Arrival
Less than three full days after the end of our whisky-themed road trip in Scotland, Bruce and I were travelling again from our respective homes in Bristol and Edinburgh, this time bound for the UK capital. My own otherwise routine shuttle flight was notable for bringing my first visit in 18 months to the British Airways lounge at Edinburgh Airport.
Earls Court to Pimlico
The photos in this second group were taken during a walk in the late afternoon of Friday, our arrival day. Starting from our base near Earls Court, we set off in a broadly southeasterly direction, soon passing into Chelsea and eventually reaching the Thames. Our route continued along the left bank to Pimlico.
Walking on the ‘Wilde’ side
On Saturday morning, we took part in an excellent guided walk with the theme The London of Oscar Wilde. The Dublin-born writer’s short life fell entirely within the Victorian era, and a significant part of it was spent in fashionable, high-society areas of London. The walk proceeded through Mayfair and then St James (i.e. the areas bordering the two sides of Piccadilly), stopping at places particularly associated with Wilde. He was certainly a complicated personality, with stories of his exploits evoking admiration and sympathy one minute, occasionally followed by wide-eyed amazement or even a grimace and shake of the head soon after. Truly a multifaceted character!
Piccadilly Circus and Soho
Another, shorter walk that occurred during the weekend was from Piccadilly Circus through Soho to the Photographers’ Gallery.
The Wallace Collection
The Wallace Collection is a museum and art gallery situated in Manchester Square, which lies north of the Oxford Street Selfridges store. According to the website, the collection is reckoned to be “one of the most important ensembles of fine and decorative arts in world”. The good news is that it’s open to the public and entry is free.
