When we were in Copenhagen, we talked a lot about the things I want to do before I leave, and started a bit of a list. Not everything on the list will get done of course, and it’s added to all the time, but the really important-to-me things were added to people’s diaries when we got back. A selection are:
- York
- Hop on hop off London bus
- Punting in Cambridge
- Motown The Musical
- London Docklands Museum
- Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
- Samuel Pepys: Fire, Plague and Revolution at the Greenwich Maritime Museum
- Painting the Modern Garden: From Monet to Matisse at the Royal Academy of Arts
- Fashion and Textiles Museum
- Vogue 100 Exhibition at The National Gallery
- Curtain Up at the V&A
- The Grapes Pub
Some of these are booked in – we’re going to York in early April, and going punting in Cambridge later that same month – but some aren’t. Yesterday (Sunday 21st Feb) we ticked two that are close to each other off the list! We went to the London Docklands Museum – which is a shoot off of fantastic (and free!) the London Museum, and The Grapes Pub.
The London Docklands Museum was absolutely fantastic, it was really interesting. The first level is about the slavery that London is built on, which was quite depressing but of course important to know about. After that it’s all about the development of the Docklands area – from a thriving port to a base of wartime operations to the bright, sky-scraper-filled centre of banking it is today. I highly highly recommend it, and best of all, it’s free!
The Grapes Pub is an odd one on the list. Some time in October when we were house-sitting, R and I ended up watching an oddly memorising TV show about an older couple – who we vaguely recognised as English actors, but couldn’t name – navigate their way through the canals of London. It was very pleasant watching, and eventually they stopped near the Docklands/Canary Wharf/Isle of Dogs/whatever else you want to call it, and popped in a pub called The Grapes. Turns out, the pub is owned by Ian Mcgregor – it even has Gandalf’s staff behind the bar! It also has a view right out over the Thames, which a fair number of pubs in London claim, but few actually have. After we finished at the museum, we headed here for that age-old tradition, a Sunday Pub Roast. Unfortunately one of our group couldn’t have lunch – they were out of the vegetarian option, and the bartender either couldn’t understand or didn’t want to understand the concept of just serving the roast vege, so we didn’t stay long.
It was good to get some activities crossed off my list, and it’s made me think about all time I’ve had in London, and all the things I could have seen but never got around to. I’m determined not to let that happen when we get to Auckland, so I’m going to start a list – anything you think I shouldn’t miss?
Catching up on my favourite London haunts before I leave – this weekend we went to the V&A (which is my absolute favourite), and the Tate Modern (which was as fun as it is weird. I don’t really get modern art, but I do enjoy it. Except for Rothko, I don’t think anyone enjoys Rothko)
The Ticket To Ride Pocket App. Ticket to Ride is a board game I’ve loved for years, and recently (this weekend) discovered there’s an app for that. And it’s super addictive. £1.30 very well spent!
coolerthancute.wordpress.com 