Tonight, a break from film - I found a new walk! Courtesy of Walking in London, as usual. The Blood and Tears Walk (I guess there isn't supposed to be any sweat) has been running for 20 years, it seems. And the guide seemed to have a good sense of humour, which promised to be interesting as he trailed us around, looking for serial killers. I just hoped it'd have warmed up a bit by then.
Well, it hadn't, I noted as I traipsed down to Barbican Station, where we were to meet. I arrived around the time he suggested, and sure enough, there he was stood outside, as he'd said he'd be, complete with red and black backpack. Well gee, you'll never guess.. I was his only customer. (Oh, for goodness' sake..!) Now, this time, he didn't give me the option of cancelling, but he did give me the option of switching to tomorrow night, when a few people have booked. Nope, I said, I'll take tonight if you don't mind. Well, so we stood there till 7, the official start time - just in case someone else materialised. Which they didn't. And I noted that, for a fellow who was most gregarious through most of the tour, he was quite silent beforehand - ah well, perhaps he isn't used to only having one. Who then refuses to cancel.
And off we set. Now, sorry, but this is the first guided walk I've ever been on where I actually didn't take any pictures! No, none at all. Well, we spent the first part of the tour going through areas I was well familiar with - St. Bartholomew's and Smithfield, anyone? He offered me the chance to yell "photo!" (after he'd finished speaking) if I wanted to take a photo - but I didn't. And once we moved away from there, we spent most of our time down atmospheric - but non-photogenic - alleyways. So there wasn't any point really.
Overall, I'll say this - this was one of the most entertaining walks I've ever been on! Tons of detail - not gory, mind, in general, even though his topic was serial killers. Indeed, he's written a book - of which he carries signed copies in his backpack. (I passed - I didn't have any cash on me anyway, and a book about serial killers doesn't really interest me.) Anyway, as we dealt with serial killer after serial killer, the walk was enlivened with several pop quizzes! Now, I'm not the most informed about serial killers, and my record of getting questions right was fairly abysmal, but it was most entertaining.
As we trotted around, it also emerged that he's quite the film buff - and with me having gone to so many lately, that made for some great conversation. In particular about horror films. I say "trotted".. we went at a fair lick, and it still took us just under two hours! He finishes off with a very interesting story about the person he thinks was the real Jack the Ripper. I tell you what, though - I wasn't too impressed with him trying to pass off Sweeney Todd as a historical figure! Despite that, this is a walk I really recommend. Maybe go for a weekend outing - the atmosphere would have been better with a larger group.
Desperate cold seeped into my bones over the course of the walk.. so I was delighted to see my bus appear just as I needed it! And equally delighted to discover that we have hot chocolate back in the office - just what I needed. Tomorrow, back on my first proper Meetup for two weeks, as I meet Up in the Cheap Seats again, for Cougar, at the Orange Tree. Got one of the last four seats on the lower level.
Showing posts with label Walking in London. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Walking in London. Show all posts
Thursday, 31 January 2019
Thursday, 24 January 2019
Spooky Westminster Tour - Chronicles: Bloody London
Delighted to be back with Chronicles tonight, for his Spooky Westminster Tour (Bloody London). As advertised with Walking in London - but rather than book with Funzing, I booked with Chronicles directly for a cheaper price! Well, Funzing's discounts aren't generally terrific, these days.
A busy day at work miraculously cleared in good time for me to leave. We were to meet at Westminster Station, but I would have taken the bus - except Google Maps was directing me to take a bus to Waterloo and walk across the bridge, and in this chilly weather? No thanks, Tube for me. When I saw the crowds at Old Street, I was glad I'd left early. When I saw the crowds at London Bridge - I really wished I'd taken the bus and walked across! Four trains, I had to let pass because they were too full to cram onto. I'll remember that in future.
Westminster Station - interestingly for one so close to the centre of government - has literally nailed its political colours to the mast!
More photos here. The whole range of the barriers, on both sides. Anyway, an advantage of taking the Tube was that it made it easier to find Exit 4, where we were to meet, specifically - and sure enough, there he was, brandishing his sign. (I arrived a bit early this time, even with the Tube issues, and felt better about it.) And wouldn't you know - I was the only person again! I dunno, maybe it's the weather. Anyway, he's a convivial companion, and I don't mind - but it'd be interesting to see how he works with a group.
Actually, he remarked that he'd expected to see me arrive on a bus! :-) From some odd direction or other. Well, I'm nothing if not unpredictable. Off we meandered around Westminster - well, after giving directions to a passer-by. Does he have that kind of a face, I wonder? We spent little enough time on the major monuments - good! Seen tons of 'em. Naw, we were off down dark alleys - saw what remains of the Bridewell, and heard gruesome tales of torture. I guess there are some people just suited to that kind of work.
And so on past the imposing buildings of Westminster, and we found ourselves outside the Banqueting House, scene of the execution of Charles I. Could even see a little of the famous Rubens ceiling..! beneath which he was apparently led to his execution. Adding insult to injury, I guess..
Along the way I was regaled with a variety of stories, historical and contemporary, as we meandered along to Strand. (Handy, we were headed in my direction!) As he perused his materials - why, we were hailed by yet another passer-by, this one wanting to know whether we wanted directions. And when we got through the next bit, there he was again, with a bit of banter for us! Gee, the folks you meet in back alleys..
The night ended around Covent Garden (it's been a while since I took myself over that way), with tales of death, debauchery, and the Covent Garden nuns.. and of William Terriss, possibly one of the world's busier ghosts, as he haunts both the Adelphi, where he used to perform, and Covent Garden station, built on the site of his favourite bakery. Keep a nose out for the smell of baking bread, there. Me, I took myself past "the world's most haunted theatre", where I caught a more convenient bus back. Always entertaining, as I say, I'm sure I'll be back for more of his walks - I'm just not booking far ahead at the moment.
Back to Ireland for the weekend, and on Monday we have our monthly team social. We decided to go for a meal somewhere good in Soho I'd been before - and after some detective work, I discovered it was Bistro1. Inviting some people outside our teeny team, too..
A busy day at work miraculously cleared in good time for me to leave. We were to meet at Westminster Station, but I would have taken the bus - except Google Maps was directing me to take a bus to Waterloo and walk across the bridge, and in this chilly weather? No thanks, Tube for me. When I saw the crowds at Old Street, I was glad I'd left early. When I saw the crowds at London Bridge - I really wished I'd taken the bus and walked across! Four trains, I had to let pass because they were too full to cram onto. I'll remember that in future.
Westminster Station - interestingly for one so close to the centre of government - has literally nailed its political colours to the mast!
More photos here. The whole range of the barriers, on both sides. Anyway, an advantage of taking the Tube was that it made it easier to find Exit 4, where we were to meet, specifically - and sure enough, there he was, brandishing his sign. (I arrived a bit early this time, even with the Tube issues, and felt better about it.) And wouldn't you know - I was the only person again! I dunno, maybe it's the weather. Anyway, he's a convivial companion, and I don't mind - but it'd be interesting to see how he works with a group.
