WANDERINGS

So, our weekend this week was Friday & Saturday, because Sunday is our last hurrah. So I finally actually had a chance to do some exploring. I bussed around on Friday, but on Saturday I went to the Y in the morning, and from there I started walking, with the intention of hopping on a bus to go over the river (& through the woods) to Bankside to find the hotel we are staying at Monday. I kept straying from the path, because I glimpsed intriguing alleys or old buildings that just begged me to investigate. 

See what I mean? This is a church at Lincoln's Inn park, where I was also mesmerized by the striations of weather wear on the sculpture below.

I actually found a public 'loo' there, which was spic and span and very convenient. I suspect it was there because there might be a taxi stand type of thing at that spot, as several taxis lined the street.


Then I was in the middle of all sorts of justice-y things, including the Royal Courts of Justice. I think the building below was part of  same, but I snapped it because it reminded me of the Santa Croce "Stendahlisme" story from Florence. That was a striped tower like the one below.

 

When next I checked for a bus stop, I discovered I was around the corner from Fleet Street, so I HAD to go there. I adore this sign....

The huisieme arrondissement?! Londres? Qu'est-ce que c'est? Very peculiar....

Well, by this time I was at Ludgate Circus, and it occurred to me that I was wearing closed shoes (for my class at the Y) for the 1st time since hospital, and I was really regretting it. I took a few photos of cars zipping around, and decided to hop a bus over Blackfriar's Bridge.

Wait for it...this was when I discovered I had 

LOST MY OYSTER CARD.

And yes, I did check everywhere, calmly, assuming (as you are now) that I was just panicked. But noooooo...it was well and truly gone. So engrossed had I been in my sightseeing that I must have accidentally yanked it out along with my bus map or something, and lost it.

Now I had no choice but to walk over the bridge, feet in agony. I stopped for photo ops, below.

THEN, once I was on the other side, I had to go in search of a tube station, of which there are precious few in Bankside. There was one at Southwark, where I was finally able to buy a new card. I knew I was 'around the corner' from my objective, so I trudged on. More interesting discoveries....

 Art on the Tube. That's a tube map on her lap.

THIS is a theatre? Showing Measure for Measure, no less.




I found the hotel, the Citizen M Bankside. It's REALLY nice! I took the closest bus, the RV1, which took me to Covent Garden - yikes! What a mob scene. From there I tried to orient myself, and finally found Charing Cross Road, where I got on the 25 bus. I have more photos, but I am in AGONY, so I'm signing off here. London is amazing. I'm glad I'm not leaving on Monday! Hopefully I'll be able to walk....