Towns and Villages: London Falling (Day 3)

Busy busy busy day. My sister suggested I go to Camden Town, so that is what I did. Of course, the only thing I had planned was to see the Camden Underworld, a super hip music venue (where, for example, Radiohead has played), which I immediately saw upon exiting the underground, thus exhausting my agenda.

can Radiohead play there now?

From there, I wandered down side streets, passing through St. Martin's Gardens,

lovely trees really

passing by the Jazz Cafe, which has apparently hosted Lana del Rey,

should Lana really be considered jazz?

and down and around every little street. I think I did Camden wrong, however, as I quickly found my way out and somehow in the Regent's Park!

I guess I'm doing this now?

Here we find the Ready Money Drinking Fountain:

dodgy shadow innit

I don't want to drink from that

I finally took a break from all that walking, when a little girl immediately asked me why I was sitting on a wet bench. Good question, little girl, good question. Maybe 'cause my feet are falling off my body?

holding back tears of relief

After my feet were secured to my legs, I wandered into the Avenue Gardens:

cute old couples everywhere

if only everything wasn't dead

Keep in mind that the entire time I was goofing around, I was subconsciously trying to find Primrose Hill, which my sister had mentioned. From here, I found these pretty gates beckoning me in, the Jubilee Gates,

don't mind if I do

which led me to Queen Mary's Gardens!

I see dead plants

yes I was actually there

Fair warning, there's a number of "selfies" in an attempt to prove to my future self that yes, I was really there. The pains of traveling by oneself.

trying to fit in with the pigeons

I made my way up to this secret (probably not) hill atop a waterfall where I had a pleasant view:

am I in the Magical Legend of the Leprechauns?

I'm Queen of the Gardens!

am I taking pictures right

I passed by this cool fountain and only when I was this far from it did I realize it was probably important and I should document it. This holds true with about every picture that has a name or description.

This happened to be the Triton Fountain! Is that important?

Then I spied the way I should continue on,

ssssso close

which led me to this very lovely, very lovely indeed stretch called Holme Green:

shouldn't this be a golf course by now? oh wait, that's only in America

a hairy whomping willow?

If you haven't realized, it was incredibly sunny today, but it didn't seem like anyone was really wearing sunglasses, so I accepted that I too would go blind today.

Finally, after I obviously had to take a picture with a fox and my fox scarf,

so foxy

there it was!! Looming over the town right in front of my eyes! Primrose Hill!

okay, it's bigger in real life

I forced myself to hike up this hill, promising myself hours of respite upon reaching the top. Look who followed me there!


sorry I'm not cool enough to be friends, Paddington

Awkward git that I am, I was much too embarrassed to ask someone to take a picture of me with him, especially in front of a crowd, so this is as good as it gets.

After hours of hiking (practically), I made it to the top! It was worth the view. Take a look (as if you had a choice):

thanks for ruining my picture, peasants

Alright, maybe it's not the best picture, but I could see the Eye and the Shard and all sorts of things!

Speaking of the Shard...

After I tumbled down the hill, I was tempted to end my day early at a mere 2 o'clock. The sun was going down, my feet had detached miles ago, I'd seen all there is to see I convinced myself...when I forced myself to press on.

A short 10 minute walk later through Chalk Farm, I stumbled, exhausted and footless, into the underground, finally on my way home. But why wasn't I getting off my stop?? I decided now was as good a time as ever to get off on a promising stop called London Bridge!

The stop was, coincidentally, under the Shard!

kinda shard to see it

Misfortune strikes, however, because any and all tours were sold out. Next time, I guess. I trekked over to the real London Bridge, pretty unimpressive really:

ooh ahh

But at least I got my first view of the Tower Bridge!

now that's what I came for

just wait til I get over there

I walked and walked and walked and walked and walked,

Tower Bridge to the Shard to the London Bridge

but still I was eons away. Luckily the view wasn't too shabby:

the Shard, or Barad-dûr?

Somehow along the way, I happened to run into the Tower of London,

well, I didn't run into it

which is where I had my first (and possibly last) fish and chips!

delectable

It was actually pretty good. Would I prefer a hamburger? Probably. Would the British? Probably.

At least I ate to a lovely backdrop!

yay to having my head!

ft. a crane and a crane

yay history!

Then came my first and only picture I asked somebody to take of me, because how could I not? Actually, he was trying to take a selfie, so I asked if I could help him out, thinking I'd quickly ask him to do the same for me. Well, he didn't need help. Cue return of the awkward git that is me.