Actually, he remarked that he'd expected to see me arrive on a bus! :-) From some odd direction or other. Well, I'm nothing if not unpredictable. Off we meandered around Westminster - well, after giving directions to a passer-by. Does he have that kind of a face, I wonder? We spent little enough time on the major monuments - good! Seen tons of 'em. Naw, we were off down dark alleys - saw what remains of the Bridewell, and heard gruesome tales of torture. I guess there are some people just suited to that kind of work.
And so on past the imposing buildings of Westminster, and we found ourselves outside the Banqueting House, scene of the execution of Charles I. Could even see a little of the famous Rubens ceiling..! beneath which he was apparently led to his execution. Adding insult to injury, I guess..
Along the way I was regaled with a variety of stories, historical and contemporary, as we meandered along to Strand. (Handy, we were headed in my direction!) As he perused his materials - why, we were hailed by yet another passer-by, this one wanting to know whether we wanted directions. And when we got through the next bit, there he was again, with a bit of banter for us! Gee, the folks you meet in back alleys..
The night ended around Covent Garden (it's been a while since I took myself over that way), with tales of death, debauchery, and the Covent Garden nuns.. and of William Terriss, possibly one of the world's busier ghosts, as he haunts both the Adelphi, where he used to perform, and Covent Garden station, built on the site of his favourite bakery. Keep a nose out for the smell of baking bread, there. Me, I took myself past "the world's most haunted theatre", where I caught a more convenient bus back. Always entertaining, as I say, I'm sure I'll be back for more of his walks - I'm just not booking far ahead at the moment.
Back to Ireland for the weekend, and on Monday we have our monthly team social. We decided to go for a meal somewhere good in Soho I'd been before - and after some detective work, I discovered it was Bistro1. Inviting some people outside our teeny team, too..
Sunday, 6 January 2019
The Greenwich Walk: Heroes and Villains
These few days, I booked Funzing, and the weekend was entirely with Look up London - excellent! She's so friendly, and always finds the most interesting tidbits for us. Both starting at midday. Today, I did The Greenwich Walk: Heroes and Villains. And yesterday evening, she helpfully messaged to clarify that we'd be meeting at Greenwich rail station, not the DLR station.
After yesterday's exertions, I slept soundly - and long, waking about an hour later than intended. It really took more out of me than I anticipated. Oops! So I scrabbled to get out - didn't have time to eat beforehand, but I did make the Tube with a minute to spare. Arrived at London Bridge at 11.20, with the train due at 11.33 - and wouldn't you know, I literally just made it! It takes so long to wend your way from Tube to train station - and of course, my platform was nowhere near me. Thank goodness that Google Maps had told me which one to go for! The train was waiting patiently for me at the platform as I trotted up the stairs - I barely had time to get on.
After all that, I alighted at Greenwich five minutes earlier than expected - and she wasn't there.
More photos here. Mooched around for a while. Saw on the maps that the DLR station was nearby, so I went looking for that, and by the time I'd returned, there she was. I was still the first.. a much smaller group today, and mostly foreigners, with a German couple and a Dutch guy. Anyway, the station itself was the first point of interest - as she pointed out, it doesn't really look like a train station! but then, being one of the first built, in 1836, the builders had no idea what a train station should look like.
So we meandered off down the backstreets of Greenwich, under very grey skies, but the rain thankfully holding off. Plenty of interesting snippets - like the monument to a milkman!
You can just see the observatory in the background, on the hill, whose ball drops at 1pm. And yes, we were there for it! A bit anticlimactic, as she remarked..
Much of the talk for the day was about Nelson:
(Rather short, on the basis of this statue, as she pointed out.) Well now, I'm afraid that my opinion of Nelson will forever after be tainted by the play I went to a while ago, based on a book by an Antiguan writer, who had cause to mention him several times. And every time she did, she suffixed "war criminal" to his name. As Katie pointed out today, he was vehemently anti-abolitionist, and a keen slave owner - which I guess makes him today's villain - but he did boost the power of the British navy, which had positive effects. As well as negative ones. Anyway, as she said, not all black and white.
She recommended the Cutty Sark pub as somewhere to eat - it's certainly well advertised, with signs along the roadside far in advance of getting there. However, the Midpoint is a Turkish restaurant right next door, and after some pondering, I chose that. Had the lamb special, which was ok - I think I could have chosen better. For one thing, there was far too much cheese dip with it, which swamped the plate! (Good idea to present on two plates, one under the other, so you don't get burnt carrying it!) But the house white was excellent, and the brownie really good, so I'd be willing to try it again. Service was quick, and prices reasonable. They also have free WiFi - password @midpoint1 - but gee, it took forever for me to connect to it!
Once I finally did, I could confirm that I'd now walked far enough to travel back from Maze Hill station, which I did, on one of the half-hourly trains. Wow, it was good to get in to the warm! And now that's it for guided walks for the foreseeable future.
Tomorrow, I booked with London Speaks Sessions, for a talk on Interviews With a Serial Killer. Funzing now have an Unlimited Talks option, where you can get unlimited talks for a month for £11.99 - however, not seeing anything else I fancy coming up this month, I left it. As it was, I got a spectacular loyalty discount for this one! ..and then I got a better offer. St. Martin-in-the-Fields (which I haven't been to in over a year!) sent an advertising email - and I rather fancied tomorrow's offering, an Arab Christmas. Of course, you can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours beforehand - so I did, and am now going to that instead.
On Tuesday, it's cinema - first in a while. Top of the List came King of Boys, a gangster Nollywood film, of all things. Closest showing is in the Odeon Greenwich - so I booked, which works out cheaper. It'll be my very first Nollywood film - and it's on really late. I'll have to ring my mother beforehand and pretend I've already been..
On Wednesday - back for the New Year with the Crick Crack Club! They're doing a new series on archetypes - Wednesday's is on Wise Ones Wild Ones, in Rich Mix. We're spoiled with the lineup - the night's storytellers are Ben Haggerty, Jan Blake, Daniel Morden - and Laura Sampson, who used (nominally) to run their now-defunct Meetup group. Never mind, for once the London European Club is going, under the stewardship of Henning! It'll be good to see some friendly faces there - and it's been ages since I saw these people! About time. And it'll be my first proper Meetup of the year.
On Thursday, in contrast, I'm with a completely new group - London Sci-Fi Horror Hide-Out, for their first ever Meetup! Hem - this is Miskatonic LDN - Remakesploitation: The Horror Meme. Fairly trips off the tongue, the whole thing! So it seems that Miskatonic LDN is actually an institute of horror studies, and based at the Horse Hospital. Well now. This specific event is about the many international horror film remakes through the years. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
And on the 14th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Pinter at the Pinter again! This is Programme 5 - The Room / Victoria Station / Family Voices. And this evening includes a free Q+A with the cast.
After yesterday's exertions, I slept soundly - and long, waking about an hour later than intended. It really took more out of me than I anticipated. Oops! So I scrabbled to get out - didn't have time to eat beforehand, but I did make the Tube with a minute to spare. Arrived at London Bridge at 11.20, with the train due at 11.33 - and wouldn't you know, I literally just made it! It takes so long to wend your way from Tube to train station - and of course, my platform was nowhere near me. Thank goodness that Google Maps had told me which one to go for! The train was waiting patiently for me at the platform as I trotted up the stairs - I barely had time to get on.
