UK – LONDON – An Old Lady with a Backpack

MARCH 19 – APRIL 3, 2026

London is my home away from home. At times it feels more like home, with two of my kids living there. My son once told me I am like the furniture, always just there. I take that as a compliment.

Julian had grown about 4 inches since I last saw him, and his voice deepened. My cuddly little Juju was growing up! He has gotten pretty good on the piano and played Bella Ciao for me. We managed to catch a couple of his football matches, as well. But he still liked me to tuck him into bed with a lullaby.

Freya is growing up fast, too. She is experimenting with makeup and hair. Her passion for dance is ever present. She is always choreographing dance routines and putting on mini performances. But she is still a little girl, who wore the prize-winning Easter bonnet at her school. It was a basket with a balloon inside made to look like a Cadbury egg. She never said no to being tucked in, as well.

As always, both kids could not get enough of my pancakes.

A few years ago Len had bought me a book of 33 fabulous walks around London. We did the WHARF WALK on this trip. It took us past some locks and the original DUNKIRK BOAT (with a gun still inside).

We saw a little alley behind a pub where they used to tie criminals up and wait for the tide to come in and drown them.

We came to the site of witchcraft where “Lydia Rogers was found guilty for allowing the devil to draw blood from her hand to form an evil pact.”

The TURK’S HEAD PUB is where condemned men were given their last drink before being taken to the Execution Dock.

The TOBACCO DOCK has a statue of the eight year old boy who approached the escaped tiger, wanting to pet it. (The boy was unharmed. True story.) There was an event happening in the building and the security guard would not let us pass, even to take a picture. A woman approached, took my arm, waved off the guard, and lead me to the statue. I asked her who she was to have such influence. She owned the building. She scolded the guard, saying it was a public building and people were allowed in.

The PROSPECT OF WHITNEY PUB (also known as the Devil’s Tavern) was built in 1520 and hosted sailors, smugglers and pirates, such as Sir Francis Drake, Captain Kidd, and Blackbeard.

THE GRAPES was another popular hangout for the likes of Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Many of the old sites have been replaced with modern condos, but to walk the streets of famous pirates and writers had my imagination running wild.

We went to the ABBA VOYAGE concert one evening. The entire production is holograms, but you would swear they are real! It was an amazing time, and I am so glad I finally got to see it. Unfortunately, there was not photography allowed. I saw a guy sneak a picture, only to have his phone confiscated while he was escorted out.

We went to RICHMOND to see KEW GARDENS with Sara and her new beau. I had been there before, but was happy to go again. Sara had never been, so off we went. As it was a beautiful spring day, we tended to stay on the walking trails, with only two stops at the various greenhouse.

The HIVE is an amazing 17 metre 55.7 ft) structure that feels like the inside of a beehive. LED lights blink on and off according to the vibrations of the bees in the garden. Musicians used vibration sensors inside real beehives to create a soundtrack that played inside. The score is in the key of C – the key that bees buzz in.

There were other unusual structures that kept the earthy theme throughout the gardens.

The TREETOP WALKWAY is 18 m (59 ft) above the forest floor. The walk took us through some chestnut and oak trees.

Along the railings of the walkway were sculpted plaques telling the importance of preserving and protecting nature.

We also had a good view of the TEMPERATE HOUSE.

Afterwards, Rob treated us to SUNDAY ROAST at a local pub.

Then we walked along the RIVER THAMES at high tide. Rob showed us a pub that nearly floods at high tide, which is a drawing card for patrons.

He also showed us a picture that he painted in memory of a good friend.

Rob is the same artist that painted a picture of my late daughter-in-law under the HACKNEY BRIDGE. Sara and I were happy to see it is still there. Rob said such pictures rarely get painted over, as people understand they are a memorial and it would be the same as desecrating a tombstone.

Although I have been to London many times, I had never been to the VICTORIA & ALABERT MUSEIM. It was founded in 1852 as the Museum of Manufactures, and subsequently renamed in honour of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It is one of the largest museums in the world. It covers art from ancient times to present day, including works from every continent and culture in mediums from glass to textiles to metals, woods and ceramics. These are a few pieces that stuck out to me.

This tomb effigy looks like she fell asleep reading.

This embroidery captured the furrowed brow.

The detail on this platter sized sculpture is amazing.

The detail on this life-sized silver swan is perfection.

The gallery that had me absolutely gob-smacked was the miniature mosaics. Some had 1500 glass pieces per square centimetre! There were magnifying glasses on hand to truly appreciate the workmanship.