Tourists in London Again! (part 1)

Our best friend Tina came to visit us on her way to the Czech Republic, Scotland, Portugal and Spain. We thought we'd take her around London. We started off with the Borough Markets where we stocked up on ciabatta bread, assorted olives, a chorizo, some wild boar and polish sausages/salamis, and cheeses (Compte is the bestest and nicest cheese ever!).

Our fave cake shop at Borough Markets..mmmm choclit..


All types of bread... and a cappuccino from Monmouth coffee (who do do a rare decent coffee)


Buckets of olives (why not take olive me?)


We had a picnic on the grass outside the markets and beneath Southwark Cathedral.

Then we set off for the Monument, which is this tall tower thing that commemorates the 1666 fires of London (started at a bakery which is exactly as far away from the Monument as the Monument is tall - clever huh?). You can't say that the British don't always learn. The lesson they learnt was that its not a good idea to live in wooden houses with thatch roofs. They mustn't have heard the story about the Three Little Pigs back then.

Crossing Southwark Bridge (with the Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe in the background)


At the base of The Monument - only 311 steps to the top


Views from the top. Views to rival the London Eye, Tower Bridge or anywhere else in London and only for a massive £2.50 each!

The gorgeous Tower Bridge on the Thames with the Koopa Troopa (Mario Bros for the uninitiated) shell-shaped City Hall on the right.


The Swiss Re "Gherkin" (guess which one it is) and the Tower of London in the foreground.


We did it! 311 steps. Besides our tight buns we also have written documentary proof..


Stairmasters


Leadenhall Markets = Diagon Alley


Big red buses and the Monument


Next stop, Camden Lock Markets. The hat shop behind Tina earned eternal damnation for suggesting that one of us had an overlarge head and that none of her handmade African hats would fit Tina's decidedly normal-sized head.


Overwhelmed with beer (Fruli) and cider (Magners) at the local Ice Wharf Lloyd's No. 1/Wetherspoon's pub on the canals at Camden.


A time out for Tina at Regent's Park. That's the BT Tower in the background. Nowhere near as spectacular as Sydney Tower (or Centrepoint or AMP Tower or Westfield's or whatever it's called now).


Enjoying some Jigsaw (Rosemount Estate) wine at the Clachan just of Oxford Circus. A nice way to end a long day...


Back at Bankside. Say cheez...


A lovely way to enjoy a frappuccino. (Did we mention its darned hort over here right now!? The mercury is hitting 30 degs!)


Inside Shakespeare's Globe to catch a performance of Coriolanus. Can't go wrong with £5 tickets and a spot to stand right in front of the stage. The only things you had to worry about were the spittle from the actors when they spoke, the flying swords, the flying bloody hair (which almost landed on Tina), actors running over you or falling into the crowd. Simply awesome.

The acting and everything was fantastic. They had wandering minstrels at the beginning of the performance who also provided music during the play and also at the end where the whole cast danced around. The swordfights were fantastic with sparks shooting off everywhere from the blows. And there was even one celebrity performing. Someone who has appeared opposite megastar Will Smith. The butler from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air!