Day 4 in London brought more excitement for me. First and foremost a reunion with a dear friend. Someone I met online via a mutual friend and then had the pleasure to meet in person for the first time three years ago.
(side note: I always have a longing for London but ever since I have friends there this longing now also has a very personal touch. They make going there even more worthwhile!)
Our first and so far only personal meeting had been so wonderful for me and i remember that day with great fondness. So when i was planning my trip to London, i hoped i could meet up with my friend again. Thankfully she made it possible.
The meeting with my friend was scheduled for 12 noon and so I had some time beforehand. So I started the day with a short visit to the National Gallery. Even though this had been my ninth trip to London I have never been to the National Gallery before. (As i had hinted at in an earlier post, my first trips to London had been rather fangirly trips ~ Bowie, Bolan, Beatles, whichever was the flavour of the season) I had no real plan what to see and so i rather randomly entered a room. And the first painting i set my eyes upon was ~ a Klimt! I love Klimt! As far as I understand the National Gallery has only one painting by him and I enter the very room where it is displayed! Just wonderful.
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| Portrait of Hermine Gallia |
I don't want people in my photos, let alone myself! I don't really think my face makes a van Gogh any better ;)
But yeah, i did make a photo of the "Sunflowers" (after i patiently waited until several people carried out the above mentioned practice of having their photo taken in front of it, gee)
Wandering around the gallery I was overwhelmed by the many wonderful paintings. It was a shame I didn't have more time but there can always be a next time. (Even though on my "next time" list the National Portrait Gallery is very high up!) There was one more painting which i took a photo of. It is one of my most favourite paintings even though I prefer the version in the Louvre. Nonetheless, da Vinci's "Virgin of the Rocks" is a superb painting and nothing really prepares for the real thing. Thankfully there was a bench there, so i could sit down and admire it, in awe!
Then it was already time to leave. Off to Spitalfiels. Now, so far i had only been to Whitechapel/Spitalfiels for .. Jack! (confession: I don't only have an interest for cemeteries but also for certain delinquents who bring people there, ouch, i know, sinister!)
This time i went there to visit Dennis Severs' House (visiting houses seemed to have been a thing during that London trip) Of course i got lost in search of 18 Folgate Street. (what's new?) But after some detour i did arrive and there was my friend! Such joy! I was so happy to see her again and also to explore this house with her. Now, that house really isn't for everyone (what is, anyway?) You certainly need to have a penchant for eccentrics & their follies. I can imagine that some people will think that house either dull or stupid or an utter waste of time and money. Don't expect an accurate portrayal of a certain time period. This is also not about getting educated. And to be honest, I personally also didn't really care too much about the story made up by Severs about a family who lives there and who are silk weavers. Also the plot written by him (which you can read here) is a tad too crackers for me. So i basically just ignored his story and enjoyed the house on my own terms, so to say. The hardest part was not to speak! That is hard for me anyway but i had just been reunited with my friend after not seeing her for three years! So that was quiet a task, hehe. But we made up for that later.
So if you like some quirkiness ~ this house is for you. I was very lucky to enjoy it with my friend and we both had a great time.
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| ehm, what did i say about trying not to have people in my photos? Fail! |
After that entertaining experience my friend and I went to Old Spitalfields Market for some refreshments. Finally, we could talk and catch up on some of the things which had happened the past three years. Oh it was blissful. With some people you can just talk so easily and you can just pick up where you had left off.
Later we wanted to eat something and i was somehow keen on Fish & Chips. It is just something i really like to have at least once when i am in UK. But our time was limited and we couldn't find a Fish & Chips restaurant and couldn't waste time away in search for one. (Later i found out that there is a Fish & Chips shop in Old Spitalfields Market, ha!) We decided for Blixen and it was lovely place, the food was really good and we had a really charming and sweet waiter.
The hours flew by ever so quickly as always when you are in lovely company. All too soon it was time to say goodbye. But such a fantastic day we spent together.
I took the tube back to Baker Street and as i walked back to my hotel, i spotted ... a Fish & Chips restaurant! I had already given up on having some because i wouldn't really go into a pub on my own. But this was perfect! So later that evening i had dinner there and even though i did sit at noisy and busy Baker Street, i had a fab time. My last evening in London and i soaked up as much of the atmosphere (and traffic fumes, haha) as possible.
I went for a little walk after having eaten and came across this lovely building
Equipped with 2 cans of Gin&Tonic i made my way back to the hotel and had a little one person party in my room to celebrate what had really been fabulous and unforgettable days in London.
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