2014 - OCEAN PRINCESS - ON THE WAY, UK

SO - WITH A GOODBYE TO THE PRESIDENT OF ICELAND - IT'S TIME TO SAY HELLO TO LONDON & HOPEFULLY VISIT PLACES I HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE.

USUALLY WHEN VISITING THE UK I TAKE AN EXPENSIVE CUPBOARD IN THE WEST END NEAR PADDINGTON, CONVENIENT FOR THE HEATHROW EXPRESS.

THIS TIME I HAVE DECIDED TO SPLURGE & STAY AT THE TOWER HOTEL WITH A VIEW OF TOWER BRIDGE. THIS IS FROM MY WINDOW...

NEXT DAY I MEET UP WITH VALERIE WHO HAS JOURNEYED DOWN FROM YORK TO WANDER AROUND WITH ME. SHE IS ALSO A LONDONER WHO HOPES WE SEE BITS OF LONDON WE HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE.

AFTER BREAKFAST, IT'S OUT OF THE HOTEL, UNDER TOWER BRIDGE & A WALK ALONGSIDE THE TOWER. I ASKED A COLLEAGUE ONE OF THESE SOLDIERS WHAT REGIMENT THEY WERE IN.
"NOT A REGIMENT! WE ARE MARINES."

WE CARRY ON AROUND THE TOWER & UP ONTO THE BRIDGE

MY GRAN ONCE TOLD ME SHE WALKED OVER THE CATWALK ACROSS THE TOP OF TOWER BRIDGE THE DAY IT OPENED. I DID NOT BELIEVE HER AT THE TIME BUT IT IS POSSIBLE.

NOW IT'S MY TURN.

THERE IS A PHOTO DISPLAY THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TOWER BRIDGE. HERE'SA FAMOUS FACE FROM MY YOUTH WHOSE NAME ESCAPES ME. SHE WAS ALL OVER THE PAPERS IN THE 60'S. NOT AS A MODEL THOUGH. CHRISTINE KEELER PERHAPS?

WE DESCEND A LEG OF THE BRIDGE & INTO THE WORKINGS THE RAISE & LOWER THE BRIDGE. VERY IMPRESSIVE.

VALERIE TELLS ME THIS IS A VICTORIAN POST BOX. IDENTIFIABLE BY THE 'VR' ON IT AND IT'S HEXAGONAL SHAPE

NOW ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE THAMES WHERE IT IS MUCH WARMER. NOTE THE PALM TREES.

THIS IS THE TRACK THROUGH WHAT USED TO BE BUTLERS WHARF THAT IS NOW MOSTLY RESTAURANTS AND APARTMENTS. EXPENSIVE APARTMENTS. VERY EXPENSIVE APARTMENTS.

BACK OVER THE BRIDGE NOW AND AFTER A BUS RIDE WE ARRIVE AT OUR FIRST PUB - THE PROSPECT OF WHITBY, RIGHT ON THE RIVER.
MANY HOURS I SPENT HERE IN MY YOUTH.

A FIRST TIME FOR VALERIE.

A PINT AND SOME PUB GRUB & IT'S A BUS AND DOCKLANDS LIGHT RAIL RIDE TO THE VERY UNUSUAL THAMES BARRIER PARK.

AND A VIEW OF THE BARRIER.

HANDS UP EVERYONE WHO KNEW THERE WAS A CABLE CAR OVER THE THAMES...

HERE IT IS .... TO GREENWICH

AND A FAST FERRY UP RIVER PASSING THE TOWER, TO THE MILLENIUM BRIDGE

WHICH WE WALK OVER & GET A FINE VIEW OF ST. PAULS..

BUT IT'S THIRSTY WORK, ALL THIS WALKING. TIME FOR A CIDER IN THE ART DECO, BLACKRIARS PUB...

BOTH THE CIDER & PUB ARE FIRSTS FOR US & YES - THIS IS STILL INSIDE THE PUB

MORE PEOPLE SMOKING ON THE STREET OUTSIDE THAN INSIDE.

CONTINUING UP ONTO HIGH HOLBORN, DOWN CHANCERY LANE. PASSING THIS PUB ....

