(Photo courtesy of Daily Mail/Getty Images)

As we are away, a few trips coming up from memory lane..

 

I am a bone-fide Londoner, in truth I was born within the sound of Bow Bells inside the City mile, which officially makes me a Cockney, and once-upon-a-time this bestowed the privilege of being buried within the City Walls..if you visit City churchyards you’ll find them banked high either side of the path as they had to stack the bodies due to lack of space..but I digress:  So I am a true City chick..but it wasn’t until a few years ago I learnt there are gas lights still in use in London.  1,600 to be precise, covering 200 miles…

To find them we went on a Treasure Hunt..for four lions, a nose, some lights…and a few knights..

Lions first.  Good ol’Trafalgar Square.

Sitting on a Lion’s bottom.

The building you can just see with the clock? Is where the first telegraph from the Titanic arrived to say she was sinking..

Then the search for the elusive ‘Nose’..apparently to be found in Admiralty Arch, a stones throw away..

Can you see it? in the middle of the plain stone under the first dimpled stone..

A side view..Made of pink granite and 7 ft up, rumour has it that it was once the spare for Nelson’s Column in case his was broken on the way up…

Others think it’s here  in honour of the Duke of Wellington – it’s at waist height for anyone on a horse and they say the soldiers rub it for luck as they ride through..

The truth? It was put up by the artist Rick Buckley in 1997 as part of a campaign against ‘Big Brother’ society…stop being nosey..

Through Admiralty Arch to The Mall. Lined with gas lights (the majority are around the Palace, Mayfair and Covent Garden).

With appropriate ‘Admiralty’ ships on the top!

Central London..and it’s like being in the countryside.

All the way down to the Palace.

The beautiful lock on the gate…must have a story..

To look at the knights..

And more gas lights – six Gas Lighters work the stretch around Buckingham Palace.

Then Charlie spotted a badger (as you do) and wanted to ask him if the Queen was in and if he was invited for tea..The badger turned out to be an soldier who had done sentry duty himself at the Palace and was a trove of knowledge. Not enough guards he said.  She was away and unfortunately unavailable.

This is the better picture of said Badger.  But I did debate about whether to post it or not – the anatomically correct part of said Badger was purely unintentional…although his girlfriend seems perfectly happy..

So Charlie then asked a Policeman! He explained that her standard – looking like one of his badges – had to be flying if she was home..

Charlie was a bit disappointed. But we promised to come back another day..maybe next weekend for the rehearsal of Trooping of the Colour..just as good as the real thing, but much less crowded.  We then got the train home from Victoria.

A simple day in London.  But a lovely one.

Laters, Kate x