After all that, I alighted at Greenwich five minutes earlier than expected - and she wasn't there.
More photos here. Mooched around for a while. Saw on the maps that the DLR station was nearby, so I went looking for that, and by the time I'd returned, there she was. I was still the first.. a much smaller group today, and mostly foreigners, with a German couple and a Dutch guy. Anyway, the station itself was the first point of interest - as she pointed out, it doesn't really look like a train station! but then, being one of the first built, in 1836, the builders had no idea what a train station should look like.
So we meandered off down the backstreets of Greenwich, under very grey skies, but the rain thankfully holding off. Plenty of interesting snippets - like the monument to a milkman!
Finally, we hit the tourist spots, with a few art stops around the Naval College, and a peek at the Cutty Sark. And of course, that iconic Greenwich view:
Much of the talk for the day was about Nelson:
(Rather short, on the basis of this statue, as she pointed out.) Well now, I'm afraid that my opinion of Nelson will forever after be tainted by the play I went to a while ago, based on a book by an Antiguan writer, who had cause to mention him several times. And every time she did, she suffixed "war criminal" to his name. As Katie pointed out today, he was vehemently anti-abolitionist, and a keen slave owner - which I guess makes him today's villain - but he did boost the power of the British navy, which had positive effects. As well as negative ones. Anyway, as she said, not all black and white.
She recommended the Cutty Sark pub as somewhere to eat - it's certainly well advertised, with signs along the roadside far in advance of getting there. However, the Midpoint is a Turkish restaurant right next door, and after some pondering, I chose that. Had the lamb special, which was ok - I think I could have chosen better. For one thing, there was far too much cheese dip with it, which swamped the plate! (Good idea to present on two plates, one under the other, so you don't get burnt carrying it!) But the house white was excellent, and the brownie really good, so I'd be willing to try it again. Service was quick, and prices reasonable. They also have free WiFi - password @midpoint1 - but gee, it took forever for me to connect to it!
Once I finally did, I could confirm that I'd now walked far enough to travel back from Maze Hill station, which I did, on one of the half-hourly trains. Wow, it was good to get in to the warm! And now that's it for guided walks for the foreseeable future.
Tomorrow, I booked with London Speaks Sessions, for a talk on Interviews With a Serial Killer. Funzing now have an Unlimited Talks option, where you can get unlimited talks for a month for £11.99 - however, not seeing anything else I fancy coming up this month, I left it. As it was, I got a spectacular loyalty discount for this one! ..and then I got a better offer. St. Martin-in-the-Fields (which I haven't been to in over a year!) sent an advertising email - and I rather fancied tomorrow's offering, an Arab Christmas. Of course, you can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours beforehand - so I did, and am now going to that instead.
On Tuesday, it's cinema - first in a while. Top of the List came King of Boys, a gangster Nollywood film, of all things. Closest showing is in the Odeon Greenwich - so I booked, which works out cheaper. It'll be my very first Nollywood film - and it's on really late. I'll have to ring my mother beforehand and pretend I've already been..
On Wednesday - back for the New Year with the Crick Crack Club! They're doing a new series on archetypes - Wednesday's is on Wise Ones Wild Ones, in Rich Mix. We're spoiled with the lineup - the night's storytellers are Ben Haggerty, Jan Blake, Daniel Morden - and Laura Sampson, who used (nominally) to run their now-defunct Meetup group. Never mind, for once the London European Club is going, under the stewardship of Henning! It'll be good to see some friendly faces there - and it's been ages since I saw these people! About time. And it'll be my first proper Meetup of the year.
On Thursday, in contrast, I'm with a completely new group - London Sci-Fi Horror Hide-Out, for their first ever Meetup! Hem - this is Miskatonic LDN - Remakesploitation: The Horror Meme. Fairly trips off the tongue, the whole thing! So it seems that Miskatonic LDN is actually an institute of horror studies, and based at the Horse Hospital. Well now. This specific event is about the many international horror film remakes through the years. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
And on the 14th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Pinter at the Pinter again! This is Programme 5 - The Room / Victoria Station / Family Voices. And this evening includes a free Q+A with the cast.
Saturday, 5 January 2019
Walk: Unlock the Secrets of Fleet Street
These few days, I booked Funzing, and the weekend is entirely with Look up London - excellent! She's so friendly, and always finds the most interesting tidbits for us. Both starting at midday. Today, I did Unlock the Secrets of Fleet Street.
Ah hell, it was so cold! I was glad, at least, that my bus came straight away - and glad when we waited along the way, to "even the gaps in the service". I was to be early, you see, and this would just use up time. Bus turned out to be the quickest route to Temple, where we were to meet, actually - and as it happened, I was the first to arrive. Tip: she arrived 15 minutes early. Aim for that - especially so you don't have to wait in the vicious cold we had by the river!
Well, she was full of welcomes - and she had a busy time, as we were a large group, and mostly return customers. Each of whom she knew by name, of course. The couple of us that were there when she arrived also got to meet her husband! Anyway, we hung around for a few minutes after start time, for the sake of latecomers, but I was glad when we moved away from the gusts from the water.
And so off we went, eyes peeled. The essential difference between Look Up London and Chronicles, whose Shakespearian walk I went on on Thursday, is that he focuses very much on the history, while Katie simply points out things you can see, but might have missed, and the stories behind them. For example, did you ever notice the stunning architectural features on Surrey Street?
More photos here. Not to mention the "Roman baths" that really aren't, and the "ghost" station now used as a film set. You can do tours of it with the Transport Museum, it seems - subscribe to the TFL newsletter to get priority booking.
And so, up to Strand..
..which leads on to Fleet Street.
Sad that the printing industry, which became synonymous with this street, has now completely left it - probably the rents. Still, there's a fascinating history of the printing industry on the tiles of Magpie Alley - which, at its end, leads to a section of the ruins of a Carmelite monastery.
We spent about 90 minutes wending our way through the side streets off Fleet Street - and it was nostalgic for one of the group, who used to work there. We finished up by St. Paul's - a scenic walk as well as an informative one. I can see why it was her first ever, and why she still loves to do it. What a cross-section of the life of London! Well worth doing - though, as she remarked, with people doing so many of her walks, she'd better come up with some new ones.. Excellent as ever. And as we tended to walk back in the general direction I was headed in, I was now close enough to walk back - and did so. Honestly, I was feeling terribly stiff, after this unaccustomed New Year's exertion, and was glad to loosen up my joints - my back had been killing me for a lot of the day.
Tomorrow, I'm doing The Greenwich Walk: Heroes and Villains. I'll be well exercised at the end of all that. And this evening, she helpfully messaged to clarify that we'd be meeting at Greenwich rail station, not the DLR station. Hey, I believe they're a short walk from each other anyway. And this far away, I doubt I'll be walking back!
