined to go again, I don't fancy the constant pressure to join for good! I was thinking of a film, but what came up was Makala, a documentary about a young Congolese charcoal farmer - not that interested. Instead, I'm going - with my £3.60 club - to a play called Glass Roots, in the Tristan Bates Theatre. Early bird discount price is £12..

Next Wednesday and on the 15th, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats; Wednesday is The Great Wave, in the Dorfman. On the 15th, the opening night of Ballet Black, at the Barbican. Sold out now.

On the 16th, Funzing - via Walking in London - has The Hidden Horrors Haunted History London Ghost Walk. Hell, the alliteration alone got me interested! Got it for free, what with a combination of my loyalty discount, and the crazy_fun 10% discount code. (They've changed to Lovefun now.)

On the 17th, London European Club organised a trip to a ceilidh for St. Patrick's Day - however, it was subsequently cancelled, for essential ongoing maintenance work on the building. Which, mind you, worked out perfectly for me, as after booking it, I discovered I'm travelling to the company's Silicon Valley office that day, where I'll be for most of the following week. It'll be my first time in California. And when I get back, I'll be turning straight around and flying to Ireland for the weekend.