Last night I figured that I’d have years more to sleep, yet this could be my last visit to London, so I went for a late-night walk to capture some of the city at night. It was a beautiful evening, 20c with a light breeze and with lots of people out and about. The city is as striking at night as it is during the day. Let’ see how some of these photos transfer to the blog.

Arch at the end of Pall Mall, heading to Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square, 10:30PM

Approaching Big Ben

This is a great city and there is so, so much of it I haven’t seen. If I never return, I can still say I made the most of my trips here. I recommend a visit to anyone.

I’ll have lounge time in Toronto and I’ll add some further thoughts there.

In walking past the restaurant, I discovered earlier this week that they offer the lunch menu and lunch prices until 7PM (really), so I made sure to get in here before that time. Michelle and I had a superb meal at the Belgravia location last year, so I was game for another round.

I’m just finishing now. I hope my upgrade clears for tomorrow’s flight or the garlic oozing out of my pores might just be unbearable for whomever is seated next to me. The meal was excellent. I went for the mezze (of course), as pictured below:

The mezze wasn’t as good as what Michelle makes for us but it was superior to almost all restaurant offerings I’ve had. The Lebanese wine I chose was mediocre but everything else was very good. I was especially impressed with the tabbouleh and babba tonight, with the fresh and very hot pita bread a bonus.

I was especially looking forward to ‘dessert’, recalling that last year was the best peppermint tea I’d ever had, and this year confirmed that impression:

Yep, those are actual peppermint leaves in there. It was superb. I should start a peppermint grow-op at home.

I have a 4AM wakeup call coming (it’s about 9PM here now), lots of packing to do, and one final walk to take, so I’ll sign off for now. I have lots of idle/lounge time upcoming for the flights tomorrow, so I’ll post any remaining items then.

I’ve had loads of fun and I can’t wait to get home.

The streets were packed with people, as were the stores. I can’t say whether rev/sq ft. is up or down but I can say that some of the stores I was in this afternoon and early evening could not possibly have accommodated more people.

Every lover of awful films will recognize Carnaby Street, home of the gratuitous gorilla scenes from bad ’60s Brit movies. It doubles as a street full of trendy boutiques. Here I was able to break free long enough to get these shots:

The closest thing I had to a break in the crowds near Oxford St

Everywhere I went was just packed. Here’s a break traffic break along Shaftesbury, to help you get a sense for what a ‘break’ looks like:

I really can’t imagine what this place is like during high tourist season.

For those who think we’re at the end of the consumer-driven world, I’d hold on to those eulogies for a little while.

Their first-choice pub had recently experienced a fire, so they instead steered me in the direction of this lovely place, right across from the Law Courts:

They both insisted that I try London Pride Ale whilst I am here, so I did. It was excellent, one of the better ales I’ve sampled here. Click here for more info.

Then, it was on to my cliche meal: sausages and mash. (Seriously, why aren’t all the Brits tremendously obese?)

Ale, main, and a side of veg to reduce the evil somewhat

Now this is a serious pub lunch:

The gravy goes up to 11

As has been the case with so many of these meals, I couldn’t get through it all and not just because I was enjoying so much the London Pride Ale.

In Canada, I think we should declare an Eat Like A Brit Week. It would be a ton of fun. Of course, we’d then have to follow it with Exercise Like A German Week or we’d all be in serious coronary difficulty. I’m up for it.

One of the things I love about London is how every walk seems to produce a cool moment. On my way back to Piccadilly, I walked along the Strand and saw this gorgeous church that doubled as a boulevard:

This is in between the two sides of the Strand

London is fun.

Remembering my delight and exhaustion from last year, I opted for a different strategy with today's visit. I found out that I am in London at a particularly fortuitous time in the museum schedule, the short period when two special exhibits overlap. I spent most of my visit in these special exhibits, which were first-rate (more below). I was determined to see both special exhibits (one just opened today) and to see a few artifacts that I'd found profoundly moving or impressive on my last visit.

Before I get into the highlights, I should tell you that May 29th has also been the low point for photography on this trip, as I've taken a lot of pictures and the percentage of usable ones is the lowest. It's quite comical, really. On the plus (?) side, the special exhibits did not permit photography in any case, so even on my best day, I'd not have been able to provide much by way of pictures.

The British Museum building is itself an extraordinary work of art, with an amazing covered yet sunlit courtyard. I cannot do it justice with these photographs, so you`ll just have to visit yourselves.

A view to some of the inner galleries and the restaurant on the top floor

The only downside to today`s visit is that with it being a holiday week in Britain, a new exhibit opening, and several family events on the go, the museum was utterly packed. In a few of the public areas, it was hard to move at all. I still managed to barge my way into a few of the special areas I came to see.

I can still remember the feeling when I first came across the massive Assyrian castle guards last year in the museum. The feeling is the same on a repeat visit. I`ve tried to capture their imposing presence in these pictures but I`ve not done them justice. Each of the guards below is more than 25 feet tall, with intricate carvings throughout.

A favourite of mine, awe-inspiring up close

There are two of these and standing between them is an incredible feeling

From the side

There`s also this little item, you may have heard of it…it`s called the Rosetta Stone. Yep, that one. You get to stand right next to it and look at all of the engravings. It`s an experience that`s very hard to describe, so once again I`ll urge you to have the experience for yourself.