On Monday, I booked with London Speaks Sessions, for a talk on Interviews With a Serial Killer. Funzing now have an Unlimited Talks option, where you can get unlimited talks for a month for £11.99 - however, not seeing anything else I fancy coming up this month, I left it. As it was, I got a spectacular loyalty discount for this one! ..and then I got a better offer. St. Martin-in-the-Fields (which I haven't been to in over a year!) sent an advertising email - and I rather fancied Monday's offering, an Arab Christmas. Of course, you can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours beforehand - so I did, and am now going to that instead.
On Tuesday, it's cinema - first in a while. Top of the List came King of Boys, a gangster Nollywood film, of all things. Closest showing is in the Odeon Greenwich - so I booked, which works out cheaper. It'll be my very first Nollywood film - and it's on really late. I'll have to ring my mother beforehand and pretend I've already been..
On Wednesday - back for the New Year with the Crick Crack Club! They're doing a new series on archetypes - Wednesday's is on Wise Ones Wild Ones, in Rich Mix. We're spoiled with the lineup - the night's storytellers are Ben Haggerty, Jan Blake, Daniel Morden - and Laura Sampson, who used (nominally) to run their now-defunct Meetup group. Never mind, for once the London European Club is going, under the stewardship of Henning! It'll be good to see some friendly faces there - and it's been ages since I saw these people! About time. And it'll be my first proper Meetup of the year.
On Thursday, in contrast, I'm with a completely new group - London Sci-Fi Horror Hide-Out, for their first ever Meetup! Hem - this is Miskatonic LDN - Remakesploitation: The Horror Meme. Fairly trips off the tongue, the whole thing! So it seems that Miskatonic LDN is actually an institute of horror studies, and based at the Horse Hospital. Well now. This specific event is about the many international horror film remakes through the years. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
And on the 14th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Pinter at the Pinter again! This is Programme 5 - The Room / Victoria Station / Family Voices. And this evening includes a free Q+A with the cast.
Ah hell, it was so cold! I was glad, at least, that my bus came straight away - and glad when we waited along the way, to "even the gaps in the service". I was to be early, you see, and this would just use up time. Bus turned out to be the quickest route to Temple, where we were to meet, actually - and as it happened, I was the first to arrive. Tip: she arrived 15 minutes early. Aim for that - especially so you don't have to wait in the vicious cold we had by the river!
Well, she was full of welcomes - and she had a busy time, as we were a large group, and mostly return customers. Each of whom she knew by name, of course. The couple of us that were there when she arrived also got to meet her husband! Anyway, we hung around for a few minutes after start time, for the sake of latecomers, but I was glad when we moved away from the gusts from the water.
And so off we went, eyes peeled. The essential difference between Look Up London and Chronicles, whose Shakespearian walk I went on on Thursday, is that he focuses very much on the history, while Katie simply points out things you can see, but might have missed, and the stories behind them. For example, did you ever notice the stunning architectural features on Surrey Street?
More photos here. Not to mention the "Roman baths" that really aren't, and the "ghost" station now used as a film set. You can do tours of it with the Transport Museum, it seems - subscribe to the TFL newsletter to get priority booking.
And so, up to Strand..
Sad that the printing industry, which became synonymous with this street, has now completely left it - probably the rents. Still, there's a fascinating history of the printing industry on the tiles of Magpie Alley - which, at its end, leads to a section of the ruins of a Carmelite monastery.
We spent about 90 minutes wending our way through the side streets off Fleet Street - and it was nostalgic for one of the group, who used to work there. We finished up by St. Paul's - a scenic walk as well as an informative one. I can see why it was her first ever, and why she still loves to do it. What a cross-section of the life of London! Well worth doing - though, as she remarked, with people doing so many of her walks, she'd better come up with some new ones.. Excellent as ever. And as we tended to walk back in the general direction I was headed in, I was now close enough to walk back - and did so. Honestly, I was feeling terribly stiff, after this unaccustomed New Year's exertion, and was glad to loosen up my joints - my back had been killing me for a lot of the day.
Tomorrow, I'm doing The Greenwich Walk: Heroes and Villains. I'll be well exercised at the end of all that. And this evening, she helpfully messaged to clarify that we'd be meeting at Greenwich rail station, not the DLR station. Hey, I believe they're a short walk from each other anyway. And this far away, I doubt I'll be walking back!
On Monday, I booked with London Speaks Sessions, for a talk on Interviews With a Serial Killer. Funzing now have an Unlimited Talks option, where you can get unlimited talks for a month for £11.99 - however, not seeing anything else I fancy coming up this month, I left it. As it was, I got a spectacular loyalty discount for this one! ..and then I got a better offer. St. Martin-in-the-Fields (which I haven't been to in over a year!) sent an advertising email - and I rather fancied Monday's offering, an Arab Christmas. Of course, you can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours beforehand - so I did, and am now going to that instead.
On Tuesday, it's cinema - first in a while. Top of the List came King of Boys, a gangster Nollywood film, of all things. Closest showing is in the Odeon Greenwich - so I booked, which works out cheaper. It'll be my very first Nollywood film - and it's on really late. I'll have to ring my mother beforehand and pretend I've already been..
On Wednesday - back for the New Year with the Crick Crack Club! They're doing a new series on archetypes - Wednesday's is on Wise Ones Wild Ones, in Rich Mix. We're spoiled with the lineup - the night's storytellers are Ben Haggerty, Jan Blake, Daniel Morden - and Laura Sampson, who used (nominally) to run their now-defunct Meetup group. Never mind, for once the London European Club is going, under the stewardship of Henning! It'll be good to see some friendly faces there - and it's been ages since I saw these people! About time. And it'll be my first proper Meetup of the year.
On Thursday, in contrast, I'm with a completely new group - London Sci-Fi Horror Hide-Out, for their first ever Meetup! Hem - this is Miskatonic LDN - Remakesploitation: The Horror Meme. Fairly trips off the tongue, the whole thing! So it seems that Miskatonic LDN is actually an institute of horror studies, and based at the Horse Hospital. Well now. This specific event is about the many international horror film remakes through the years. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
And on the 14th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Pinter at the Pinter again! This is Programme 5 - The Room / Victoria Station / Family Voices. And this evening includes a free Q+A with the cast.
Thursday, 3 January 2019
Southwark Tour - Chronicles: Shakespeare's London
Happy New Year.. back to London, and it's damn cold. Not only the cold snap, but of course London tends to be colder than Ireland in winter. Tonight - wouldn't you know it - I was back with Walking in London for the Southwark Tour - Chronicles: Shakespeare's London. It's Funzing, of course, and I think this was the last I used my Funzing_Fb20 code for, getting a 20% discount. They've now apparently decided it's been used too often, and I'm down to a 10% personal discount. Hey-ho. Life is hard.
Well, January is the season for walks.. mind you, when the guide messaged me earlier today to offer a refund if I wanted (since I was the only person who'd signed up), I did consider taking him up on his kind offer. But you know, I do love this bit of town, and haven't been on as many walks here as north of the river. And to be honest, interesting things to do are a bit thinner on the ground at the moment. So I said no, I'd brave the cold - it's not that fiercely bad anyway.
