Get lost! (in Hampstead Heath)

All semester I've been wanting to go to Hampstead Heath, a renowned 300-some-odd acre park in North London. I've been sick all weekend, but today I was finally feeling better, so, ambitiously, I planned to spend the morning hiking around the Heath, ride the tube back down to Hyde Park by noon, and go see Speaker's Corner (which I also still hadn't seen yet).

I guess it should have been a sign to give up and go home early on, when I got off the tube at Hampstead and found myself walking back and forth down the same three roads trying to find my way to the park for about 15 minutes. Eventually I found my way there, of course taking the longest possible route and finding myself at a completely different entrance than I expected to be at.

The park was gorgeous though, and very crowded considering its massive size. There were tons of families, dog walkers, and joggers.

I wandered around for about an hour, weaving in and out of forest and field, up and down huge rolling hills that offered sweeping views of the foggy city in the distance. It wasn't raining today, but it was about 48 degrees and rather damp outside, and on the hills in the meadows there was a stiff, frigid breeze.

Eventually I decided to head back even though I knew I had only seen a fraction of the park. Speaker's Corner is only active on Sundays starting at 12pm, and seeing as this is my last weekend here I didn't want to miss it. The only problem? I had no idea where I was at this point. Hampstead Heath has a terrible lack of signage, and by a lack of signage, I mean it has no signage whatsoever, despite the fact that it has dozens and dozens of criss-crossing trails that wind around for miles.

At last I found a playground with a restroom and a map on the side of the building. I was shocked to realize that I was on the complete opposite side of the park I wanted to be on, and pretty much as far away from the tube station as you could get! I mentally kicked myself.

At this point, I should have done the boring thing and gone back the way I came, but NO, I had to go down what looked like a parallel trail to check out this strange white monument thing in the middle of a field. The map had said it was "The Stone of Free Speech" or something, but when I got up to it I was sorely disappointed. All it was was a crumbling, white-washed concrete pillar without any sort of markings. If that's the best tribute we can give to free speech... how sad!

But alas, I did not turn back and go the way I had come -- instead I followed the trail up into the forest, taking in the splended views, watching the birds, and ignoring how late it was getting.

The birdlife at the Heath was quite impressive I must say, and had I planned on being there longer I would have enjoyed some very fruitful birding. I saw several Eurasian Jays, Grey Tits, Rooks, and even a Great Spotted Woodpecker along the way.

But I still couldn't find my way out of the darned park. I could swear I was heading back south west towards the Hampstead tube station, but about 40 minutes later I found myself at an iron gate in the woods marking the entrance to Kenwood House, a place I had not even planned on visiting because it was so far north!

Scrutinizing the barely-adequate map, I decided that I could head back down another trail (obviously I didn't learn my lesson from the first time I chose not to retrace my steps!). Well, the next thing I knew, I was in a totally different place that I had never seen before. A young woman coming towards me stopped and asked if I knew where Kenwood House was, and after telling her I had just passed it I asked if she knew to get out of the park (note to self: never ask for directions from someone who just asked YOU for directions! Lesson learned). She vaguely said it was back where she had come from so I followed the trail, but soon got lost again when it branched out in half a dozen new directions.

I walked on and on, completely disoriented, always thinking I had finally found the right path and then realizing I had gotten nowhere. It was extremely frustrating looking back on it, but surprisingly I managed to keep my cool the entire time, even when I found myself right back at Kenwood House 30-40 minutes later.

By now it had been over 2 hours, my legs were aching from climbing up and down hills, and my shoes were soaked through from the cold dew on the grass. Eventually I found my way out to some fields and finally stopped and asked an older couple how to get out. They said they had just come from the Highgate entrance, straight down the path and turn right after the pond. Thank goodness! I didn't even care that it was the wrong entrance, I was just tired of walking in circles. I knew once I got out on the street I could use my own map to get back.

And so I did. It fel like the longest walk ever (halfway around the outside of the park), but at least there were street signs! At last I made it down to the Belsize Park tube station and collapsed exhausted onto the train. It would be after 2pm by the time I got back, so, tired and slightly annoyed, I rode it straight home.

To be completely honest, I am really disappointed I didn't get to see Speaker's Corner, although at the same time I'm glad I got to see Hampstead Heath. I'm not sure it was worth all that hassle but I guess it was just another adventure in the long run (and on the upside, I got to see almost the ENTIRE 300 acres of the park)!

Westminster Abbey and Big Ben

As I climbed the steps out of the Westminster tube station, a massive structure rose so far into the sky I couldn't even see the top. Craning my neck, it took me a moment to realize I was standing at the foot of Big Ben tower and the Houses of Parliament.

When I looked up, this was all I could see, only you can imagine how much more enormous it is when you're right there. I was traveling solo today, out for an afternoon by myself at Westminster Abbey. Before going in however, I walked around Parliament and got a few shots of the area.

It really is a truly grand building. It is guarded by heavily-armed policemen with their funny hats and serious-looking guns, scrutinizing you suspiciously as you walk by. I was tempted to see if I could go in, but it was a little intimidating and I was more intent on using my time in Westminster Abbey.

The Abbey, too, holds the same grandeur of its neighboring buildings but unfortunately photography wasn't allowed inside. As a building, its interior wasn't all that different from other churches and cathedrals I've visited; it had the same Gothic architecture, sweeping ceilings, intricate decor, and what seemed like hundreds of tombs, memorials, and plaques commemorating historical figures.

It was crowded, as would be expected, but nonetheless gorgeous. I explored every corner of the place and found the Shrine to Edward the Confessor; Henry VII's Lady Chapel; the tombs of Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Mary I and Mary Queen of Scots; and the tomb of Geoffrey Chaucer. At this last grave, there was a tourist idly resting on Chaucer's tomb -- I stared at him for an awkwardly long time until he realize he was leaning on a coffin and got out of the way!

