August 2015
I thought it was probably about time I did a post. So here's an idea of what we got up to in August, in no particular order...
I had a bit of spare time this month - after a few frantic weeks my job search finally ended with an offer on the first Monday in August but I wasn't due to start until the 20th. So I had a bit of stress-free time to explore a bit of London on a budget (see below). I also caught up on some some movies (like Locke, an intriguing movie revolving around the phone calls a man makes as he drives along the motorway) and books (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time was a great read, The Girl Who Wasn't There was one of the worst I've read).
Parliament Hill - tucked away in Hampstead Heath, this has some of the best views over the city. The view of St Paul's Cathedral is actually protected by law (by the way, that cloud was pretty standard 'summer' weather for August).
A first time visit to the Science Musuem - interesting, but a few too many children there on school holiday to be able to properly appreciate the interactive exhibits.
A second visit to the British Museum - I particularly enjoyed seeing the 3000 year Assyrian art and artifacts, and this "throne of guns".
Enjoying the weather - after a hot July, August was a little cooler and a lot cloudier. This was my spot in Kensington Gardens as I read a book on a lucky day in the sunshine.
Big Ben / Houses of Parliament - it's very impressive inside and seems very old, but most of it was built in the 1830s after a fire destroyed most of the old Houses of Parliament. The only part still surviving from the original is Westminster Hall, where the King used to feast and hold his court in the Middle Ages.
Shakespeare's Globe - this was built in the 1990s as an authentic reconstruction of the original which burnt down in the 1600s complete with open air theatre, thatched roof and minimalist stage set up. I saw a midweek matinee show of Richard II for only £5, which was very good and unexpectedly funny.
Exploring the local area - below is a huge Victorian-era gas holder just down the road from us, one of many dotted all over London and the UK.
As a side note, just after I took the photo of the gas holder on the canal, I somehow inhaled a bug which I could feel flapping its wings somewhere between my nose and throat. It stopped moving after about 15 minutes.
I started my new job - I'm based in Canary Wharf, a strange glass and concrete jungle full of investment banks, built on the site of what was, for 150 years, one of the busiest docks in the world. It doesn't feel at all a part of the rest of London. The job is really interesting, with a great bunch of people. I'm also lucky enough to have a cafe in my building which does fish and chips each Friday for only £2 that are surprisingly excellent. I think I have a new Friday tradition...
We also ticked off yet another burger joint on our 'hit list' - Patty and Bun. Rach had the standard, but highly rated, 'Ari Gold' (which had the basics of patty, lettuce, cheese, tomato and sauce) while I had the Smokey Robinson (which was similar but with the addition of caramelised onion and bacon). I think mine may have won by a hair, but Rach thought her burger was the best she'd ever had...
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