Day 153 - Around London, one last time

Tomorrow will be my last full day in London, which also means that I need tomorrow to pack up and clear-up. My itinerary tomorrow is restricted to Russell Square area, not just because of packing, but if all goes as planned, the Tube will be closed due to a strike that's suppose to take effect this evening.

Hence, today will be the day where I'll go around London one last time, to the places I haven't been, especially those that are not within walking distance. By walking distance I mean 45 minutes walk (approximately 4-5km)

A peak at the 2012 Olympic Games park.

The stadium

Stop 1: Thames Barrier Park (Redux)

Why Thames Barrier Park again? Well, on the 9th of every month, they will raise the barrier for maintenance check. It will be a good chance to see the barrier in its full glory.

The water level has retreated so much that the sand bars at the banks are revealed.

The barrier raised.

Stop 2: Natural History Museum

Aunty Melissa Lee Ling Chi highly recommended that all would-be geography teachers should go. So why not.

Rocks. So stereotypical geographer.

I like the description. Like what Melissa raved - it is very simple and easy to understand. Good to bring students to.

A huge pan of water-saturated sand for you to pour water through the taps (above the pan) so that you can see how water carves out landscapes and rivers.

They even have a mock up of a Japanese grocery shop that shakes - to simulate the lower Richter scales of an earthquake. Quite cool. I'm sure if I bring Sec 1s and Sec 2s to such a place, they will fall in love with tectonics.

Of course, the Natural History Museum is not just about rocks and the history of Earth. It's a whole collection of fossils, insects and animals. The dinosaur exhibits are really cool, but I was really bored by the album-niesd insects and stuffed animals. Perhaps cause I'm not a biologist.

The main feature of the Natural History Museum. Only 2 or 3 of such complete fossil of this species in the world apparently. Just yesterday, the London Paper (evening free tabloid) was saying that paleontologists are now suggesting that the neck of this dinosaur species is upright, rather than flatly horizontal like this.

Stop 3: Royal Geographical Society

The temple of British Geography. Went there to make full use of my student privilege to see what's in their map resource room. Other places and facilities require membership. Even talks are members only, and the only way for a non-member to enter such talks is that a member brought them there.

The entrance.

It is when I was about to enter the map room that Keng Rui called me. He's coming down to London for the afternoon, cause of an interview at Kings for his masters. Aiyah kawan, if only we arranged eariler. Could have met you for lunch.

For the map room, I must say that the collection, hmm....unless you're into imperialistic kind of geography and maps. Else, it's quite useless lah.

Stop 4: Portobello Market

I know I know. Scream all you want. Yes, I haven't been to Portobello Market. So for all those Hugh Grant "Notting Hill" fans, here's your pilgrammage site.

Very helpful signs along this long long market. Tells you what to expect ahead and help you to orientate yourself. Unfortuantely, it's a week day, so most of the antique stalls are closed. Then again, aren't interested in antiques.

The long long street of Notting Hill. Yes, I can hear you screaming you Hugh Grant fans.

Stop 5: Abbey Road

I'm not a Beatles fan, nor am I crazy over the Abbey Road recording studio. But well, when in Rome, how can we ignore something that is only found in Rome? Abbey Road is where the famous recording studio sits, as well as the zebra crossing that the Beatles crossed for their album cover.

Noh - This cover lor. Legend has it that they couldn't think of a good album cover, so they just took a photo outside the recording studio. Little did they know it became a classic.

The classic Tubular shape of the Tube (hence the nickname)

Scream you Beatles Fan.

The famed zebra crossing. I pity the locals here. The tourists were waiting for all the cars to go, so that they can do the Beatles pose. But the nice drivers stopped for them. It was quite a funny sight.

The recording studio, from a distance.

The gate to the recording studio.

Filled with very meaningful grafatti actually. Spotted a guy writing something while I was reading away.

Like this one.

My favourite.

The zebra crossing as it is, without the tourists.

And I made it back to Russell Square, before 5pm which is when the supposed strike was to start.

And the strike began. Strangely, 2 of the lines remain running.

Yikes!

Industrial action. What a nice way to call "strikes"

This is what you should do!

What a stereotypical London day. Cloudy, gloomy, windy, and Tube Strikes!