... AND INTO THE LEAFY SANCTUARY OF LINCOLNS INN. NOT AN INN AS IN PUB, BUT AN INN AS IN INNS OF COURT.

SUCH A LOVELY, LEAFY NON-TOURISTY AREA IN LONDON

WE HAD A CHAT WITH THIS GUY ABOUT HIS ELECTRIC CAR. SEEMS HE FILLS IT UP FOR FREE. A BIT OF A CURIOSITY..

ONTO CAREY STREET WHICH I REMEMBER AS A SAYING FOR BEING BANKRUPT AS THIS IS WHERE THE BANKRUPTCY LAWYERS CONGREGATE.. AND INTO A NICE LITTLE PUB CALLED THE FIVE STARS.... I BUY DRINKS AND PEANUTS AT HE BAR AND A GIRL SITTING ON A BAR STOOL MAKES TO STEAL A PEANUT. I OFFER HER SOME & SHE TAKES TWO.

JUST A PHOTO IN THIS PUB WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT ONCE WAS A BANK...

VALERIE IS GETTING TIRED BY NOW. CAN'T IMAGINE WHY. SHE GOES OFF TO HER HOTEL & I HEAD EAST ALONG FLEET STREET TOWARDS MINE..

PASSING THROUGH ST. KATHERINES DOCK AREA, BEHIND MY HOTEL...

TIME TO RELAX AFTER ALL THAT, SITTING OUTSIDE THE HOTEL....

A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP TO GET READY FOR A TRAIN RIDE TO COLCHESTER TO MEET A SCHOOL MATE - PAM. WHO I LAST SAW TEN YEARS AGO AND IN 1959 OR 1960 PRIOR TO THAT

HERE WE ARE IN COLCHESTER. WE MET AT THE CASTLE BUT I HAVE NO PHOTOS THERE, NOR IN THE ART GALLERY WHERE PAM TOOK US FOR LUNCH.

HERE SHE IS SHOWING US AN OUT OF THE WAY RUIN OF AN ABBEY...

AND NOW PAM SHOWS US INTO A PUB CONVERTED FROM A THEATER - COMPLETE WITH ROYALTY LOOKING DOWN THEIR NOSES AT US FROM THE GALLERY

THIS IS A WATER TOWER.

JUST BEEN SOLD AND IS TO BECOME A RESTAURANT..

A GREAT, IF SWIFT VISIT WITH PAM & AFTER SAYING GOODBYE TO HER WE HEAD BACK TO LONDON IN TIME FOR THE CEREMONY OF THE KEYS. THE CEREMONIAL LOCKING UP OF THE TOWER OF LONDON. BEST FREE ENTERTAINMENT AROUND.

THE FOLLOWING DAY NOW AND TIME FOR ANOTHER WALK ALONG THE THAMES ....

A THAMES BARGE & A DISTANT VIEW OF THE MONUMENT TO THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON...

AND NOW WE CALL IN TO THE GEORGE BEHIND LONDON BRIDGE STATION. ONE OF THE OLDEST, IF NOT THE OLDEST, PUBS IN LONDON. ORIGINALLY A COACHING INN. WE ATE UPSTAIRS. ROAST BEEF & YORKSHIRE PUDDING FOR ME.

THE WAITRESS IS FROM WEST AFRICA BUT LIVES IN LEYTON, NOT FAR FROM WHERE I WAS BORN. SHE WAS TELLING ME SHE OWNS HER HOUSE IN LEYTON & A PLACE IN WEST AFRICA. I GUES SHE COULD LIVE LIKE A PRINCESS IF SHE SELLS UP & GOES BACK TO GUINEA.
LOVELY LADY.

THERE'S THE SHARD. HIGHEST BUILDING IN LONDON, OR EUROPE MAYBE. COSTS AN ARM & A LEG TO GO TO THE TOP.

SOUTH BANK ENTERTAINMENT....

VALERIE SPOTTED THE BRIDGE BEING RAISED TO LET A BARGE THROUGH..