How lucky am I that I get to see this

The British Museum is probably the best place in the world to learn about the foundations of Western civilisation, given the collection of Norman artifacts and the unparalleled Enlightenment exhibits. Amazingly enough, it may also be the best place to learn about ancient Egyptian civilisation outside of Egypt, too. The collection of artifacts and our access to them is amazing. It`s quite an experience to come face to face with this:

There`s so much more, too

I spent most of my time at the special exhibits (these are not free), both of which were first-rate.

I am delighted that I was here to see this exhibit, as early modern Iran is something of which I know nothing and this was a superb exhibit. Click here for more information and a virtual tour. I was especially interested to learn that the reign of Shah `Abbas saw Iran become a major center of commerce and religious tolerance, which provides a profoundly sad contrast with the Islamicist rule of today that has savaged so much culture and commerce. And, no, I will not dismount that particular soapbox.

The highlight of this exhibit for me, beyond filling my brain full to capacity, were the carpets woven with real silver and gold, created by the Armenian Christian minority championed by Shah Abbas, a devout Muslim. These carpets are beyond compare to anything I have seen before in their texture and detail. I very much regret that pictures were not allowed here, though I`m not sure I`d have been able to capture the details in full.

There was also an exhibit focusing on the art and artifacts of early modern Mughal India, Garden and Cosmos. For the official link and some highlights, click here.

I have a real fondness for the paintings of this era and so I spent considerable time in this exhibition. I find particularly striking the contrast in so many of the paintings between sparse backgrounds and elaborate figures, as you can see if you click through a few figures. You don`t need to come to London to see the highlights of this exhibit – just click the link above and you can scroll through several beautiful paintings.

I visited a few key galleries and the special exhibits, at which point my brain declared itself full and my body declared itself hungry, so it was time for the final dining cliche of the trip (next post).

I`ve visited the British Museum twice and I`ve had the same mixture of reactions both times: exhausted yet energised; humbled yet emboldened; and, of course, gratitude for the opportunity to see any of it and regret that I can`t absorb all of it. I`ve seen so much I could never otherwise have seen and, corny as it sounds, I feel elevated by the experience of the visit, however overrun it was today.

If you could see only one sight in London, my vote is for this one.

I will really miss this place but I’m delighted to be heading home, too.

This is the quirkiest museum I’ve been in and that’s precisely what makes it so appealing. First, imagine you had a wealthy, adventurous, collection-minded uncle. Now imagine that he started to convert his house into storage area for his collection, which range from complete collections of Hogarth paintings to an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus. Finally, imagine that this uncle of yours has collected so much that every nook and cranny of the house is filled with items, the yard filled with Roman busts and columns, interior windowsills filled with ancient figurines. Oh, and the house is not immense, so objects are seemingly piled upon objects. This is as best as I can describe the experience. It was great.

As the house is not that large, the hallways are quite narrow, and objects are everywhere, entry is capacity-controlled. As a result of thefts of small items in recent times, no bags are allowed in the premises.

The exhibits themselves are fascinating and eclectic, ranging from ancient Egyptian antiquities through stained glass from the nineteenth century. There are no explanatory placards, so buying a guidebook makes sense, though the staff are also very helpful. In the Hogarth room, one attendant explained to all of us the entire Rake’s Progress series, pointing out all sorts of details I’d never have understood on my own. For me, beyond the experience of the house itself, I was most impressed by the sarcophagus in the basement, though perhaps that’s because it’s so much fun to utter that phrase. (“Honey, have you seen the remote?” “No, I haven’t. Have you checked by the sarcophagus in the basement?” See? Try it. You’ll be hooked.)

Here is how the official site describes the background of the museum:
“Soane was born in 1753, the son of a bricklayer, and died after a long and distinguished career, in 1837.

Soane designed this house to live in, but also as a setting for his antiquities and his works of art. After the death of his wife (1815), he lived here alone, constantly adding to and rearranging his collections. Having been deeply disappointed by the conduct of his two sons, one of whom survived him, he determined to establish the house as a museum to which ‘amateurs and students’ should have access. “

To my mind, the Soane’s Museum is a must for any visitor to London and as with so many of the attractions here, it’s free.

No pictures are allowed in the gallery, so anyone wishing to see more of what I’m talking about, click here. I’m also bringing back some small guidebooks for those especially keen.

The BL does not allow photography (for obvious reasons), although if you want to experience the treasures you can do so in full on the website: Click here.

Overall, this was a rather awe-striking experience.

It’s a fascinating little place. Up front, it’s a traditional English pub with all the trappings, including some apparent regulars. At the back, there’s a tiny Thai food restaurant that has acquired semi-legendary status in London, and with Roddy. It’s worth a visit just to see the the pub and restaurant coexist within the same space. The food itself is very good and priced quite reasonably, at least by London standards. The atmosphere is hard to beat.

First, let’s look at the location.  Unless you knew in advance, how would you know a Thai restaurant was in here?

I was in the mood for something spicy, so I ordered a beef Pad Ped and opted for some side dishes as well. For the foodies (and for Roddy), here are some photos:

Prawn chips and Seafarer ale to start

Delicious spring rolls

Pad Ped, cooked in a hot chili sauce

There was a ton of food for under 10 pounds, far more than I could finish. Of greater importance to me, the request for spicy food was honoured.