London - Wednesday.

Wednesday dawned clear and dry. We were so pleased we could leave the jackets behind - so much easier to get around with less gear.

The plan was to get the tube down to Embankment - which we did - then to get a river taxi - which we didn't. To cut a long story short Milly had been keen to take one so she could show Alan what we had done last year. The wait for the next boat caused her some anxiety though so after some discussion we decided to walk over the bridge. We had planned all the things we wanted to see and the boat would have set us down with plenty of time to walk along the southbank and see them all and then to be in the right place to get a tube to move on to the afternoon visits...

We just had to do it in reverse and do much more walking than anticipated. At least it was dry and we would still get to see everything :-)

One of the aims for the day was to introduce Milly to some modern /contemporary art. I had thought it best to walk along and if Milly was interested we could pop into some of the galleries. As with most things I keep an open mind about art - I know what I like and that coud be from any era. Milly is not at all interested in fine art ( boring she says ) and I thought she would get a lot from seeing a totally different style.

I had read of a straw fox at the Hayward gallery and I knew Milly would like to see that if it was still there - it wasn't but some underwear bunting was!

Pippiloti Rist was showing...

Milly and I went up to the free display of a few of her videos and were both intrigued by her work. Alan sat and looked out at the river - not his cup of tea:-)

Milly particularly liked one called you called me Jacky. Not quite so keen on the one with the naked man in the woods ;-))

We didn't know there was a larger exhibition and decided to leave but since returning I have found out there was another larger exhibition. I showed Milly online and she said she would have liked to go - had we known.

A stop for a coffee and some people watching then on the road again.

Passed by the Globe - decided not to go in on this trip - then walked on to the Tate Modern.

Some installations caught Milly's eye. We sat and watched this video by Igor and Svetlana Kopysiansky  for quite a while.

Some had visual appeal..

Some we just didn't 'get' :-)

Interactive.

A slide that made music as you slid down.

Back out into the Sunshine for the walk back to the Tube.

On to the Imperial war museum.

Berlin wall pose.

Museum visits with Milly are often very speedy and so that Alan could really explore we sent him off and Milly and I paid to see The Once upon a wartime exhibition. It was interesting and beautifully presented. Atmospheric and informative.

As we left the exhibition Milly took us off to the left. I felt sure we should be going to the right but she wanted to go so I followed and went in a door with a curtain over it - she thought it might be a cinema or something... It was a narrow room with benches along the side. Some people were already on them and so we joined them not really sure what we were getting into - but Milly was still happy and even when I asked if she would like to go out she said no... A voice from the tannoy explained we were in the communal air raid shelter and we then realised it was a simulation!

 Panic set in a little as she realised we couldn't get out but I talked it through with her and held her tight. It was quite scary with the bomb sounds and then the benches rocked as we were 'hit'. An air raid warden came to lead us through the streets. past the gas works - just before it took a direct hit and went up in flames and he then took us to the WRVS stand before exiting the 'Blitz experience'. Not an experience Milly is keen to revisit....

We had a wander around the main exhibition.

Afterwards we had a cuppa and cake.

Then as Milly had seen all she wanted to we sat on a bench and waited for Al to meet us. Giddiness took over. She laughed so much she snorted! She found it very funny and asked me to take a photo so she would always rememeber the moment.

Had to do the usual self portrait:-) The only place I remembered to do that was in the bathroom ...

By the time Alan met us at 5.30 we were all shattered. A longish walk to get the tube to Piccadilly. We had caught a glimpse of it late one night last year but I had wanted to see it again. It was a fleeting visit as we really needed food and rest - back on the tube to return to the Travelodge.



A very pleasant Wednesday was completed by having Dominos pizzas in the room :-)