L-O-N-D-O-N or the stage for your holiday

Yes, this town never fails to show me new sides and as I have friends in town it is always great to see what to discover new or going to places I still have never been, thought I have been many times in London now. 

Again a rainy day and a storm warning from Gatwick and so my start was unsure and a bit of a bumpy ride then. Thought I had worse flights. 

But being much later in town as planed it was just to be flexible in making my decisions. 

As I arrived at London Bridge station, I went on to take a little walk through the South Bank to come to Waterloo station, where a dear friend of mine was waiting on a side of the station I have never been before and so it took me actually more time to find him, then the walk from one station to another. 

I really love the South Bank. There is all I want to see and always meet again when I am in London, from the Tate Modern, to the Globe, to the London Eye. 

But behind the Waterloo Station do people live and that was nice to see and as it also looked very like you imagine it, it was fun to stay at my friends home and area. Could also see from the window the Shark, as the trees have lost their leaves. 

That afternoon we went to the centre to Soho to eat in the Gay village and to walk around, look into stores and see what Oxford Street has to offer. 
The shopping malls have been dull and far to many H&M stores are in that area. Not a god sign I believe and usually shopping used to be nice there, but just now it seems very without fantasy. The musical theatre on the other hand, well there are many of them actually, all have been successful and a lot of people stood outside to come inside to watch the plays. 

The Carnaby Street was once a very good secret tip and you could shop alternative and special clothes there. Now it has changed totally. Blinking lights are fine but expensive shops and nothing special, alternative or something -a -like is there to find. Very sad. 

I so much remember the old way it was in the 90'tis. But Soho has nearly changed to the same thing, thought it is still Soho and the Pups are nice and the clubs are fun, but the shops have changed and it is much for tourists and people with money. 

The apple market was surprisingly nice and with mistletoes hanging around, I had to smile and wonder.  Thought all the stores are very expensive there too. 

Actually being around Soho and several streets from them made me feel it all is like a stage. All looked so similar to watching a movie in that area. It felt like being in a movie, not in a town. Wonder what people feel, who are going through this area every day. Do they still see? 

My friend and I had a very nice afternoon and eat good food and later went on to drink our coffee in a more quite place which we found not far away from Soho. Thought it was a stormy day, it felt like, the english people complain about something, which was not really that strong. I remember heavier storms in Berlin. 

Then our way was to go back and behind the Somerset House over the bridge where it has been very, very stormy and hard to make pictures of the skyline. The Waterloo Bridge is big and long but my decision for next day was made. Go back and take again some pictures in daylight.

Next day we came back but with a turn to Gabriel's Wharf, which is a little tip for amusing you, shopping nice and being next to the river and if you go round the house you'll see it is very old and very nice. 

Then after taking pics again, we went into the Somerset house and went through the portal and there we have the winter fun starting. Skate on Ice, a x-mas tree and x-mas shopping inside. How wonderful this was. Coming out of the Somerset to the street named Strand, you'll see the little Saint Mary -le-strand church in the middle of the street. No explaining to get. It just stands there. 

Now the Embankment was behind us and we walked on as our goal was to come to sky gardens. We booked our time before and you should do it too as it is not easy to get time to go up. So book in time!!!!

But we had time over and drove to science museum and it is as last time very interesting and we also watched two of the 3D movies - one was -The unseen and hidden world- and the other one was -Being in space-. Thought, I still must say the 3D movie about -Undersea- is best. But watch them anyway as it is fun and meanwhile you can also eat popcorn or if you don't watch it go to the museum coffee. 

Sky Garden then in the late afternoon is a spectacle up on the 35. floor, big, bigger then you believe and with palm trees, three restaurants and a bar more then just a place to look over town and see the sunset. Unlike the Shark. It is a place, a place to be, a place to meet, to celebrate and if you go to the restaurant, take the Darwin. Good food. Not too expensive and friendly and nice service. We had not booked a table but have been able to get one. The view was special and our time up there in the sky, between the clouds has been very amusing and nice. 

Later we went down to stroll around and took a coffee to go. 
Big towns always have an open coffee shop. :-)

But it was not that late and still time to do something. What can one do in the middle of the week? Go out dancing was not the plan so we went to cinema in the Odeon. Saw the -Lady in the van- and had fun that way. Yes, one should always go to cinema once in another country. 

