Paternoster

Sunday was a 10 mile walk day.
Ma and Pa came up for the day, namely to go to an exhibition of aircraft paintings at the ICA on the Mall. So I met them at Victoria and started our day of walking and sight seeing!

The weather was considerably more conducive to walking the streets of London. So we meandered through St James' Park and played 'tip the tourist off the bridges across the lakes'. Bridges. Water. Equals must take a photo no matter what! So we ploughed through them. Children not looking where they were going. It was heaving. So we were glad of the peace and quiet in the gallery. The paintings were on the whole really good.

Across the Mall into Traf Square and over the roads to Golden Jubilee Bridge, Westminster side. Wagamama's Waterloo and then a long overdue walk along the Sarf Bank! The was a WalkAid event on and we were going against the flow - but even that didn't stress me out. Tate Modern. Took Ma and Pa into the Turbine Hall to see some more art!! After the Tate we walked across the Millenium Bridge and studied the Peter Ackroyd display on the bridge floor and along the walk ways. The Thames - history and importance. Interesting to see that Ponchahontas is buried in Gravesend.

Across the bridge to awesome sight of St Pauls. We poked our head round the door but there was church evensong about to start - and the bells were ringing out. It was splendid. So we went and sat in the all new Paternoster Square.

Paternoster - We discussed this word as we sat in Paternoster Square. Me with tales of the paternoster in the Attenborough building at Leicester Uni and then just generally as we surveyed the surroundings. Mum looked up the word on Google and sent me the results (she's getting good at this Interweb thing!) " 'an elevator which consists of a chain of open compartments' or indeed in latin another word for 'The Lord's Prayer' So I suppose that makes sense as it is right opposite St Paul's Cathedral and it has lots of ins and outs! Useless information but non-the-less really important!!" No Mum I think your input into this entry is to be applauded! I then took them to view my office (how droll!) and then Cock Lane; Smithfield Market; Farringdon Road and in search of a pub back to Fleet Street. The Tipperary the first open pub so we took a pew and had a shandy.

Falling asleep was the greatest risk now. So we opted to walk back to Victoria. Along Fleet Street, onto Strand passed Somerset House, Charing Cross and through the corner of Trafalgar Square to Whitehall. Good to see Lord Nelson defrocked of his scaffold and plastic coverings. Passed MOD building, Downing Street and round the end of Horseguards Parade. Then a trot through St James' Park back to where we had started the morning.

Confirmation if any were needed that this city rocks!! I have some photos but they won't load at the moment... boo.