September 13 - Day 26

Woke to partly sunny, still pretty warm but def cooler than the last two days.  Taking a very slow morning after the marathon day yesterday.  Full breakfast in the Club. On the underground at noon heading for Temple Church and the Courts of the Inner Temple.  Pat a fan of Rumpole of the Bailey series, fictitious character and storyline by John Mortimer. Memorably played by Leo McKern, Pat re-watches it frequently.  We walk along the Victoria Embankment Park paralleling the opposite side of the Thames walked yesterday.  So calm and peaceful with beautiful gardens.  Pass the Temple Tube station, which Rumpole took to go to chambers at 3 Equity Court.  He went home via the Gloucester Road Tube to SWMBO, She Who Must Be Obeyed, wife Hilda.  It is a thrill to retrace his steps in the show.  The Inner Temple is the home of English barristers’ offices.  It is surrounded by Gray’s Inn, various courts and the Law School.  A twisting maze of cobblestone streets and old buildings.  We happen on to the Royal Courts of Justice, similar to our Supreme Court.  Very majestic, historic building. And then we find the original Twinings Tea Shop, 1700’s. They have a tea tasting service here.  Our quest is to find the Temple Church which plays an important part in the Rumpole series.  This is the ‘barristers’ church.  Barristers are lawyers who present in court, solicitors work with barristers to prepare the briefs.  Right now the actual Magna Carta is on display.  But it’s closed, open tomorrow.  Long walk to All Hallows by the Tower Church.  Oldest church in the City of London.  Sits right next to the Tower of London.  The church was bombed in WWII but significant structure and artifacts are still here.  It started out as a Saxon Abbey in 675 AD, an arch from that Abbey is for show in the crypt museum along with an intact length of Roman pavement; making city life evidenced for most of two thousand years.  The church was called to deal with the beheaded bodies from the Tower of London in the day.  William Penn who founded Pennsylvania was baptized here and John Quincy Adams, sixth US President was married here.  The marriage license is on display from 1797.  The WWII bombings devastated the upper building.  Two walls remain intact, one from the Norman period 12^th century and one from 15^th century. In the crypt museum they have been able to find some architectural or other objects representing each century of site activity.  There are 3 tiny crypt chapels maintained.  This continues to be an active church in the life of the community.  Take the underground to St. Paul Cathedral.  This is the site for Fergie and Andrew’s wedding.  This is a majestic building and much like earlier days of London, the city grows right up next to it.  It was severely bombed in WWII and much restoration was needed. We have visited many times but today we catch the evensong service and an organ concert by an internationally renowned organist.  We sit in the middle of the huge rotunda so the acoustics are great.  This cathedral reminds Pat of St. Peter’s in Rome, in basic design.  St. Peter is the largest church in the world, St. Paul is right behind.  St. Peter is more ornate and Catholic in orientation, St. Paul, Anglican, while grand is relatively plain until you reach the rotunda and then very ornate in the choir and high alter areas.  We took Cousin Chris with us to St Paul once.  He and Brenna climbed up to the domed roof on very scary, loose railing stairs.  Better now. Underground to hotel but have a Punk IPA at the Barley Mow, the little pub next door.  Walk briefly on to Grosvenor Square next to hotel.  This is a quiet oasis of Victorian wrought iron fence with broad lawns and big trees.  There is a 9/11 memorial built with large oak pillars covered in wisteria. There is a tall statue of Franklin Roosevelt with two fountains. We pass in front of the US Embassy.  It looks like a fort with all the security barriers.  Whereas the Italian Embassy on the other side is not secure at all.  They have the flags from all 50 states and protectorates are displayed.  Dinner at the club and get ready to settle down.  We weren’t out all that long but we walked at least 5 miles.  The subways travel fast but it requires a lot of stairs, pedestrian tunnels and escalators to get to them.  We never got the hang of the buses, would probably be a lot easier and more sightseeing. Back in the day we used paper tickets and there were discarded tickets everywhere.  Now we use an oyster card, just tap a debit card on the reader and done. All day long we are touching railings and poles that thousands have touched.  Very important to keep clean hands!  There is definitely a coolness in the air.  Looks like we’ll end our stay in rain.  But no complaints.  Can’t believe our good luck with weather.  Nighty night.

NOTE:  Hard not to be sad at the loss of quaint old haunts and buildings and or have them be overshadowed by some monolithic new building.  In some cases the new buildings have put on signs that say such and such building from ___ year was on this site. But this is how it is for London.  Two thousand plus years of change and advancement, fire and war.  This city has seen it all with more to come.  One must accept it in order to enjoy the ever changing space.  Good to know some things are ‘sacred’ and or ‘historic’ by decree so will be saved.  There are no ‘bobbies’ anymore, the police look like ours carrying guns and there are no ladies who sell violets/trinkets.  The buskers, street entertainers, are now all vetted and assigned busker spaces.  More likely to hear an accomplished violinist than a ragged guy with a guitar and a dog.  So different from 20 years ago. All gone.