We started the day at the Sky Garden, which is on top of the Walkie Talkie building. You can theoretically walk up for tickets, but it’s probably a good idea to book ahead if you really want to go (it is free). The views are really good. There is a restaurant at the top, or you can get an overpriced latte, but you’re probably better off getting food nearby.
Afterwards, we did a bit of walking around. We stopped at the All-Hallows-by-the-Tower church, which is billed as the oldest church in the City (dating back to the 600’s). Like anything the area, it was badly damaged in WWII, but that actually uncovered a Saxon arch, and they have a really interesting display about the area’s history from Roman times to WWII in the crypt.
We also took a walk around the Tower of London (we visited inside back in 2003 – I suspect not too much has changed). After that, we stopped at Saint Olave’s church on Hart Street, because the BF has ancestors buried there. (No stone as it was during an outbreak of plague in the 1600’s.) They have a lovely little courtyard.
At that point, we walked over to the Bank of England, because I had some of the old 20 pounds notes from our last trip (in 2018). I had to to go in by myself to exchange those – a lovely little adventure in bureaucracy.
At this point, the BF called uncle and headed back to the hotel. K and I continued on to the south bank.
On the way, K noticed the entrance to the London Mithraeum. I did have it marked off, but had forgotten about it (and it blends with the office buildings around it). Basically, this was a Roman area temple to the god Mithras that would have been on the banks to one of the tributaries to the Thames. It was found because of the damage after the war. It was actually moved offsite, but returned to the basement of the Bloomberg building once that was complete.
It’s free – you can see a really interesting wall of finds from the area, and then you go into the basement and wait for a little while in a room that has some more informational displays. The actual “experience” is a lightshow with random Latin chanting. Have I mentioned it’s free? If they ever decide to charge for this, they better make that light show more interesting. The finds wall was probably the best part of it.
We then made it over to the South Bank, and walked through the Borough Market, which was hopping with people, and so much good looking food.
And last, but not least, we checked out Southwark Cathedral, which has a great memorial to one of its most famous residents – Shakespeare. They were also rehearsing for a Christmas concert, so we got a bonus soundtrack to our walk through.
So that’s the last of the pictures. We hung out with K on Saturday, and then took off bright and early on Sunday. Sunday also saw us pick up our last souvenir – a head cold that manifested for both of us on the plane. Still working off the last of that to this day, but I have no regrets.