Round London with a Suitcase

Author Tony Hawkes famously went round Ireland with a fridge and wrote a book about it. Today I went round London with a suitcase but won't be writing about it - oh sorry I just did.

Today had a decided Olympic feel about it. Was gobsmacked when we checked the Olympic information having previously thought we hadn't been successful in getting tickets for the London games. But today showed that we have an amazing array of tickets including two for the opening ceremony, two for a day of athletic finals and two for a day of gymnastic finals.

After that news we had a morning walk through Hyde Park and then onto the Underground to go to Bromley by Bow to enjoy a two hour guided Olympic themed walk. It was a hugely interesting area. Before meeting up with our guide we wandered to the Lea Valley Park in search of a cup of coffee.

Failed to find coffee but did find the Mills Yard Studios and was passed by somebody I recognised. At first I thought it was someone from Norfolk but then realised it was actually film director Danny Boyle who is masterminding the Olympic games opening ceremony. I later found out that indeed Boyle has an office in the complex and works there three or four days a week.

The tour took us round the periphery of the park which still resembles a building site in certain areas. Plenty of work to do but it will be a very pleasant park once it is finished. Later visited the new Westfield shopping centre at Stratford before returning to Liverpool Street to get the train back to Norwich.

Isn't it incredible how you can walk past something hundreds of times without realising it is there. It took a Jewish friend of mine from Brooklyn to tell me that Liverpool Street station was the entry point in this country for thousands of Jewish children coming into the country in 1939 fleeing from Nazism. There are commemorative statues both inside and outside the station as recognition of the British people in potentially saving the lives of so many young people. Heart-warming stuff. My friend also pointed out that Liverpool Station is situated on the original site of the first Bedlam Mental institution. Certainly something to look into next time I'm in the area.

Spent the evening at the latest Bawburgh Golf Club quiz which our team won by five points - more glory.

Finally just to explain I had to cart my suitcase around all day in London which considerably lengthened my arms by the end of the day.