.WHILE WE WHILED AWAY SOME TIME WAITING FOR OUR EVENING PERFORMANCE OF ANTONY & CLEOPATRA BY SOME UP & COMING AUTHOR AT THE GLOBE THEATER.

NOT BAD, BUT WAY TOO LONG AT 3 HOURS, AND OF COURSE WE ALL KNOW KNOW THE ENDING.

A SNEAKY PHOTO OF SOME ACTION ON STAGE. ACCIDENTALLY SNEAKY AS IT HAPPENS. IT WAS DURING THE INTERLUDE & THIS GUY WAS READING A GOATS ENTRAILS SO I TOOK A PIC ONLY TO GET TOLD OFF BY AN USHER.

A WALK BACK OVER THE WOBBLY BRIDGE & THAT'S IT FOR LONDON & GOODBYE TO VALERIE. SHE HEADS BACK UP NORTH & I GO SOUTH TO ROYAL TONBRIDGE WELLS. NO PARTICULAR REASON, BUT I LIKE THE NAME & IT'S ON MY WAY TO DOVER.

I WENT TO A PLAY OF RISING DAMP AT THE ASSEMBLY HALL. MOST ENJOYABLE. VERY MUCH AS I REMEMBER THE TV SHOW

AND HERES THE OPERA HOUSE - WHICH IS ACTUALLY A PUB OWNED BY WEATHERSPOONS, THE CHAIN THAT OWNS THE THEATER PUB I WAS IN AT COLCHESTER

A WALK AROUND TONBRIDGE - HERE'S THE AREA KNOWN AS THE PANTILES...

INSIDE A PUB....

PASSING A CAFE I SAW THIS SIGN SO I STOPPED FOR AN HOUR ON A BENCH OUTSIDE. NOWHERE TO SIT INSIDE AS THE BAND TOOK UP THE WHOLE PLACE.

THESE ARE OF MY HOTEL. THE HOTEL DU VIN & BISTRO. VERY NICE WITH PRICES TO MATCH. QUEEN VICTORIA STAYED HERE, BEFORE SHE WAS QUEEN.

THESE ARE OF THE MENS BATHROOM. MODIGLIANI ON THE WALLS.

NOTE THE LITTLE BOY POKING HIS HEAD OUT...

IN THE NEARBY PARK. CARE TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY CROQUET? THIS LADY GIVES LESSONS...

IN AND AROUND A LITTLE MUSEUM. CROWDED WITH SCHOOLKIDS..

HAVE MOVED ON TO DOVER NOW AND TOOK THE TRAIN ONE STOP UP THE LINE. JUST A SHORT WALK TOOK ME TO TEMPLE EWELL. TEMPLE AS IN KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.

I AM GOING TO FOLLOW THE RIVER DOUR ( FOR WHICH DOVER IS NAMED ) FROM HERE DOWN TO THE SEA.

THE RIVER ACTUALLY RUNS THROUGH THE GARDEN OF THE FOX PUB. NICE COINCIDENCE AS I WAS IN THE PUB ANYWAY. WE HAD A TOILET LIKE THAT WHERE I LIVED IN LONDON. NOT AS FANCY MIND.

HERE'S THE RIVER...

IT'S A NICE WALK ALONG THE RIVER. SIGNPOSTED BUT I STILL ASKED THE WAY OF A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I MET THIS COUPLE IN MY B & B & TOOK A CAB WITH THEM UP TO DOVER CASTLE. DON & EL. I SAW THEN A LOT OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS AS THEY ARE ALSO ON MY CRUISE & THAT IS THE OCEAN PRINCESS WAITING TO TAKE US ON BOARD.

THE CHAPEL IN THE CASTLE WAS HOLDING A D DAY SERVICE SO I POPPED IN. THE VICAR HAD PUT TOGETHER A SOUND MONTAGE. SPEECHES. BOMBS FALLING. PLANES ROARING. VERA LYNN SINGING.
VERY MOVING.

THIS IS MY LAST PUB. NEXT DOOR ALMOST TO MY B & B. THE WALLS & CEILING ARE COVERED WITH NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE THE CROSS CHANNEL SWIM.

THE CRUISE IS UP NEXT... TOOK TWO WEEKS TO GET HERE.