Next day my way went to Hammersmith a very nice area and less tourist are to find and so you also see more how people do live and there are nice ways to take a walk at another river side. But on the way I stopped by again in Soho in the Greek Street to take our breakfast in the Maison Bertaux. Go there, best french breakfast, cake and so on in town I dare to say. Yummy and all self made and it is really very english and french in the same time being there. Little, with a bit of hustle and bustle in the morning, but then, charming and an original which is seldom now in that area. Just go there! 

In Hammersmith then, I was there to see the River House Trust again and to meet another friend. 

Of course we went into a Pup. England with not going in one of them would not be real. I just don't understand how one can drink beer before ten or eleven, or even 12 o' clock. 

Soon the time was over and I had to travel to airport, thought it seems always the same, the Gatwick Express can take a longer time then the normal Southern line train. Anyway, I was back in time and that was good as we had a lost baggage and police with big guns went around and all had to wait. I had also seen the many flowers in front of the National Museum by the way as Paris was not far away and long ago. 

But I am one of those who believes in now more then ever to live our life is best we can do instead of hiding. 

LOVE & LIGHT

...and of course PICTURES! 

Station London Bridge this pic and above

walk in the South Bank.. and pics below too

the Globe Theatre 

this place is well known, isn't it?

that is part of the apple market

x-mas decoration in SOHO

on the Waterloo Bridge

spot the LONON EYE

the same on daytime

Somerset House

in the science museum

sky garden just in front of the entrance 

right side is the Darwin restaurant

underground floor... many of them to walk along- that is LONDON

mince pie 

the golden swan in Hammersmith

Discover London - Day 3 & 4*

Waking up from the sun shining on my face. How wonderful will this day be! First look on the mobile to see how many plans are flying above London.

Like you see, there are a lot, a lotta lot… Yes a sky without plans over London is no London sky. People also liv next to highways and I can’t remember hearing or reading any complain. Maybe People in Berlin should think about that while complaining about air traffic. Thought a Dr. Who must have a very good Tardis to never hit a plan.

Well, then our Daytrip is planed to go to Windsor. Nice town and a lot of people around. Due to change of planes, we never went inside the castle, thought it is more likely better to do so in summer time, as it is said that the castle is quite cold inside. So we took a boat tour which last ‘round 40 min, but I say better just do this in summer. The tour was nice but actually not really that good and in winter not really warm to sit. Thought we had best of weather it was definitely colder in Windsor then in London.

If you come by car then you will drive o part of the ways the cyclist tour will take place each year in summer.

If you come by train, then you will have to station to arrive and both are in the city and just a few minutes away from the castle. Shopping, eating and meeting queen Victoria on the way of course. Maybe when you are shopping you’ll find that shirt with Sherlock Holms signs.

So, my day went on to drive back to London and there I decided to visit the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Best museum I ever was in my life! The museum is to find on the South Kensington Underground Station  from the Piccadilly Line (blue), or Circle and District Line.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/

https://www.google.com/maps/embed?origin=mfe&pb=!1m14!1m8!1m3!1d2483.9047524396324!2d-0.170245!3d51.496614!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m2!1m1!4s11436620009305892127!5e0!6i17!3m1!1sen!5m1!1sen

Many information spots show the way to the museum and there you will see that the science museum and others are in the same area and standing around. But be sure to plane more then one day, if you want to visit them all.

The V&A museum is a very big one and will be enough for a whole day. Free entry as always, but you can spend some money to help keeping this museum alive and open for everyone.

I think that everybody should once in his live visit this temple. The exhibitions are sorted after theme and world place and not to big. You got to see very exceptional examples of art, paintings, figures, writing, cloths, statues and so on. You even can try to master yourself in art as they have classes and an area where you can study the material, the forms and also are aloud to touch it. Shizmo did like it as well, to touch and proof his chills.

But the pure beauty and the great achievement mankind has reached and made is in no way to ignore. Yes religion and politic helps to bring out the bad in human kind, but they also helped to build up such beauty and shiny and amazingly big things that it is such a pleasure to see them. Sometimes so big, so huge and sometimes so small, but showing off so much and such deepness. I could have made a thousand pictures, but that would be dull at the end and taken away the secret you will discover when being there.

Entry from the underground

Shizmo feels little sure but seems like he has lived already once a life far far away from today

yes, when I came the daylight was to see...

you sure would thinks too the same as I seeing this -THINGS- Bugger!

how high a museum can be...

an amazed Shizmo walked next to me.. so happy to be back in London

art into the most little detail

buildings where connected..

never knew the real David was that big/ huge

finally the floor for your own experience

an glass installation hanging in the main entrance

You will gaze and enjoy it and then need a walk, or go to a nice restaurant or just drive around and outside the centrum you’ll gonna by a traditional meal – Fish & Chips. Yes, by them outside the centrum as it cost just the half price but no matter where you by them, it is worth tasting them as the fish is fresh and so the meal taste best.