Of course, I did my usual thing of cutting it tight - had I had an evening meeting, I'd probably have been earlier. Since my last meeting finished before 3pm, I was almost late - well, technically I was slightly late. Not too bad though - the bus was a bit delayed, and the bells of the nearby church of St. George the Martyr tolled the hour just as I was crossing the road. Sure enough, there he was as promised, perched at the entrance to the Tube station I'd blithely avoided using, and obligingly sporting a sign. (Now, why can't everyone do that?) I did feel a bit bad though when he mentioned he'd arrived early..
Anyway. Off we set, the two of us, and set quite a quick pace, as you can imagine. 90 minutes in all, I think, which is faster than advertised - but I can see it taking two hours with a large group, and all that that entails. We started in a curiously named alleyway:
More photos here. Yes, the area is famous for Dickens too - but it was Shakespeare that concerned us today. A vaguely Shakespearian connection with the church, too, which was actually where Henry V was welcomed back to London by its aldermen after Agincourt. (Wouldn't you know, I'm currently reading a book set during his father's reign..)
Down past The George, to learn that plays tended to be staged in coaching inns before playhouses were the thing.. and to Southwark Cathedral, where it seems that Shakespeare's lesser known brother Edmund is buried. The funeral was in the morning, unusually - possibly to allow attending actors to get back to their performances in the afternoon.
It was a merry walk, with many a tale of actorly folk being - eh - involved in brawls. Well, you know, this was the red light district of its day - see my previous walks in the area! I tell you something though - although I've been on walks here before, I never before did come to the real site of the Globe..
Around then by the reconstructed Globe, and past St. Paul's..
The evening finished in Blackfriars. And what an enjoyable evening it was! A very entertaining tour guide, who - heavens - finished with a bit of acting, for his audience of one. Highly recommended - this walk is scheduled for a number of other dates this month and next, details on his own website, Chronicles. (Oh, and it's even cheaper there than I managed..) And he has other things.. see the website for details, worth checking out.
As it happened, I was really close enough to walk back - but after my first exertion of the year, I was rather glad not to. Plus, it's cold. So - having trouble finding my old Bus Countdown app since I got the new phone (which had the cheek to tell me to clean my lens as I was taking one photo!), I tried out a couple more apps while I waited for my bus.
Tomorrow, I'm back at Soho Theatre for a comedy show - Jen Brister, with Meaningless.
The next few days, I booked Funzing, and the weekend is entirely with Look up London - excellent! She's so friendly, and always finds the most interesting tidbits for us. On Saturday, I'm doing Unlock the Secrets of Fleet Street.
On Sunday, I'm doing The Greenwich Walk: Heroes and Villains. I'll be well exercised at the end of all that.
On Monday, I booked with London Speaks Sessions, for a talk on Interviews With a Serial Killer. Funzing now have an Unlimited Talks option, where you can get unlimited talks for a month for £11.99 - however, not seeing anything else I fancy coming up this month, I left it. As it was, I got a spectacular loyalty discount for this one! ..and then I got a better offer. St. Martin-in-the-Fields (which I haven't been to in over a year!) sent an advertising email - and I rather fancied Monday's offering, an Arab Christmas. Of course, you can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours beforehand - so I did, and am now going to that instead.
On Tuesday, it's cinema - first in a while. Top of the List came King of Boys, a gangster Nollywood film, of all things. Closest showing is in the Odeon Greenwich - so I booked, which works out cheaper. It'll be my very first Nollywood film - and it's on really late. I'll have to ring my mother beforehand and pretend I've already been..
On Wednesday - back for the New Year with the Crick Crack Club! They're doing a new series on archetypes - Wednesday's is on Wise Ones Wild Ones, in Rich Mix. We're spoiled with the lineup - the night's storytellers are Ben Haggerty, Jan Blake, Daniel Morden - and Laura Sampson, who used (nominally) to run their now-defunct Meetup group. Never mind, for once the London European Club is going, under the stewardship of Henning! It'll be good to see some friendly faces there - and it's been ages since I saw these people! About time. And it'll be my first proper Meetup of the year.
Next Thursday, in contrast, I'm with a completely new group - London Sci-Fi Horror Hide-Out, for their first ever Meetup! Hem - this is Miskatonic LDN - Remakesploitation: The Horror Meme. Fairly trips off the tongue, the whole thing! So it seems that Miskatonic LDN is actually an institute of horror studies, and based at the Horse Hospital. Well now. This specific event is about the many international horror film remakes through the years. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
And on the 14th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Pinter at the Pinter again! This is Programme 5 - The Room / Victoria Station / Family Voices. And this evening includes a free Q+A with the cast.
Well, January is the season for walks.. mind you, when the guide messaged me earlier today to offer a refund if I wanted (since I was the only person who'd signed up), I did consider taking him up on his kind offer. But you know, I do love this bit of town, and haven't been on as many walks here as north of the river. And to be honest, interesting things to do are a bit thinner on the ground at the moment. So I said no, I'd brave the cold - it's not that fiercely bad anyway.
Of course, I did my usual thing of cutting it tight - had I had an evening meeting, I'd probably have been earlier. Since my last meeting finished before 3pm, I was almost late - well, technically I was slightly late. Not too bad though - the bus was a bit delayed, and the bells of the nearby church of St. George the Martyr tolled the hour just as I was crossing the road. Sure enough, there he was as promised, perched at the entrance to the Tube station I'd blithely avoided using, and obligingly sporting a sign. (Now, why can't everyone do that?) I did feel a bit bad though when he mentioned he'd arrived early..
Anyway. Off we set, the two of us, and set quite a quick pace, as you can imagine. 90 minutes in all, I think, which is faster than advertised - but I can see it taking two hours with a large group, and all that that entails. We started in a curiously named alleyway:
More photos here. Yes, the area is famous for Dickens too - but it was Shakespeare that concerned us today. A vaguely Shakespearian connection with the church, too, which was actually where Henry V was welcomed back to London by its aldermen after Agincourt. (Wouldn't you know, I'm currently reading a book set during his father's reign..)
Down past The George, to learn that plays tended to be staged in coaching inns before playhouses were the thing.. and to Southwark Cathedral, where it seems that Shakespeare's lesser known brother Edmund is buried. The funeral was in the morning, unusually - possibly to allow attending actors to get back to their performances in the afternoon.
It was a merry walk, with many a tale of actorly folk being - eh - involved in brawls. Well, you know, this was the red light district of its day - see my previous walks in the area! I tell you something though - although I've been on walks here before, I never before did come to the real site of the Globe..
Around then by the reconstructed Globe, and past St. Paul's..
The evening finished in Blackfriars. And what an enjoyable evening it was! A very entertaining tour guide, who - heavens - finished with a bit of acting, for his audience of one. Highly recommended - this walk is scheduled for a number of other dates this month and next, details on his own website, Chronicles. (Oh, and it's even cheaper there than I managed..) And he has other things.. see the website for details, worth checking out.
