Staycation

Mirinda organised a staycation for this week. The plan was to work on her DBA in the comfort and warmth of the extension. Given she’d be there for the dogs, I decided to head up to London and see the poppies at the Tower.

A few people I know have been to see the poppies and they’ve reported the crowds. I have also seen/heard news reports about the popularity of the poppies. Because of this, I decided to leave home at 6:30. I stepped out of the Underground and crossed the road to the Tower at 8:20. There was already quite a few people milling.

For anyone who doesn’t know, the 888,246 poppies symbolise the number of British deaths during the First World War, 2014 being the centenary of the beginning of it. The ‘piece’ is actually called “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red” and was created by ceramic artist Paul Cummins, with the setting by stage designer Tom Piper. The hand made, ceramic poppies, almost fill the moat around the Tower of London.

Even though there was quite a crowd already, the elevated walkways around the Tower, allow for quite a good view. Even so, I managed to find a few nice spots next to the railings as people moved on. Actually, there was a lot of this ‘moving on.’ I think quite a few people were having a glimpse on the way to work or to somewhere else.

The moat of blood

While the majority of visitors were taking photos of the amazing sight of so many ceramic flowers, there were an odd few who thought it wise to include themselves in the photograph. One family that particularly struck me posed for a group photo. There was Mum, Dad, Daughter and Son, all lined up, all smiles…a bit odd given the solemnity of the installation.

And I think it’s the sheer number, the colour and the overall concept that makes you realise how awful war is. Looking at the moat and the lake of red, you don’t want to think of what it symbolises but it’s difficult not to. For each poppy, there was a body, a person, a life.

Close up poppies

Anyway…I had a good wander around, eventually heading off across Tower Bridge for a look back.

Lots of poppies

I’d crossed the bridge for another reason. For my birthday, Mirinda gave me a book featuring ‘Quiet’ places in London. Parks, galleries, museums…all sorts of out of the way, small and quiet locations you can visit in the capital. Given how much I love visiting small, obscure museums, she thought I’d find the book very helpful in finding them.

So, today, following my poppy foray, I headed over to London Bridge to visit the Old Operating Theatre opposite St Guys hospital.

Apothecary

The actual operating theatre is in the attic of an old church and is thought to be the oldest operating theatre in Europe. Whatever…it is a pretty amazing place and hard to imagine being packed to the gunnels with eager students and visitors.

Operating theatre

On the back wall, the sign reads:

Regulations for the Theatre 1822
Apprentices and the Dressers of the Surgeon who operates are to stand round the Table
The Dressers of the other Surgeons are to occupy the three front Rows
The Surgeon’s pupils are to take their Places in the Rows above

Visitors are admitted by permission of the Surgeon

I spent a thoroughly enjoyable half hour wandering the three rooms of the minute museum before heading back out to London Bridge Tube and then back home.

It was well worth getting up so early.

I should add that there’s a few more photos on Flickr.