The End of the Holidays. Shame.

Mind you, the holiday ended with a good day, because we got to visit a shrine, a bookshop and a library. The Princess was a bit blasted by it, but my bookophilic son and husband soaked it all up.

In order, then;

North Gower Street;
It's where they film the new Sherlock. Look! That's Speedy's Cafe!

221b Baker Street

For Son number 1; he rounded off his perfect holiday with Sherlock Holmes as well. We visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum. You buy tickets, you queue, you go in to a small 4 story building where there are rooms decorated in the style of Holmes and Watson.

 Pipes, slippers, gunshots in the wall, it's all here, with a load of dodgy figures that look like C&A had a closing down sale next door and they picked up the mannequins.

Moriarty looking shifty, the Hound looking distinctly flea bitten and in the middle of it all a very happy looking teenager complete with deerstalker and smile. He enjoyed the shop afterwards, spending his hard saved cash on a magnifying glass, pipe and game.

Marylebone High Street
My Nan's niece used to live on Marylebone High Street so when I figured out I could plan a route that included a walk along it I jumped at the chance. And I did want to visit a place recommended by Paddington in his Guide to London, Daunt Books. Here they organise books (both fiction and non-fiction) by country. I happily perused the scandi-section and picked up a couple of books to read during the rest of the day.

On to the Wallace Collection.

After a week in London your feet hurt and your head spins at the thought of another museum or exhibition so our Friday excursion needed to be small, free and capable of keeping most of us happy. The Wallace Collection is very small, mercifully free and definitely had enough to fill an hour after lunch. Number 2 (my Top Gun) and I spent our time in the armour rooms, looking at enough knives, muskets, suits, halberds and accoutrements to please any blood thirsty person. No photos inside, my head was spinning, and then a decision to move on to the next place.

St Pancreas Station.

I wanted to see the frontage of this station, which was designed by the grandfather of the man who designed Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. It was beautiful as well. And there are some interesting statues inside;

 the one I loved best was John Betjemen, looking up at the great glass ceiling and thinking, yes, positively the statue was thinking, about the architecture and grandeur of life. I wanted to invite him to afternoon tea, a pot of Earl Grey and a small slice of toast possibly, while I asked him what life is like for him now.

The British Library.
And our final destination in London. I am embarrassed to say that by now my legs were aching so much I just couldn't walk any further, so the Treasures of the British Library exhibition will have to wait for a return visit. Husband and Eldest were happy to walk through, though, so I know it's worth going back for. I sat and read while I smiled and watched my two beautiful children sitting in the British Library, home to a copy of every book published in print in the UK, reading. Antiquity meets the future with a bang.

And that was London; plenty to see and do, plenty left to do on the return visit. We will go back, it's such a good place for a family holiday. We need to fly again, (I like legitimately being able to scream) to walk along the South Bank, to visit the National Gallery, the Abbey, to see the Geffrye. And to shop and eat and enjoy a faster pace of life than usual.