Great Expectations

James and Amber were off on a Central American adventure and they kindly let me stay in their London apartment in their absence.  The day of my departure started early with the Anzac Dawn Service at Grangegorman Military Cemetery in Dublin, which was well attended.  The New Zealand Ambassador and the Australian Ambassador both gave readings and the service was moving as always.  I then said my goodbyes to Michael and set off for a magical week in London.

My first port of call was the V & A Museum where Queen Victoria’s sapphire and diamond coronet had just gone on display.  The coronet was designed for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert the year that they were married.  The coronet is displayed in a glass case on its own and is absolutely stunning.  I would have liked to have taken a photo however it was difficult to get past the parade of people all posing in front of the coronet trying to position themselves so that they would look as though they were wearing it!  I was also able to view Beyonce’s Papillon ring.  The ring is in the shape of a butterfly and is covered in green tsavorites and diamonds.  There is a spring on the back of the ring, which makes the butterfly wings flutter and it is absolutely gorgeous.  While I was at the museum, I also took the opportunity to have a look at the newly renovated Cast Courts.  The museum has done a wonderful job restoring and cleaning the casts and it is now a real pleasure to walk amongst the impressive monuments.  The door at the base of Trajan’s Column has now been opened and you can walk inside and truly appreciate its sheer size.    

I had read that there was an exhibition at the Wellcome Collection called Smoke and Mirrors: The Psychology of Magic, and even though I didn’t really know anything about the topic, I thought that I would pop in for a quick look.  The exhibition was so good that I ended up spending more than two hours, watching all of the audio visual films and looking at the exhibits.  There were magic props including Harry Houdini’s Bell Box and Tommy Cooper’s fez and videos of psychology experiments exploring how biases affect our perception.  It was all very interesting, especially as we are now living in the “fake news” era.  

I heard that a new Banksy artwork had appeared overnight at Marble Arch and headed over to have a look. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to find it as I didn’t know exactly where it would be, however I needn’t have worried as there was a crowd gathered around the work along with news reporters.  The artwork (which hasn’t been confirmed as Banksy’s) shows a child with the Extinction Rebellion emblem alongside the words “From this moment despair ends and tactics begin”.  The Extinction Rebellion had finished their London protests the day prior and the artwork appeared at the police-sanctioned protest area.  The piece is very good and certainly looks like a Banksy original to me, although I will leave that to more qualified people to determine.  

The main reason for my visit to London was to take part in Twists and Turns, a walking tour of the places that inspired Oliver Twist.  The tour began at the Charles Dickens Museum and, as I was a little early, I decided to have a cup of coffee in the museum café.  I later learned that Amal Clooney, whose office is just up the road, sometimes calls into the café herself.  I might possibly have sat in the same chair as Amal Clooney!  How is that for a claim to fame?  Our tour guide was a friendly, knowledgeable gentleman and about 20 of us set off to follow in Dickens’ footsteps. 


What followed was a fascinating 2 hours exploration of the streets near Dickens’ home and hearing about the people and events that inspired Oliver Twist.  At one stage we ended up at Clerkenwell Green, a place that I pass through every time that I visit London as it is on my regular walking route, and saw where Oliver was accused of robbing Mr Brownlow as he browsed at a bookstall. We also walked the streets where some of the worst London slums were to see where Fagin’s den of thieves was set.


There were many interesting titbits of information shared along the way for example, I learned that the Postal Museum stands on the site of the old Coldbath Fields Prison which was notorious for its use of the penal treadmill.


Our guide also read extracts from some of Dickens’ works and letters at pertinent stops along our walk, which finished outside the Old Bailey.  I have participated in a number of walking tours over the years however I would have to say that this one was possibly the best one to date. 

I visited Somerset House to see the art installation Reduce Speed Now! by American artist Justin Brice Guariglia.  This consisted of nine large solar powered LED signs with words from international activists, poets and philosophers highlighting the world’s ecological crisis. It was thought provoking (if a little depressing) and I sat for some time just watching the ever-changing screens.  

I did make one mistake on my visit – I ventured to Harrods in the afternoon!  I should know by now that the only time to visit Harrods is within the first hour of the store opening otherwise you must endure the tourist crush.  To add to the mayhem, the food halls are being revamped as part of a two-year restoration project.  I managed to get hopelessly lost in the store, which normally I would quite enjoy however I just wanted to find the exit.  I did discover that the hideous statue of Diana and Dodi has thankfully now been removed.  Apparently it now resides at Mohamed al Fayed’s home.

The rest of my time in London was spent wandering the city streets, walking along the canals and the Thames and visiting the parks and gardens to see the spring flowers. 

 
 

 

London is lovely any time of year, however it is in the Spring when it really comes to life.  I am very lucky as it will only be a few weeks until I return to London again.