Islington

I have had another 2 exciting days. I really thought that it was going to be tough to top the Cambridge day. Perhaps I haven't topped but I have had an interesting time.

My first stop yesterday was the John Soanes museum known informally as British museum light. Soane was an infamous British architect who lived from 1753 to 1837. He was known for neo-classical architecture-think Greek and Roman like. He collected pieces of architecture from antiquity and art. When he died he left his house with contents and his estate to be maintained as it was in 1837 for a public museum. I toured the house by myself and then was able to get on a tour. Nothing is labelled in the museum so there is no guide to know what to look at. I bought a program which helped a little. I had purchased a video from the museum before my visit that didn't work so they added me to the tour. I had tried to book a tour myself. The tour was very good and got me into parts of the house that normally one doesn't get into. Soane had even purchased an Egyptian sarcophagus. It was a neat place to visit.

That afternoon I did another London walk up in Hampstead, once a village north of London but now merged with London. I have wandered around Hampstead before but it was good to be shown some of the pretty spots. These tours turn somewhat into trivia walks of London as on learns which famous British people lived along the wall. John Keats the poet, John Constable the countryside painter and Daphne Dumauier the writer. Many of the people I had never heard of.

I am not to far from the Sadler Wells dance theatre. A woman on the train had recommended it to me. I have had to sit through lots of dance competition including a lot of bad Hip Hop. Zoo nation England's premier HipHop group was performing so I thought I should go and see some good Hip-hop for once. I wasn't let down. It was spectacular.

Today I went to the Imperial War Museum. I think to do it justice one would have needed three days but I could only last for three hours. That still allowed a lot of time for all of the fighting and killing that the British have been involved in during the 20 century. Afterwards I was so exhausted I had to go back and have a nap at my accommodation.

After a morning of death and destruction, I needed something for my soul. Westminster Abbey does a free Evensong service with choristers daily at 5. If you arrive in good time you get to sit in the chorister section of the abbey. I got there in good time and sat right behind the choristers. The singing was incredible and being in Westminster Abbey right behind the choir was very unique.Sitting beside me was a gregarious American from Colobous Ohio who had retired to London 20 years ago. He lived around the corner and attended the services daily. He therefore had gotten to know many of the choristers and the clergy. When his wife passed away he had also left an endowment to the abbey which had placed in good standing at the Abbey. He had even attended the Queen's funeral and had a photo to prove it He reminded of my friend Brian who also was from Ohio. We hit it off and afterwards we went out to eat together at the Laughing Fish and Chips.Read more