Marx - and mutts

Today we went on a walking tour of Karl Marx in London - his ideas and where he lived.  As usual, walking tour guides in London are very entertaining.  Heiko Khoo was no different.  We were treated to the ideas of Marx, his analysis of capitalism, and jokes and humour.

This is where Marx lived, complete with a blue plaque.

and a hairdressing salon - but no relation.  The three volumes of Das Kapital used to guide business  were a shaggy dog story.

And talking of dogs, some have it better than humans - this one had a Louis Vuitton carry pack.  Wonder what Marx would have made of that?

We caught up with Anne (aka "Arne" in London) and among other things,  further discussed Brexit.

The weather is very changeable.  It can rain and then be sunny all in the one day.  This evening it was cool and windy.

Tomorrow we have to move to another unit, then will go to Canterbury for the day.  We stay in London till Thursday, when we go to Leicester for 5 days.  We have figured out that we can live stream ABC raido for election news, but not television.  We have set aside Saturday morning from 9am (here) to listen to the results. 

Brexit - and mistresses - and the law

Yesterday Britain digested Brexit.  It still is today.  The BBC has had nothing else, although a gay pride march is getting some attention today.  In the half kilometre between Russell Square and our apartment, we overheard three conversations in the street about the result. We talked to the ladies in the office here and one said her family was split and she was not surprised by the result. The lady who changed our sheets was from Eritrea - her husband had come here as a refugee.  She wasn't eligible to vote and wanted to return to Eritrea if conditions improved.  But she too was talking about Brexit and gave me an explanation of how local people didn't like migrants because they "destroyed" the environment (make allowances for the limited English).

But I couldn't help but reflect on how something in UK can affect the world.  Can you think of anything happening in Australia that would have the same impact?!  Some advantages of being at the "arse-end" of the world, even if we have to put up with jet-lag.



Have been taken by this blue plaque that we pass most days. Doesn't take much to get a blue plaque it seems.  How does it compare with the efforts of Charles Dickens and John Nash (also with blue plaques around here)?

The Courts of Justice in The Strand.  Very impressive - now we know why NSW has some beautiful court-houses and jails. 

Friday

A quiet day today, enforced because I have come down with a cold.  We checked the Brexit results when we got up during the night, but no final results till the BBC called it at 5am or so. Interesting times indeed.  And a warning for politicians, including ours, to ensure that the benefits of neo-liberalism and globalisation are available as widely as possible.

One pic today - it is a glace chilli from Fortnum &Mason. We were warned that it was a chilli and hot.  I had a taste but KM happily ate the rest.  Think I prefer their fudge.

Uxbridge - and the Battle of Britain (BoB)

Today we went to RAF Uxbridge. It was the headquarters for No11 RAF, responsible for the defence of London and south-east England.  The Operations Room will be a familiar sight to anyone who has watched any WW2 docos/movies.

The bunker, 50 feet below, has been left as it was, and only recently been restored and opened to the public.  It is operated by volunteers.  Our very enthusiastic guide was over ALL the detail of RAF aircraft, BoB details such as dates, weather conditions, what happened each day and what the Germans did.  He explained what all the numbers and boards and lights and those little blocks meant.  Trust the Brits - no just going up and shooting German planes - but a very orderly and systematic chain of communication and decision making.  (Reminds me of their church bells - you just don't pull the ropes and ring the bells!)

A few interesting things - and sad.  With victory, we forget that the BoB was a close run thing.  The Brits knew that they would lose a land operation.  They were losing pilots, and had to train new ones as quickly as they could.  The inexperienced pilots were put to the back of the formation, but the Germans figured this out.  Oh dear.

VIPs, including Churchill visited.  It was outside that he gave the first version of his "so much owed by so many to so few", which was later refined in his speech.  I did wonder how he coped with the 76 steps.   From the outside, you would never know there was so much below ground.  According to our guide, many locals had no idea the bunker was there.   Pic of the entrance below.  (The plane and the flowers, are of course, post-war).