As it happened, I was really close enough to walk back - but after my first exertion of the year, I was rather glad not to. Plus, it's cold. So - having trouble finding my old Bus Countdown app since I got the new phone (which had the cheek to tell me to clean my lens as I was taking one photo!), I tried out a couple more apps while I waited for my bus.
Tomorrow, I'm back at Soho Theatre for a comedy show - Jen Brister, with Meaningless.
The next few days, I booked Funzing, and the weekend is entirely with Look up London - excellent! She's so friendly, and always finds the most interesting tidbits for us. On Saturday, I'm doing Unlock the Secrets of Fleet Street.
On Sunday, I'm doing The Greenwich Walk: Heroes and Villains. I'll be well exercised at the end of all that.
On Monday, I booked with London Speaks Sessions, for a talk on Interviews With a Serial Killer. Funzing now have an Unlimited Talks option, where you can get unlimited talks for a month for £11.99 - however, not seeing anything else I fancy coming up this month, I left it. As it was, I got a spectacular loyalty discount for this one! ..and then I got a better offer. St. Martin-in-the-Fields (which I haven't been to in over a year!) sent an advertising email - and I rather fancied Monday's offering, an Arab Christmas. Of course, you can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours beforehand - so I did, and am now going to that instead.
On Tuesday, it's cinema - first in a while. Top of the List came King of Boys, a gangster Nollywood film, of all things. Closest showing is in the Odeon Greenwich - so I booked, which works out cheaper. It'll be my very first Nollywood film - and it's on really late. I'll have to ring my mother beforehand and pretend I've already been..
On Wednesday - back for the New Year with the Crick Crack Club! They're doing a new series on archetypes - Wednesday's is on Wise Ones Wild Ones, in Rich Mix. We're spoiled with the lineup - the night's storytellers are Ben Haggerty, Jan Blake, Daniel Morden - and Laura Sampson, who used (nominally) to run their now-defunct Meetup group. Never mind, for once the London European Club is going, under the stewardship of Henning! It'll be good to see some friendly faces there - and it's been ages since I saw these people! About time. And it'll be my first proper Meetup of the year.
Next Thursday, in contrast, I'm with a completely new group - London Sci-Fi Horror Hide-Out, for their first ever Meetup! Hem - this is Miskatonic LDN - Remakesploitation: The Horror Meme. Fairly trips off the tongue, the whole thing! So it seems that Miskatonic LDN is actually an institute of horror studies, and based at the Horse Hospital. Well now. This specific event is about the many international horror film remakes through the years. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
And on the 14th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Pinter at the Pinter again! This is Programme 5 - The Room / Victoria Station / Family Voices. And this evening includes a free Q+A with the cast.
Friday, 23 November 2018
Paranormal Activity Tour
Tonight, I was on a Paranormal Activity Tour - ooh! Now, for this one, we got ghost-hunting equipment, which made it interesting. Walking in London, again. Therefore Funzing, so discounted by 20%, again, with the code Funzing_Fb20. And this was after my loyalty discount - so I got it at better than half price! which is good, considering the price. Another separate group advertising through Funzing - these are Lantern Ghost Tours (LGT), who it turns out also organised last week's Seven Deadly Sins Pub Tour, and the London Bridge Ghost Tour I did back in the summer. New kids on the block, I guess.
Late enough that I had no problem getting there in time - especially on a Friday, with everyone wanting to get away early. Mercifully, today was a lot milder than it has been recently. Again, I walked to the walk, which, again, was outside Farringdon Station. When our guide arrived, she turned out to be Australian - just like last week's. Mind you, that tour company turns out to be Australian too, so I guess that might have something to do with it. Anyway, she had with her a large kitbag of paranormal equipment, which she promised we'd get to use.
I have to admit, I did not expect to be impressed as I duly was by this walk. Sure enough, we didn't really cover much new ground for me - apart from the first alley we went down, where we found some street art with a difference!
Late enough that I had no problem getting there in time - especially on a Friday, with everyone wanting to get away early. Mercifully, today was a lot milder than it has been recently. Again, I walked to the walk, which, again, was outside Farringdon Station. When our guide arrived, she turned out to be Australian - just like last week's. Mind you, that tour company turns out to be Australian too, so I guess that might have something to do with it. Anyway, she had with her a large kitbag of paranormal equipment, which she promised we'd get to use.
I have to admit, I did not expect to be impressed as I duly was by this walk. Sure enough, we didn't really cover much new ground for me - apart from the first alley we went down, where we found some street art with a difference!
We swiftly made our way to Smithfield, where she unzipped her bag of wonders. Standing near the trees where the executions happened, her first piece of equipment was something I'd never heard of. She opened a box and unwrapped a protective cloth, to remove a most evocative, ornate black picture frame - with a black panel in the centre. This was a "black mirror", and the idea is to gaze into it - without staring - and see your face morph into something else. Or disappear entirely. So, the same as scrying, basically. I didn't try this - some others did, and all reported seing some kind of effect on their faces.
And so on to the eternally evocative St. Bart's, where we stood outside before entering the cemetery, as she said, to "practice". Dowsing rods, this time. And this was where it got interesting, with immediate activity as soon as people took the rods in their hands. Not one person tried it but got a strong response. Our guide sounded surprised by the amount of activity, apparently directed at the church rather than anywhere else.
The rods were still active in the cemetery, although people found it hard to get a coherent response. I ended up with an EMF meter, but they weren't picking up much here. When you think about it, as she later pointed out, we have much more energy than any supernatural beings - and if moving a light metal rod is that unusual, it's not hard to imagine that they lack energy.
We stopped at Pie Corner, and heard the tale of Scratching Fanny of Cock Lane - which the guide couldn't help giggling at. She stopped at the side of the road to tell us the "true" story of Sweeney Todd - I'm not convinced. And so, finally, back to The Viaduct - strangely, much quieter than on Thursday of last week! Where she left us to get a drink while she set up a Ouija board in the cellar.. by the time she got back, two ladies had only just finally decided on which gin they were having from the extensive menu, so we ended up waiting a while for them to finish them.
So I got into the famous cellar of The Viaduct at last! I've heard so much about it. The entrance is through a door marked "Staff Only", and down a perilous flight of stairs to a freezing room full of kegs, connected to the taps upstairs. Boards on the walls have ghostly quotes, and there are testimonials from ghost hunting groups. Unfortunately, the dark side rooms where the ghost tour go are teeny - thank goodness there weren't many people on the walk!
The Ouija board was set up on a shelf in one of these, two EMF readers and a white light source beside it. Otherwise, it was pitch dark. She began by passing the white light around all of us, creating, as she said, a "white circle of protection". Ouija, they say, is dangerous, as it invites the spirit world to communicate with ours in the most direct way possible; as she moved the light, she invoked the spirits there to respect us, as we would respect them, and appealed to them not to follow any of us from that place.
I had a go, but we got nothing - despite huge spikes from the EMF readers. When she tried herself, with one other, she finally asked whether the spirit wanted us to go. At which point the planchette moved to "GOODBYE". In other words, the cellar ghost - who has a reputation for grumpiness - was telling us politely to sod off. So we did, after another protective light circle.
