Half term holidays are over, and children and teachers are back to school. Parents are back at work. And all is quiet again.
Last Monday, Jackson, Isabel and I set off to visit Madame Tussauds, a place that I have always wanted to visit. Not cheap, which is why it has taken twenty two years to finally set foot in the door. Jackson and Isabel had Merlin Passes, so I only needed to purchase a ticket for me. £30 and booked online. Forget the price reductions that are promised on their web site, it does not happen. I have tried to get these reductions on many occasions.
We set off reasonably early, on a brilliantly warm day, and caught the train to Victoria Station, and then the Circle Line to Baker Street. We could have cut across London on two other tubes, three stops altogether, which probably would have been quicker. But we were intent on travelling on the Circle Line. and completing the 'circle'.
First stop, the statue of Sherlock Holmes, oversized, and surrounded by people. But we found a short gap in the crowds to take this photograph.
After queueing for half an hour or more, we finally entered the building, and were ushered into the lifts which took us to the beginning of the exhibits. Of course after a long trip, a visit to the toilets plus a cup of coffee for me, was certainly needed. No, this did not happen. The small toilet area meant a very long queue for females. We gave up. No cafe until the exit of Madame Tussauds. What? I was quite taken aback by this piece of information. No seats along the way either. These people mean business, keep the customers moving: in, through and out the other end.
So off we went, with hordes of other people, and tried to get some photographs and see all the wax works. Quite a feat. The wax models were very realistic looking, and we did apologise to one or two, when we bumped into them. One had to be very pushy, and jump in, in order to get a photograph with a model.
Jackson with one of his 'stars'.
Jackson and Isabel with another popular model.
Now I recognise this one. Shrek.
A brilliant display of popular athletes. A legacy of the Olympic Games. It was as if Mo Farah was with us in person in the room.
Henry VIII, of course.
A line up of royals. It cost money to pose with these lovely models.
A line up from the past.
Jackson was impressed with Churchill and Hitler. I wonder if they ever thought they would be standing side by side in a waxworks museum.
Another display which costs money, in order to have a chance to sit at the desk, with Barak Obama standing tall next to it.
Lunch, was partly eaten as we queued, and walked around the exhibits. Indigestion.
I had a quick look at the horror section downstairs, but too, too crowded, so escaped back up the stairs. Jackson and Isabel were not keen on this part of the museum.
We entered the 'ride' section, where we boarded a train made out of the backs of black taxis, for a trip around scenes starting from about the 14th Century to continuing to recent times. This was very impressive.
Then we went up some stairs to the 'superheroes' area. Jackson and Isabel tried out the spider man pose.
Isabel posing as a super person.
After a long wait we were ushered into the cinema, where we watched a short 4D movie, where all the superheroes saved London from the nasties. This was a spectacular experience, with associated seat movements and water spray at significant moments. Wow.
And all too quickly we were at the exit and out into the street, without a visit to the toilet or a cup of coffee, although both of these were available at the end of the museum. But we wanted to escape the crowds at this point and find a quiet cafe, with toilets, drinks for Jackson and Isabel and good coffee for me. And luckily we did find one, where we relaxed and talked about our experiences at Madame Tussauds.
We looked back at Madame Tussauds, in the afternoon sunshine, with the crowds of people surrounding it, before we headed back down to the Circle Line, and more crowds of people. Always an interesting experience, riding on the underground trains.
Next stop, Tower Tube Station, and out into the fresh air. After a bit of manoeuvring we managed to find a spot where we could view the porcelain red poppies, spread out around the moat of the Tower of London. What a breathtaking sight. Quite emotional.
And who is this? An archer keeping watch on the proceedings below?
We boarded the Circle Line again for the final part of our journey, back to Victoria Station.
We had a really enjoyable day, with many different experiences, and plenty of time to chatter as well.
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