Thursday's bits & pieces - Brexit and bridge

I commented earlier on the Brexit campaign.  We began to see the first of the "Leave" posters as we went outside London yesterday.

Today, the day of the poll, we got talking to "In" supporters at a stall in Uxbridge.  They were Labour Party people.  One commented that people's concerns with immigration and fear of losing government services was a big factor for supporters of the "Leave" campaign.  He even mentioned big corporations.  So, with such an accurate analysis of the neoliberal problem by a major party, why not fix it?!  Pic of the stall below.

Between our unit and Russell Square station (550m), there were TWO polling places.  We went in to one of them to chat to the workers, just before the polls opened.  The polling places were small, and people had to go to their local polling place to vote - just as in Singapore.  No posters outside either.

And saw this today outside Uxbridge.  We dared to walk across it..

Thomas Stamford Raffles - best known as the founder of Singapore. And food and bells.

Today we began our "Raffles Project", beginning with the last chapter!

We saw Highwood House, his final residence and where he died in 1826.  It is now divided into flats, so we went inside the grounds to take some piccies.

We tracked down his grave, at St Mary's, Hendon.  Raffles was buried outside the church because he disagreed with the vicar over slavery - Raffles opposed it. The curate today at St Mary' s was suitably embarrassed over this fact.  When the church was renovated and extended in 1915, his bones were found, and they ended up inside after all.

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After getting lost on the buses, we eventually found St Paul's, Mill Hill, where his widow was buried. Her tomb was just outside the back door of the church. 

The church was built by William Wilberforce, of anti-slavery fame.

Today we also had a good meal at a Mill Hill pub.

And 8 bells at St Mary's.  The ringers are at the back of the church.  Some info for those interested.

Tuesday in London - and there is an election over here too.

We are gradually getting over the jetlag. Went to St James Garlickhythe but found it closed (maybe the jetlag is affecting my reading of the website).  So took pics of St James and his staff outside. It's claim to fame is the Jubilee Bells.  These bells were specially cast for the Queen's jubilee, were used in the Thames River pageant and eventually installed in the church.  Garlickhythe is a reference to the wharf where garlic was sold, and apparently you can get your pilgrim credential stamped here on your way to Santiago.  Not today though.

Walked around the City of London, including Guildhall.

Had dinner with Anne and Dan tonight at a Vietnamese restaurant in SoHo, although the pics below are where we went for coffee.  Good to catch up with them both, and benefited from Anne's local knowledge of choice of restaurants. We haven't got much beyond the very good Pret a Manger.

Before coming to London, we were aware of Brexit and expected lots of election stuff around the place.  But there hasn't been much to see. Saw this discreetly placed behind the window of a house near Russell Square. (Couldn't avoid the reflection)

And saw this at Soho.

Tugs at the British heartstrings no doubt.  Well, our pollies hark back to Menzies and Curtin from time to time.  But that is the sum total of electioneering that we have seen.

London - Day 1b

Woke up early, arranged to meet Anne for dinner on Tuesday, and went walking around Picadilly.  Bought our fudge at Fortnum & Mason, and saw some lovely cakes.

 Found the food court at Selfridges and for outrageous prices, had some good food.  KM had a very good Indian thali, while I had meat and two veg, one of which was mushy peas - the two major cuisines of this country

Later in the day we went looking for St Vedast - a neighbour of St Pauls Cathedral.  We wanted to hear bells and knew it was their practice night.  We were welcomed by the ringers and KM got to ring some call changes.  Despite my protestations of only having had 7 lessons, Tom, the tower captain very generously said "Well this can be your eighth" So I got to do some rounds - doing the back-strokes while Tom took care of the handstrokes.  It was a very good experience!  I didn't take any pics of Kin Mun - sorry. Next time

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London Day 1a

We arrived in London on Sunday evening.  It seemd a long trip this time - the delay of an hour leaving Sydney and overnight in Singapore - and it IS a long way.  However I watched movies, played inflight bridge and Tetris and slept.

