I stood on my feet, mostly walking for four hours today. After work I took the bus from Marble Arch along Oxford Street to the intersection with Tottenham Court Road and then walked from there to the British Museum. I went because I had read somewhere that they had an exhibit on the history of Olympic medals. Well, it consisted of three cases with the medals from the three games that London has hosted. And that was it. It was fun to see the gold medals that they will be handing out this summer, but I was expecting more.
Still, it got me back to my favorite piece of a building structure and that is the junction of ceiling/roof and the temple facades. I could stand there for hours, trying to capture the essence on film and never be successful. There was a nice lady who took my picture. I could have done with less of my body and more of the ceiling, but oh well.
Instead of going to Tas, the awesome Turkish restaurant, I decided to continue walking. I wasn't that hungry and I was close to Covent Gardens. Mapping my route, I strolled down Museum and Drury Lanes. Then I took a right onto Long Acre and a left onto St. James until I reached my destination. Since I was there, I decided to try to find the Wenlocks and Mandevilles that are on the Pink Walk.
I found the Flower Seller Mandeville
And Tourist Wenlock
Busker Wenlock
And another plain Wenlock which I don't need to document. The problem was, I had a hard time finding them. I don't know if it was because it was getting dark and they were in shadow, but I walked all around Covent Garden before backtracking and finding the first two in a passage way. Then I walked out Russell Street, down Catherine until I got to Aldwych / The Strand. I had passed Busker and hadn't seen that one either. So I went up Wellington, past the Royal Opera House back to Covent Garden.
Since I was so close to my favorite clothing store, I went in and tried on a bazillion dresses. I found one I liked on sale and two scarves. Fortified with retail therapy, I went back out Russell Street, and just past Catherine, found Busker. Sigh. Not one to know when to stop a quest, I decided to continue on. I walked back to Aldwych and onto a section of the Waterloo Bridge. There was some huge accident and traffic was stopped in both directions. There was a nice view of the London Eye and Big Ben.
Then I went back down to the Victoria Embankment Gardens. I hadn't found the time to go there last year. It is lovely. At the start of the gardens, I found the Somerset House Mandeville
followed closely by Cleopatra's Needle Wenlock
In between those two was a beautiful statue. It was getting to have a twilight feel with the rain clouds moving in and there was a spotlight on the woman's back. I found it gorgeous, stunning. I think it helped that is wasn't covered in bird poop.
Because it looked like the rain would be coming soon, I started to walk quickly. I passed a water garden with statuary that reminded me of Selim --
I found the Embankment Wenlock without incident.
I made my way out of the gardens, through pub row and past Charing Cross Station. Near by was the Novel Wenlock.
From there I knew I was close to the Trafalgar one so I pressed on through the throngs of people standing by the Olympic Countdown clock.
I walked all around the square and couldn't find it. I started walking south on Whitehall when I decided to ask a souvenir seller. She told me it was back up by St. Martin in the Fields. OK. Found it -- the Trafalgar Wenlock.
The sky was really getting dark so I decided to get a bus. I got a little turned around and confused and walked back south on Whitehall before I realized that the buses I wanted went west just north of Trafalgar Square. Back up Whitehall, past Admiralty Arch, to Haymarket Street when it started to pour. I didn't have an umbrella, that would be too practical. So I walked at a clip all the way up Haymarket to Piccadilly. Just then some plane flew overheard that had let out blue and red color. I stopped under an awning to take a picture. Then I got a bus on the west side of the Circus. Although as soon as I got to the bus the rain stopped and I only sat down for two stops. I could have walked the rest of the way. But I'm glad I didn't. I'm pooped.
It has taken me three hours to up load all the pictures. I've been sitting in the desk chair, watching my screen and the TV with the Opening Ceremony. I was working during the 2008 opening in Beijing, so I didn't see more than clips. But I have enjoyed it tonight. There was lots of music and dance -- hence I liked it. My favorite part is the parade of nations. There is something moving about seeing people together, representing country, dressed in uniform or ceremonial costumes. I've heard that the Spanish get-up isn't as sophisticated as say the Italians, who got to wear Armani.
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