
Day Two in London
On day two in London, we walked out and took a taxi to St. Paul’s Cathedral. On the way to the main street, we went by Anya Hindmarch, an exclusive boutique at the corner where they had clutches that the queen uses on display. You could own one of these small bags for a mere 490 pounds! The sign on them said “Queen For A Day.”
St. Paul’s Cathedral was a very impressive structure and created an equally impressive internal space. The decorations on the ceiling, as colorful as they were, played a secondary role next to the voluminous space, making everything else look diminutive. We enjoyed the atmosphere and then went downstairs to the crypt. In addition to the imposing tombs, there was a gift shop there.
Next, Tate Modern
After leaving St. Paul’s, we strolled towards Tate Modern on the other side of Thames. A pedestrian-only Millennium Bridge connected us to Tate Modern. Along the way, the bridge offered an interesting vista of London on either side. Taking photographs along the way gave me a reason to slow down and pace myself.
On the other side, Tate Modern looked increasingly imposing as we approached it. An old power plant, the brick building was immense, and the great volume visible from the first floor looking down made it look even more cavernous. We had a light lunch first, then went inside to see some of the galleries, starting on the fifth floor.
We gradually made our way down to the level where a small café had an open-air balcony, offering a splendid view of the other side of the river. While we enjoyed a cup of coffee, a young man in a brightly colored shirt and a pair (maybe a single) of rectangular sunglasses completed the interesting vista. As he and his friend got up to leave, I asked if I could take a photograph of him with those glasses. He said “sure, why not,” I snapped a shot and they left.
Visit Relatives for Dinner
We returned to the Phoenix House, rested a while, then went to Ergun’s cousin Nevsal and her husband David’s house. There, we enjoyed a couple of drinks on the patio, then good food, and conversation.