We are in our studio flat - with a bathroom larger than the tiniest kitchen I have ever seen.  But it is dry, warm, and everything works.

Today is sorting out local SIM card and a wander somewhere - fudge at Fortnum & Mason? -  before coming back to  recover further from our jetlag.

No sign of the upcoming referenum on the EU membership.

Cool and wet today - it is London after all - but rain is not heavy.

 A single unit with sink, two electric plates and fridge - all in one.

The bathroom - my knees almost touch the wall in front of the loo - but quite a big room.

Forgot to take one of the bedroom - will post later. And there is a small hall - such a good English idea.

Portugal becomes UK

Our planned walk from Porto to Santiago de Compostela has taken a detour.  Due to an episode of hip bursitis, I am following physio's orders to abandon long walking for the time being.  We went ahead and paid for our flights to and from Heathrow, and now have 3 weeks in the UK and perhaps Europe to fill in.  Plan B is looking appealing!  So here it is.

Saturday 18th June    SQ 232  Dep Sydney 11:00. Arr Singapore 17:35
Sunday    19th June    SQ 308 Dep 09:05 Singapore. Arr London 15:40pm

Tuesday   12th July    SQ 305 Dep London 09:25. Arr Singapore 05:30
Thursday  14th July    SQ 231 Dep Singapore 00:45. Arr Sydney 10:25.

Times:
London           BST     UTC +  1   hour
Singapore       SGT     UTC +  8   hours
Sydney           AEST   UTC + 10 hours

Accommodation:
19th - 29th June: Endsleigh Court, 24 Upper Woburn Place, London,  WC1H 0HA, England.  Reception: +44(0)20 7878 5861. 
30th June - 5th July: Ramada Encore, 84-90 Charles Street, Leicester. +44 11 6366 0150.
5th-12th July: Endsleigh Court.

Plan B.
1. We have booked a walking tour with Marx Walks.  Sights plus stuff about Marx and his ideas.  His analysis of capitalism is proving particularly prescient, given the events in the world lately.  After all, Trump and Sanders are symptoms of the same thing.   www.marxwalks.com

2. I have tried to get a foundry visit to Whitechapel Bells in, where else, Whitechapel.  They are booked out till September, but you never know.  There is no online booking - bookings only made by phone, which suits me fine.  We are on the waiting list.

But I did successfully book a tour with John Taylor & Co, at Loughborough, Leicestershire - 30th May.  In 1852, Taylors cast the first 6 bells for Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney (where KM rings, and I learn).  I had to make several calls to contact Mary who organises the diary.  I do like companies where you have to talk to a person - non of this impersonal on-line stuff.  BTW, Mary is a ringer herself and has rung at CCSL in Sydney.





3. Our Raffles project. We had planned to a do trip around present day Malaysia, Indonesia, and also Singapore and UK following in the footsteps of Sir Stamford Raffles.  But we will do the UK bits - the beginning and the end of the Raffles story.  At least the weather will be better than in Indonesia.  He has a statue in Westminster Abbey and his last residence is Highwood House at Highwood Hill.  Now an aged care facility I think. 

4. Leicester to see the new resting place of Richard III, and visit one of Kin Mun's bell-ringing buddies who has returned to UK.
 


5. Worcester Cathedral to see the burial place of King John, of Magna Carta fame.
 














6. Canterbury Cathedral, and York Minster (which has the largest manually rung bell in the UK).
 



7. British Museum and British Library, especially to see what we can see of stuff from Dunhuang's Magao Caves in China.  All nicked of course.



8. Basildon Church with its glass bellringing tower. Can see ringers and bells.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoOuWIxk1h4
 

9.  Enough Battle of Britain/aviation museums/memorials to keep me happy.  Not sure about KM!
Including a tour to the Battle of Britain bunker at Uxbridge for starters.



And certainly we hope to catch up with my niece at some stage!

Might have been less to do if we had gone walking.