So, from last time, after wandering around in the rain for a bit, fruitlessly searching for one of the London Landmarks with an open booking schedule, I refocused my search a little closer to where I was.
And there it was, 221b Baker Street, the “home” of the worlds most famous (imaginary) detective, Sherlock Holmes. Being a bit of a Holmes aficionado, I headed in that direciton.
It was a few short blocks away, and the first thing I noticed what that there was an extended queue (line, for those non-Anglophiles) waiting to enter. Dang.
Right next door is the “London Beatles Store”, albeit obviously for sale…:
Being a Beatles fan, and who isn’t, the store beckoned with open arms. A smallish store, full of mostly women my age, and their daughters, it was full of what you would expect, cheap Chinese stuff with Beatles logos somehow associated. A bit tacky perhaps, but interesting nonetheless.
I walked around for a bit and bought a post card for my brother-in-law Fred and a stamp to affix to it. The funny part is he never got the card. It’s some 2 months later and nowhere to be seen. As the stamp was 3 x the price of the card, this is obviously a bit off putting.
The good news was that, exiting the store, the queue was no longer there, so I bought my tickets and waited for the next entry. They were only letting in a small number of people at a time as space in the apartment is limited.
After a couple of minutes, a group left and I was let in.
It’s up a flight of stairs and you are immediately presented with the living room in all it’s splendor. It’s not a large room, and the first thing you notice is the large amount of furnishings and other “memorabilia” that has been wedged into the space. As I didn’t have the UWA, I had to grab shots from each corner of the room to get a sense of the space:
Leaving the main living room and entering the study, the situation was much the same:
Leaving the study, and heading upstairs to the “bedrooms”, these were a little less crowded, but no less interesting:
The chamber pot in the corner is a nice touch. I guess even the great Detective has to “go”….
And up, yet another flight of stairs we find the “loo”, which given the chamber pot on the 3nd story a bit incongruous, but there ya go…
The 3rd story was where all the effigies of the great Detective, Dr. Watson and a plethora of his foes were kept:
This poor blighter was having a rough night of it…
And he isn’t exactly prospering either…
And the final room, which I’m guessing that they haven’t quite figured out what to do with.
It was getting on into the afternoon, and I had a booking at “The Eye” for the last ride of the day at 1745. I found my way to the tube, and headed in that direction.
Next time, “The Eye”