London: A Flight & 14,659 Steps

Oh my gosh, we're here! And I'm sharing it ALL with you. Pour a cup of tea and come to London with me!

We departed San Diego at 5 PM on Monday afternoon. When possible, I prefer to fly on the airline that is the country to which I'm flying. British Airways provided us with the perfect introduction to the United Kingdom. What a fabulous travel experience.
And while onboard, I was able to watch the movie that was the catalyst for this entire London adventure. It was after seeing Better Man in the theater that had us booking tickets for the Robbie Williams concert. Watching this film reminded me of the whimsy of it all. What fun!


This was probably our best transatlantic flight yet! Woohoo!
Through my poor geographic abilities, we found ourselves at Paddington Station, the London terminus of the Great Western Railway (GWR), designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Brunel was deeply influenced by the design and construction of the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition of 1851. This can be seen in his use of wrought iron and glass in the three-span roof. It is a place worth a greater explore... one day!

This is our home for the next 5 nights... Cartwright Gardens.
Cartwright Gardens is a crescent shaped park and street located in Bloomsbury. The gardens were originally built between 1809 and 1811 as part of the Skinners' Company Estate. The development attracted many professional and middle-class occupants although the character of the area changed towards the end of the 19th century with an increasing number of lodging houses occupying the buildings.
Using an itinerary I crafted, we dropped off our luggage and headed to our first destination. Charterhouse Square is known for both its historical significance and its public art installations. Currently, a monumental brick facade sculpture by Alex Chinneck, titled A week at the knees, is on display until early July 2025. The sculpture is designed to resemble a classical Georgian facade, but with the lower two levels appearing to be rippling over as if the building is sitting on its knees. The sculpture is made from 7,000 real bricks and features steel windows and beams.
I had read about this and seeing it in person, we were even more impressed!
The sculpture playfully anthropomorphizes a traditional London townhouse facade, giving it a sense of being "at the knees". It's a large-scale, immersive piece that invites visitors to walk through the structure. Interestingly, the steel used is partially sourced from the demolished parts of the former American Embassy in London. Visitors can pass through the "knees" of the sculpture, creating a unique and interactive experience. So dang fun!

Charterhouse Square is the site of the former Carthusian monastery, which was founded in 1371. It was also used as an emergency cemetery during the Black Death in 1348. The homes surrounding it are breathtaking!
The Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great is a medieval church founded as an Augustinian priory in 1123. It was founded by Rahere, a prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral and an Augustinian canon, who while at the Vatican dreamed that a winged beast came and transported him to a high place, then relayed a message from "the High Trinity and...the court of Heaven" that he was to erect a church in London's Smithfield. Rahere traveled to London and was informed that the area in his vision – then a small cemetery – was royal property, and could not be built upon. Henry I, however, granted him title of the land upon hearing his divine message. The rest is history!








"Under this stone lies interred the Body of Mr. Jonathan Thornell, Hair Merchant of this Parish who died, November 14th, 1757 In the 37th year of his age. A man whose piety and virtue were worth of imitation." What a sweet epitaph. And what's a hair merchant.

Anywhere where I walk in the footsteps of Hugh Grant makes me happy!
Greek food for dinner was the absolutely best choice. I'm still drooling over it.
This is my third visit to London and my third visit to St. Paul's Cathedral. This amazing place has a rich history spanning over 1400 years, including several reconstructions and significant events. The current cathedral, designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the late 17th century, is the fifth iteration of St. Paul's on the same site




We were actually there for the Evensong, the treasure of the worship at St Paul’s. It is a service of sung Prayer, taken from the Book of Common Prayer of 1662. This meditative and reflective service last for around 45 minutes, giving space to pause for a moment as the day draws to a close. Evensong also gives visitors and worshippers the opportunity to experience the incredible voices of the Cathedral choir, who perform different, specially-selected choral works as part of each service. We were so tired, we didn't last the entire service but it was truly the perfect end to this very crazy, busy day of travel.



The following photos are just various images which don't command explanation.












I was enthralled with the Holborn Valley Viaduct (1867).


Our final pause was at Brunswick Square Gardens. The area was laid out in 1796 as part of the Foundling Hospital Estate, a place for children who could not be brought up by their natural parents. It was the first children's charity in London. The square was named after Queen Caroline of Brunswick, wife of the Prince of Wales.

Famous residents of the area include the obvious 'Bloomsberries' (Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant), as well as the economist John Maynard Keynes; the writers J. M Barrie (author of Peter Pan) and E.M Forster; the social commentator John Ruskin, as well as John Leech, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens. The list goes on and of course includes the suffragist Millicent Garrett Fawcett and her friend and neighbor Fanny Wilkinson, who was the first female professional garden designer in the England, who worked designed over 70 gardens in London
I can't believe after our arduous day of travel and only an hour or two of sleep on the plane, we were able to hit the ground running and accomplish so much on our very first afternoon in London. I can't wait for the rest of the adventure!

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