Random last day in London

Well I wrote that last post on a train to Dover. It was incoherent and probably not very informative. I apologize in advance and after the fact as well. It's hard to write this blog because during the day we are running around like maniacs, and in London that means constantly being on the alert for cars trying to hit you every time you come to an intersection because they are coming from directions you just don't expect. And in between crazed crossings I am stealing the occasional glimpse around me and if I remember and if I can stop long enough to whip out the phone I snap a pic. Then, when the day is done and we've made it back to our place, I try to sum up the day based on the pictures. It's a lot of work but it helps me remember what exactly whizzed by me in the course of a day here. I'm also a day behind. Right now we are on a train to Germany from Belgium and I am finishing up posts about London! 

Speaking of, we spent our last day there on buses, at a museum, walking, eating. In the rain (and I found out later this season has been crazy rainy) we went to the natural history museum. It was so chaotic in there with everyone trying to get out of the weather, school trips and the place itself is kind of strangely organized and difficult to follow. Here are some pics of that day. A view of Lewisham center in the rain from the top of the double decker:

The entrance to a tiny pocket park we stumbled by on the way:

The exit back onto the street:

Crossing the Thames on foot because our bus became stuck in traffic:

Inside the behemoth:

An architectural detail:

The DLR ride back to Hither Green Station. This is Canary Wharf stop I think. Or one of the quays pronounced, "key".

There is construction everywhere.

On the walk back to a flat, we stopped at yet another Lewisham park. It had stopped raining so we sat on a bench and listened to the birds. It sounded like a jungle and if you closed your eyes you would have not believed you were in the middle of a huge city. And this is a small park surrounded by streets and houses. 

As we were relaxing N noticed that there more than just wood pigeons around us. There were parrots in these trees. Later I confirmed this with a journalist we met on the ferry to Calais, but in the meantime I encourage you to look up the wild parrots of south London. Their provenance is still a mystery.

Of course we couldn't leave London without a last dinner at the Catford Constitutional. I leave you with a few pictures of that very wonderful establishment. It's just down this unassuming mall walkway.