I snapped a couple pictures outside in the Cloisters, and Chapel and College Gardens, as there were far fewer people around and no robed church officials to shoo me and my camera away.

My favorite part of Westminster Abbey was actually a relatively small wing known as the Poet's Corner. It was laden with dozens of graves and memorials to famous writers, including Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Lord Byron, Alfred Lord Tennyson, William Wordsworth, John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, the Bronte sisters, and even the composer G.F. Handel.

My two disappointments were that I wasn't able to find the grave of William Wilberforce, and I didn't realize until I got back home that Charles Darwin was also buried in the Abbey! I guess I can't complain though, considering I'm living on the same street where Darwin used to live.

Well, I explored the whole Abbey in about an hour or so. All things considered, it was a little overpriced for what it was, but I'm glad I saw it and once again, it was a lovely trip out into the city on my own.

Magical London

Today really was magical in more ways than one. I wasn't really planning on doing anything, but I ended up taking a self-guided Harry Potter walking tour of London with 4 other girls from school. The tour took us past some places that were used in the movies, and others that simply inspired different scenes.

This wasn't part of the tour, but I thought it was a gorgeous building -- It's the Royal Courts of Justice. Just to the left of it was St. Clements Church, which we didn't get to go in because there was a wedding in progress.

Across the street from St. Clements was Gringott's Bank (aka Australia House in real life)! This building was not open to the public, as it is some kind of government facility or something.

Aldwych Tube Station is more or les abandoned and said to be haunted. However, it has been used in many movies and was inspiration for some scenes in Harry Potter apparently.

This is looking back at the entrance to the "Roman Baths." No one really knows if they're actually from Roman times, but apparently Charles Dickens used to swim in them. To get to the bath, you have to walk through a really creepy deserted alleyway behind a bunch of warehouses and other sketchy looking buildings, and then view it through an old dirty window. Not a place to go visit alone!

Our next stop was St. Mary le Strand, a small church literally sitting in the middle of the road! It was very pretty though.

The tour also led us to Somerset House, but apparently it is London Fashion Weekend, so we couldn't get in, as the square has been turned into an exclusive fashion runway.

Following the route we eventually found ourselves in Covent Garden which was bustling with activity. A street performer was playing "Imagine" as we walked in, while magicians drew large crowds, restaurants were overflowing with guests, and a lively street market boasted colorful crafts, and foods of all kinds.

As we were about to head out after lunch, we were drawn to the sound of classical music playing in the lower courtyard of the market. It turned out to be an amazing string quintet that gave us a fantastic (and funny!) performance. Just watch:

After that, we kind of abandoned the Harry Potter tour for the day. We explored Covent Garden a little more and then headed back home, deciding to resume our tour later in the week. It was a great way to see some of the more "off the beaten path" areas of London, and was unexpectedly one of the best days I think I've had here yet!

City sight seeing

On Saturday I went to Camden Market again with some friends to see what it's like on the weekend, rumored, we heard, to be completely different than a weekday experience. Indeed this was true.

The market was easily twice as large, and packed with people -- almost enough to send me into claustrophobia-panic-mode at times. Punk-rockers, hobos, hippies, tourists, families, and everything in between filled the narrow streets and market stalls from end to end.

In the middle of the market is Camden Locks. If you can weave your way through the maze of exotic-smelling food stalls you'll find the canal, full of riverboats and bordered by old brick buildings. It can spark a sense of the poetic into anyone.

The next day, a few of us decided to do the Bankside Walk, a route along the south bank of the Thames and recommended by my Rick Steves guidebook (always a good resource when you're looking for ideas). 

Can you guess which bridge is pictured above? Believe it or not, that's London Bridge. Yes, THE London Bridge.  I know, I was a little underwhelmed too. But I suppose the fact that it was burned down, built, and rebuilt several times gives it ample excuse to be rather ordinary looking. 

Downriver the sights are significantly more impressive. The HMS Belfast stands against the backdrop of Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and the city skyline. Ritzy restaurants offering all the most popular "British" dishes line the boardwalk.

We stopped into the Hays Gallery for a moment, a grand atrium with a surreal statue in the middle and swarming with tourists. Interesting place, and seemed popular with the family/upperclass-tourist demographic.

Following the signs along the walking route, we found our way to Southward (pronounced SUTH-uck) Cathedral, the oldest gothic cathedral south of the Thames. It was significantly smaller than many of the others I've seen, but gorgeous nonetheless. In the churchyard was the grave of the architect who built it, and apparently William Shakespeare's brother is buried inside, along with several other playwrights.

Beyond the church, we found ourselves in a maze of old alleyways and tunnels -- definitely not the kind of place you'd want to be at night, but super neat on a cold, drizzly day. Everything seemed oddly deserted, except for a few other travelers also following the Bankside Walk.

The weather was continuing to get worse, but made for some great pictures over the river.

At one point, it started to hail on us, so we hurried under the Millenium Bridge for cover. Then we noticed some crowds and odd-looking people. One looked like a man dressed as a king, but when he got closer, I realized he looked like a Klingon. Several moments later, 3 men walked by wearing Star Trek uniforms, and a blue alien dude stood in a crowd being interviewed by some journalists.

The best I could gather was that there was some kind of Star Trek convention going on at the Tate Modern museum. I was amused.

Once the weather cleared, we headed back across the Millenium (passing a couple more aliens) and returned home on the tube.

Quite a relaxing day, and a great way to get to know yet another part of this fantastic city.