Day 3

Oh my goodness it has been FAR too long!  A couple of weeks of freezing cold weather and snow kept me from feeling inclined to walk/slide my way through more of central London.  The sun came out last weekend though.  Boy, did it come out!!!  The skies were blue, the temps were up and the sun – I’ll say it again – the SUN was everywhere!  What a great day to hit the streets.

I found Day 3 moving at a much slower pace than normal – I only logged a touch over 4.3 miles.  I had planned to continue my exploration of the City by starting at Bank and moving through the Bishopsgate area, but the place is desolate on a Saturday morning!  Some might find that appealing – the streets to yourself, shrouded in a peace and quiet not often found around here.  For me though, the charm of London is the life of its streets.  The closed shops and empty alleys are just not as exciting.  So I followed the few people I saw and headed toward the river instead.

On Day 1, I walked past Monument and considered climbing it but didn’t for some reason.  I took the opportunity this time though and it couldn’t have been a better day for it.  When I finally reached the 311th step and walked out to the viewing platform to see a sun-bathed London being serenaded by the bells of St. Magnus the Marty, I fell even more in love with this city.

Magic in Modern London

For those of you who want to get your walking on, here is an interesting way to find some direction.  This (free!) new app from the Wellcome Collection creates a treasure hunt through Edwardian London, in modern times.  From what I can…gather…you follow the map to track down the locations where folklorist Edward Lovett discovered amulets dropped around the city.

Check out the app here!

And for those wondering what an amulet is exactly, here’s a modern-day take on the items we hold most dear.

Happy wanders!

Day 2

I did not expect to say this, but I might have loved Day 2 even more than Day 1.  The weather was not nearly as stunning (though it was dry and warmish so no complaining here!) and there weren’t London icons around every corner (the hyper-famous ones at least).  But, the sheer joy of new discoveries and hidden corners made me feel like a kid again.

I particularly enjoyed the City having a little more life in it than last time.  My first day out was right before the Christmas holidays and the streets were all but empty.  In some ways it’s nice to have the space to yourself but I prefer to have some action going on around me.  People-watching just isn’t the same without people.

I’ll put up a photo of the area I covered as soon as I am near my A to Z to snap one but, for now, I’ll share some favourite moments of the day.

Today’s Awards Go To:

Best Photo Bomber ~ The Gherkin

30 St. Mary Axe (as it’s formally known) somehow manages to wriggle its way into the skyline no matter where you are in the neighbourhood.  I think I solved the mystery though when I flicked through my photos and saw that there are actually two of them.  I really love the contrast of this building with all the squareness in the area.  And I’m dying to go to the bar there one day!

Worth the wait, right?

I must confess that I haven’t had time to do any CZ walking in the last week (though I did manage a three-hour stroll in Hampstead Heath yesterday under blue skies and a warm sun.  Probably the best way to start a year!).  I hope you will forgive my lapse in posts this week by learning that it was for a very good cause.

If you remember from my first post, I hinted at a project I have been working quite hard on for the last few months.  Well, wait no longer, dear readers!  Allow me to introduce you to my brand spanking new business:

Not gonna lie, I’m pretty excited to show people around London’s streets!  Check out the website at youkcustomtours.com and, if you like it, a “like” on Facebook would be immensely appreciated!    

As for my CZ wanders, Friday is looking like a great day for a stroll 🙂

See you next week!