I seriously loved this tour, and would highly recommend it. (Hey, and no coughing fit!) Tomorrow, I'm off on my own to see A Small Place, at the Gate.
And so on to the eternally evocative St. Bart's, where we stood outside before entering the cemetery, as she said, to "practice". Dowsing rods, this time. And this was where it got interesting, with immediate activity as soon as people took the rods in their hands. Not one person tried it but got a strong response. Our guide sounded surprised by the amount of activity, apparently directed at the church rather than anywhere else.
The rods were still active in the cemetery, although people found it hard to get a coherent response. I ended up with an EMF meter, but they weren't picking up much here. When you think about it, as she later pointed out, we have much more energy than any supernatural beings - and if moving a light metal rod is that unusual, it's not hard to imagine that they lack energy.
We stopped at Pie Corner, and heard the tale of Scratching Fanny of Cock Lane - which the guide couldn't help giggling at. She stopped at the side of the road to tell us the "true" story of Sweeney Todd - I'm not convinced. And so, finally, back to The Viaduct - strangely, much quieter than on Thursday of last week! Where she left us to get a drink while she set up a Ouija board in the cellar.. by the time she got back, two ladies had only just finally decided on which gin they were having from the extensive menu, so we ended up waiting a while for them to finish them.
So I got into the famous cellar of The Viaduct at last! I've heard so much about it. The entrance is through a door marked "Staff Only", and down a perilous flight of stairs to a freezing room full of kegs, connected to the taps upstairs. Boards on the walls have ghostly quotes, and there are testimonials from ghost hunting groups. Unfortunately, the dark side rooms where the ghost tour go are teeny - thank goodness there weren't many people on the walk!
The Ouija board was set up on a shelf in one of these, two EMF readers and a white light source beside it. Otherwise, it was pitch dark. She began by passing the white light around all of us, creating, as she said, a "white circle of protection". Ouija, they say, is dangerous, as it invites the spirit world to communicate with ours in the most direct way possible; as she moved the light, she invoked the spirits there to respect us, as we would respect them, and appealed to them not to follow any of us from that place.
I had a go, but we got nothing - despite huge spikes from the EMF readers. When she tried herself, with one other, she finally asked whether the spirit wanted us to go. At which point the planchette moved to "GOODBYE". In other words, the cellar ghost - who has a reputation for grumpiness - was telling us politely to sod off. So we did, after another protective light circle.
I seriously loved this tour, and would highly recommend it. (Hey, and no coughing fit!) Tomorrow, I'm off on my own to see A Small Place, at the Gate.
On Sunday, back at last to Winter Wonderland! That evening, I'm off to Cirque Berserk - an annual tradition for me. The latest show is the cheapest, so that's the one I booked.
On Monday, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Programme Three of Pinter at the Pinter - Pinter plays at the Pinter Theatre. This time, it's Landscape / A Kind of Alaska / Monologue.
On Tuesday, I'm going to see Company, by Sondheim, at the Gielgud. No tickets available for the upper levels on the official site - they must all have been bought up by resellers! Cheapest I found was with OfficialLondonTheatre, run by See Tickets.
On Wednesday, I was with Walking in London again for the Haunted London Pub Tour (also LGT). But we've now arranged our team night out for that night.
ON Thursday, I'm back with UITCS at the National for Hadestown. Then back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 3rd, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.
On the 5th, LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions (both Funzing) advertised a "Winterville" talk on The Science of Santa, where we get the scientific explanation of how he does it. Taking place at The Windmill. However, seems they meant the day before, when of course I'm busy. So instead I'm going to True West, with Kit Harington, at the Vaudeville. Cheapest tickets from the venue.
On the 6th, Hazel of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts, London Guided Walks (and, indeed, Walking in London) has a Christmas Carol Tour. Now, the last two events I booked with her turned out to be no-shows.. the first might not have been her fault, as she was advertising someone else's event, but the second, she just missed the ball on and left three of us standing on a street corner. Whether this event happens is anyone's guess! Now, it's technically more expensive if you book on Funzing - but if you have my discount ;-) it comes down to the same price she charges on her own site, without the booking fee! So I did it that way. But then Henning, with the London European Club, advertised a Happy Xmaths evening at Imperial College, the same night! Festive fun for maths geeks. Plus it's free - you just have to register with Eventbrite. I thought it'd be great to get back with this group. And since I booked the walk with Funzing, I've cancelled and will get a full refund. And I feel no sadness at missing an evening with Hazel, after what's been happening. But gee, this evening is proving to be one of the more popular- now a colleague has booked it for his leaving do. So I'm now going to that instead. Nibbles arranged at The Enterprise.
On the 7th, back with UITCS at the Royal Court, for The Cane. Got the very last ticket, phew!
On the 8th, with them again at the Orange Tree Theatre for The Double Dealer.
On the 9th, the Crick Crack Club is back at the British Museum for I Know Not, a full afternoon of Sufi legend.
On the 10th, I'm off to the Bridge Theatre for A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter, by Martin McDonagh. Starring Jim Broadbent, this is a dark take on Hans Christian Anderson! Our new starter saw it last night, and proclaimed it "weird". Well, weird is good.
On the 11th, I was going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems! And then, the Crick Crack Club sent around an advertising email - and damnit if they haven't arranged a meeting that night! The House of Nine Lives is at the British Library, and has Nell Phoenix, Tim Ralphs, and TUUP talking about pussycats. Irresistible. However, I don't get my money back for the play unless they sell on the ticket - hopefully they can.
The 12th is our office Christmas party, but Let's Do This has now advertised a Christmas dinner- which sounds a more attractive prospect. So I'm doing that instead. Places filled up quickly with regulars.
On the 13th, I'm thrilled to be going to Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, at Sadler's Wells, with UITCS. He's a fantastic choreographer, but I've never before gotten around to seeing this all-male version. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 17th, the Crick Crack Club is performing Gilgamesh, at Soho Theatre. With Ben Haggerty in the spotlight, this will be a treat! Sold out, of course - you have to book these things early. Meeting Helen for a meal beforehand.
Thursday, 15 November 2018
Seven Deadly Sins Pub Naughty History Tour
Tonight, I tried the Seven Deadly Sins Pub Naughty History Tour. Walking in London, so Funzing, again, with a 20% discount - as ever - with the code Funzing_Fb20. There was a late meeting, but happily my boss said it wasn't important, if I wanted to skip it to work on tomorrow's release. Which was a good thing, considering he hadn't left the meeting by the time I left the office..
And, of course, on the plus side, I was in time to walk! Down St. John Street, I was in unfamiliar territory - however, from the map, I identified some backstreets to get me there a bit faster. Arrived about five minutes early, and I think I was the first - for a larger group than usual, as we heard, we apparently arrived pretty quickly. As for my cough - well, I'd been worried earlier in the day, with intermittent violent bouts of coughing, but it's been behaving itself pretty well since evening. I guess most of what had to come up already has, by now..
We were missing one person, by start time. A jolly Aussie, he spent some time chatting about The Castle, just down the road, which had a visit from George IV one day. Seems he'd heard there was a cockfight on, and wanted to bet on it - so he wanted to pawn his watch. Upon being told that they didn't have a pawnbroker's licence, he immediately scribbled one out on a napkin. And they held that for over 100 years..