And we have already reached the fourth of our days.

Next morning and I am on my way to the greek street to the Maison Bertaux

http://www.google.de/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=maison+bertaux&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=INaKVLK2G4ayOvexgKgD

http://www.maisonbertaux.com/maisonbertaux.com/Maison_Bertaux.html

Best French breakfast in town and also a good place for coffee and cake later if you want. The coffee is in Soho and the gay area which has become the last year very clean- sadly. 

The gentrification did not stop here either.

I meet my friend Frank, the singer and painter and we went on after having our coffee (me) and tea (him) to see a bit of Soho and to maybe shop (he did- I am dull in that way ;-)…) Surprisingly I found myself siting next to a coupling .. well see the picture!

This in a house to shop till you drop!

After that we took our walk into the south of the town which is different to the west part, which I already knew and of course to the centre. But a nice area and much what many of us may call a typical English area.

Sunny day it was and we both had to talk about cats and art. And of course that cats are art itself.

In the evening we went on to a club near the Clapham Underground Station and as we took the busses and because of some work on the street our bus took another way as planed and we got our self some Harry Potter moments as we drove through very small streets and curves in our typical red London bus.  Can’t deny that this was much fun. 

The club itself is not that big but nice and cosy, we entered it with Shizmo together, though he came secretly with us. Why where we there? Ever heard of Pam Ann? Google her!

An American Stand up comedian and as she was in a club doing her show, she did not have to hold on and keep her lever of strongly language fun low, as she must do in big theatres. So, much of the F- word and strong language came out, but what a lot of fun and how hilarious it was and so political incorrect but true. Sometimes a club is the best place to have true fun without borders.

Shizmo waiting in the Club, happy to see Pam Ann

And then the night has arrived.

*But here comes a plus day… Did you knew that, didn’t you?!

Well, day five was also very sunny and I travelled to Hammersmith, another very nice area. I was there because there is the “RIVER HOUSE TRUST”. 

http://www.riverhouseuk.org/

It’s an organisation, which helps people who are dealing with HIV or Aids. You can go there to talk with them, get a Massage or Reiki for a good price or have lunch. All the money or at least part of it goes to the project and helps them to keep up the good work. You can also buy art there and help raising money in that way for them. So I did. I did buy and had a tea and meet wonderful people. Took a walk around the house and how could I not. A sunny day is meant to be to be outside. Thanks to new friends I went to get to know more about the area in Hammersmith and it is a very lovely area. Not so much the shopping, but how people live, thought it cost a fortune. Crazy as it is, renting a flat cost you around 1000 Pound and buying so much that I believe that people have given up the thought of how to pay back, if.

Westfiled is another very new Shopping Mall in London and very huge and kind of spacy. Not for the poor to buy there things but a place for most of us and there is also a store named “Waitrose” (not the cheapest food store)

http://www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/bf_home/bf.html

But they share every income together. It’s a share company a like. All workers own there a peace.

And the free coffee was good. 

-------> Now most of us will pack our baggage and leave London to the airport.

Time for some tips.

Buy yourself a day travel card in London instead of an Ouster card. It’s cheaper, but know, those day travel card is first to buy each day after! 09:30 o’clock.

For the trip to the airport take a single ticket. When you are coming or leaving from Heathrow take the underground as the cheapest way but it is also the longest time. Otherwise Cheswick and Heathrow are also to reach by train, thought it sometimes takes the same long time, as London traffic can be difficult and make a train slow as hell.

To the other airports, be aware of starting your way very earlier as it is far and often problems are on the way. Don’t forget that those also cost much more money to travel to the airport.

So maybe instead of buying the cheapest flight ticket, think it over.

Heathrow is a big airport and even when you have checked in earlier home or in the hotel, be there minimum 1 hour before your -security check in- has its last time. England is not part of EU and that means a lot of time to plan for the airport. Also have in mind that the ways are long on the airport itself.

I by myself booked my flights from Air Berlin but had British Airways at the end. But surprisingly there are better as Air Berlin and I liked flying with them even thought Pam Ann made many jokes about them.

fast look at the heathrow airport... no time to waste...

well if this isn't the longest gate from the airport building to a plane, is it?! It actually is longer as you can see...

So far… now it is up to you to discover London!

:-)

LOVE & LIGHT