kybearfuzz (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kybearfuzz) wrote2005-07-11 07:11 am
kybearfuzz) wrote2005-07-11 07:11 am
Entry tags:
My Journey into London...
The computer here at the cafe has paid me the ultimate insult. I cannot even read the comments to my last journal entry because the child safety-computer-security thingee has blocked me. My kingdom for my home internet back!
Anyway, I ventured into London yesterday. My first train ride really to the tube station, which was very nice and comfortable. My train dropped me off at Kings Cross station, which if you've been watching the news is where one of the bombs went off. The tube station there is closed right now as they are still analyzing the scene and recovering the bodies of passengers. I walked out of the station and it was kind of surreal. Pictures of the missing line the area, news crews are still parked outside broadcasting, police everywhere and memorials being put up by the locals and families. I walked away from the area as I felt like I was in the way, a tourist in an area where I didn't really belong, and a bit uncomfortable.
I walked to the gay area of town, Soho, and found a comic book shop. Yes! I've been in withdrawl, with only my copy of Crisis on Infinite Earths trade paperback to keep me company. I bought a couple of things to pass the time away later. The gay area of town (well, one of them) also happens to be the theatre district. If you want to know what David Schwimmer is doing after Friends, he's on stage here. I don't recall the play, but I do have photos.
After a short visit to a local church festival, where I was given a ticket by a man in a skirt (literally), and a pint of Guinness at the local pink-hued gay bar, I hopped the Tube (the underground subway) to near London Bridge station to look for the local bear bar "XXL." It must be one of those places without a sign, because I went to the location and there was no identifying logo or anything and it was apparently closed. Ah well, maybe next time....
The Tube then took me to Whitechapel. Yes, the one known for Jack the Ripper's escapades back in the 1880's. Life there hasn't improved much. A sign stated that muggings were commmon there and with lots of people yelling at each other, I did a quick about face and hopped the Tube again. I made to the Tower Station and spent the day at the Tower of London. When I was here before, I did the double-decker bus tour of the city and swore I'd pick one location next time to spend the day. Instead of some museum, I decided to pick a haunted place with a nice checkered past.
The Tower of London was great! Very sunny day, and the Guard who took my group on a tour was hilarious, a real showman. Very lecherous, he kept stating that the ladies needed to provide him with their phone numbers and even noted that his dress uniform required him to wear hose, to which he said he sympathized with the ladies and their pantyhose issues. All guards there are former military and only a select few are chosen to be Tower guards. Most of them also happen to be these furry-faced daddy bears! I have many pictures. :D
The Tower grounds are beautiful and very easily laid out so you can find all of the historical spots, including the White Tower where most of the armorment and weapons are on display. I got to see the Crown Jewels on display. I thought they were very pretty, but kinda gaudy looking (a bit overdone), but the emerald-incrested sword was really cool. I also noted the spot where Anne Boelyn was beheaded and her final resting place in the chapel. I also got to see the torture implements used at the Tower, which wasn't as big an exhibit as I thought it would be.
I guess the only negative was that the Tower is supposed to be haunted and no one even brought that up during the tour. I guess in a city as old as London, pretty much any building of a certain age could be considered haunted. After four hours in the Tower of London, I was beat and it took me quite a few Tube transfers to get back to the train then to the hotel.
I took many pictures, filling up an entire mini-cd at the Tower of London. I will post them as soon as I'm home. Yesterday has actually put me back into the good mood, and the weather, sunny and warm for a change, I think has helped with that :)
Anyway, I ventured into London yesterday. My first train ride really to the tube station, which was very nice and comfortable. My train dropped me off at Kings Cross station, which if you've been watching the news is where one of the bombs went off. The tube station there is closed right now as they are still analyzing the scene and recovering the bodies of passengers. I walked out of the station and it was kind of surreal. Pictures of the missing line the area, news crews are still parked outside broadcasting, police everywhere and memorials being put up by the locals and families. I walked away from the area as I felt like I was in the way, a tourist in an area where I didn't really belong, and a bit uncomfortable.
I walked to the gay area of town, Soho, and found a comic book shop. Yes! I've been in withdrawl, with only my copy of Crisis on Infinite Earths trade paperback to keep me company. I bought a couple of things to pass the time away later. The gay area of town (well, one of them) also happens to be the theatre district. If you want to know what David Schwimmer is doing after Friends, he's on stage here. I don't recall the play, but I do have photos.
After a short visit to a local church festival, where I was given a ticket by a man in a skirt (literally), and a pint of Guinness at the local pink-hued gay bar, I hopped the Tube (the underground subway) to near London Bridge station to look for the local bear bar "XXL." It must be one of those places without a sign, because I went to the location and there was no identifying logo or anything and it was apparently closed. Ah well, maybe next time....
The Tube then took me to Whitechapel. Yes, the one known for Jack the Ripper's escapades back in the 1880's. Life there hasn't improved much. A sign stated that muggings were commmon there and with lots of people yelling at each other, I did a quick about face and hopped the Tube again. I made to the Tower Station and spent the day at the Tower of London. When I was here before, I did the double-decker bus tour of the city and swore I'd pick one location next time to spend the day. Instead of some museum, I decided to pick a haunted place with a nice checkered past.
The Tower of London was great! Very sunny day, and the Guard who took my group on a tour was hilarious, a real showman. Very lecherous, he kept stating that the ladies needed to provide him with their phone numbers and even noted that his dress uniform required him to wear hose, to which he said he sympathized with the ladies and their pantyhose issues. All guards there are former military and only a select few are chosen to be Tower guards. Most of them also happen to be these furry-faced daddy bears! I have many pictures. :D
The Tower grounds are beautiful and very easily laid out so you can find all of the historical spots, including the White Tower where most of the armorment and weapons are on display. I got to see the Crown Jewels on display. I thought they were very pretty, but kinda gaudy looking (a bit overdone), but the emerald-incrested sword was really cool. I also noted the spot where Anne Boelyn was beheaded and her final resting place in the chapel. I also got to see the torture implements used at the Tower, which wasn't as big an exhibit as I thought it would be.
I guess the only negative was that the Tower is supposed to be haunted and no one even brought that up during the tour. I guess in a city as old as London, pretty much any building of a certain age could be considered haunted. After four hours in the Tower of London, I was beat and it took me quite a few Tube transfers to get back to the train then to the hotel.
I took many pictures, filling up an entire mini-cd at the Tower of London. I will post them as soon as I'm home. Yesterday has actually put me back into the good mood, and the weather, sunny and warm for a change, I think has helped with that :)