More photos here. This has to have been the most convivial walk I was ever on. It helps that we stopped off at no fewer than three pubs on the way - would've been four, but he didn't want to rush it! The first was Ye Old Mitre, where we congregated outside because it was so cramped inside - just as well it wasn't raining, or too cold. Lovely, chatty group. Thence, we did the usual circuit of Smithfield and St. Bartholomew's; at Pye Corner, I could've sworn the statue had glowing eyes!
Our second pub was The Viaduct Tavern - I've passed it numerous times, and been told about the ghost here: but even though I visited the basement toilets, I saw no sign. Here, as in the last pub, our guide spent his time telling us historical anecdotes, as he drank his share. And so on to our last pub, The Old Bell, where the tour broke up. Truly, a friendly gathering, and a fun way to spend the evening - highly recommended!
Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend. On Monday, News of the Strange, from the Crick Crack Club, at Soho Theatre. The club does have a Meetup group, but it seems to have gone dormant, and is no longer advertising upcoming events. Not that that stops the organiser from attending - I'm sure I saw her at a recent event! I've actually asked whether they're now defunct - we'll see whether I ever get a response. None yet.
And, of course, on the plus side, I was in time to walk! Down St. John Street, I was in unfamiliar territory - however, from the map, I identified some backstreets to get me there a bit faster. Arrived about five minutes early, and I think I was the first - for a larger group than usual, as we heard, we apparently arrived pretty quickly. As for my cough - well, I'd been worried earlier in the day, with intermittent violent bouts of coughing, but it's been behaving itself pretty well since evening. I guess most of what had to come up already has, by now..
We were missing one person, by start time. A jolly Aussie, he spent some time chatting about The Castle, just down the road, which had a visit from George IV one day. Seems he'd heard there was a cockfight on, and wanted to bet on it - so he wanted to pawn his watch. Upon being told that they didn't have a pawnbroker's licence, he immediately scribbled one out on a napkin. And they held that for over 100 years..
More photos here. This has to have been the most convivial walk I was ever on. It helps that we stopped off at no fewer than three pubs on the way - would've been four, but he didn't want to rush it! The first was Ye Old Mitre, where we congregated outside because it was so cramped inside - just as well it wasn't raining, or too cold. Lovely, chatty group. Thence, we did the usual circuit of Smithfield and St. Bartholomew's; at Pye Corner, I could've sworn the statue had glowing eyes!
Our second pub was The Viaduct Tavern - I've passed it numerous times, and been told about the ghost here: but even though I visited the basement toilets, I saw no sign. Here, as in the last pub, our guide spent his time telling us historical anecdotes, as he drank his share. And so on to our last pub, The Old Bell, where the tour broke up. Truly, a friendly gathering, and a fun way to spend the evening - highly recommended!
Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend. On Monday, News of the Strange, from the Crick Crack Club, at Soho Theatre. The club does have a Meetup group, but it seems to have gone dormant, and is no longer advertising upcoming events. Not that that stops the organiser from attending - I'm sure I saw her at a recent event! I've actually asked whether they're now defunct - we'll see whether I ever get a response. None yet.
On Tuesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Pinter at the Pinter - Pinter plays at the Pinter Theatre. Two long ones on this occasion - this is Programme Four: Moonlight & Night School.
On Wednesday, back at last with The London Jazz Meetup, who are off to the London Jazz Festival for a concert by the Faraj Suleiman Quartet at King's Place. UK premiere, apparently!
Next Thursday, with UITCS at the Garrick for Don Quixote. The only cheap tickets left for this were terrible, so I went a bit upmarket. A bit - I'm still behind a pillar!
On the 23rd, I'm on a Paranormal Activity Tour - ooh! Now, for this one, we get ghost-hunting equipment, which could make it interesting - I don't fancy the dowsing rods, myself, but we'll see. Walking in London, again. Discounted, again. And this was after my loyalty discount - so I got it at better than half price! which is good, considering the price.
On the 24th, I'm off on my own to see A Small Place, at the Gate.
On the 25th, back at last to Winter Wonderland! That evening, I'm off to Cirque Berserk - an annual tradition for me. The latest show is the cheapest, so that's the one I booked.
On the 26th, I'm back with UITCS for Programme Three of Pinter at the Pinter - Landscape / A Kind of Alaska / Monologue.
On the 27th, I'm going to see Company, by Sondheim, at the Gielgud. No tickets available for the upper levels on the official site - they must all have been bought up by resellers! Cheapest I found was with OfficialLondonTheatre, run by See Tickets.
On the 28th, I'm with Walking in London again for the Haunted London Pub Tour.
On the 29th, I'm back with UITCS at the National for Hadestown. Then back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 3rd, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.
On the 5th, LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions (both Funzing) advertised a "Winterville" talk on The Science of Santa, where we get the scientific explanation of how he does it. Taking place at The Windmill. However, seems they meant the day before, when of course I'm busy. So instead I'm going to True West, with Kit Harington, at the Vaudeville. Cheapest tickets from the venue.
On the 6th, Hazel of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts, London Guided Walks (and, indeed, Walking in London) has a Christmas Carol Tour. Now, the last two events I booked with her turned out to be no-shows.. the first might not have been her fault, as she was advertising someone else's event, but the second, she just missed the ball on and left three of us standing on a street corner. Whether this event happens is anyone's guess! Now, it's technically more expensive if you book on Funzing - but if you have my discount ;-) it comes down to the same price she charges on her own site, without the booking fee! So I did it that way. But then Henning, with the London European Club, advertised a Happy Xmaths evening at Imperial College, the same night! Festive fun for maths geeks. Plus it's free - you just have to register with Eventbrite. I thought it'd be great to get back with this group. And since I booked the walk with Funzing, I've cancelled and will get a full refund. And I feel no sadness at missing an evening with Hazel, after what's been happening. But gee, this evening is proving to be one of the more popular- now a colleague has booked it for his leaving do. So I'm now going to that instead. Nibbles arranged at The Enterprise.
On the 7th, back with UITCS at the Royal Court, for The Cane. Got the very last ticket, phew!
On the 8th, with them again at the Orange Tree Theatre for The Double Dealer.
On the 9th, the Crick Crack Club is back at the British Museum for I Know Not, an afternoon of Sufi legend.
On the 10th, I'm off to the Bridge Theatre for A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter, by Martin McDonagh. Starring Jim Broadbent, this is a dark take on Hans Christian Anderson!
On the 11th, I'm going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems!
The 12th is our office Christmas party, but Let's Do This has now advertised a Christmas dinner- which sounds a more attractive prospect. So I'm doing that instead.
On the 13th, I'm thrilled to be going to Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, at Sadler's Wells, with UITCS. He's a fantastic choreographer, but I've never before gotten around to seeing this all-male version. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 17th of next month, the Crick Crack Club is performing Gilgamesh, at Soho Theatre. With Ben Haggerty in the spotlight, this will be a treat!
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