London – in search of Paddington Bear & Eliza Doolittle – –

Wednesday – today is overcast but I decide I am not going to waste my time and stay at home. The plan is to catch the train to Paddington Station and buy a ‘real’ Paddington Bear.So heading off to the station – I love these trains – I arrive at Paddington station and it is huge and undergoing a lot of work.

Yep – more restoration.  I get the feeling that this old world is being patched up right before my eyes.

I walk around and around the streets but don’t spy one shop that has any Paddo’s.  Obviously he has gone on holidays without telling me.  Heading back to the station – where I had come from in the first place – and isn’t it always the way – there is a stand right on that bloody station that sells ‘Authentic Paddington Bears’.  They were not cheap – but – whatever.  I paid ₤50.00 for three bears.  One for me – one for Kylie and one for mum.

Doing a quick conversion to Aussie that is around $150.00. Oh no – too late.  I have already handed over my trusty Visa for payment.  Will have to stop converting everything back to OZ as it is rather frightening.  After that little bit of a splurge I collect my bears and we catch the train and end up at – – – Westminster.

 Walking over Westminster Bridge to get a good view of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben – and it starts to rain.

Oh well, rain and London seem to go together and anyway it is not raining too heavily – actually it is quite nice.  Not to be put off by a few drops of water, I turn left and looking at the map – walk along the Thames and down to Waterloo Bridge.

Arriving at something labelled ‘Waterloo Bridge’ this must be another one.  It doesn’t look like anything out of the movie ‘Waterloo Bridge’. This is a big, concrete thing.  I am disappointed to say the least.

I cannot imagine that Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh would have ever fallen in love on this unromantic bridge. Tucked away in some hidden corner of London is the real Waterloo Bridge I am sure.

More walking along the Thames – to Cleopatra’s Needle.  Which has nothing to do with Cleopatra exactly – – –

HISTORY LESSON: The obelisk was made for the Pharaoh Tuthmose III in 1460BC and was brought to London from Alexandria – the royal city of Cleopatra.  Hence the name ‘ Cleopatra’s Needle.  It seems Britain wanted something big and noticable to commemorate the British victory over Napoleon – 63 years earlier.

The needle arrived in England in 1878 after a terrible sea journey and the British people were eager for it to arrive as it had already cost them £15,000 to bring it over.

Cleopatra’s Needle stands on the Thames Embankment close to the Embankment underground station. Two large bronze Sphinxes lie on either side of the Needle. These are Victorian versions of the traditional Egyptian original. The benches on the Embankment also have winged sphinxes on either side as their supports.

A bit of trivia – note that the sphinxes are facing towards the obelisk.  In true Egyptian style they would be facing away keeping an eye out for enemies.

Next – another disappointment – Covent Garden.  With my imagination racing along I really wanted Eliza Doolittle or Oliver or the Artful Dodger to come around the corner – but, alas – no Eliza, no Professor ‘enry ‘iggins, no Oliver, Dodger or Faigan!   What I get is something called ‘Apple Market’.

Definitely not a scene from ‘My Fair Lady’ or ‘Oliver’.   Just another market.

I suppose my imagination will just have to do!

Highlight of the day : walking across Westminster Bridge in the rain.