A Book Addict's Literary Tour of London
The enchanting city of London offers something for everyone from historic landmarks to encounters with royalty. Harry Potter fans can even visit the infamous 'Platform 9 3/4.' But as the Paranoid Traveler discovered on her recent visit, London is much more than tea, tiaras, and crumpets. It can also be considered one of the literary capitals of the world with streets bustling with attractions to draw in book addicts at every turn.
I am an Anglophile. So you can just
imagine how giddy I was when I was finally able to see the most exciting city
in the world---London! The city is bursting with rich culture, heritage,
history and of course, literary works. As a certified book addict, I could
hardly contain myself when I visited its most famous literary landmarks.
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| Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
221B
Baker St (naturally)
The
Sherlock Holmes Museum was my very first stop in my
literary tour. You will be greeted by a guard, dressed in a Victorian-era police
uniform, who is kind to tourists wanting a photo op with him. You can even don
either a deerstalker’s hat or a bowler’s hat while at it. The museum is next to
its shop where tickets are sold. Smart move because Sherlock fans, like myself,
come out purchasing an armful of memorabilia.
As Sherlock Holmes is a fictional
character, the museum does not house any authentic relics but it recreates the
room and atmosphere as described in the books although it has actual letters
from people who wrote to the world’s only consulting detective.
Tube station: Baker Street
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| Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
48
Doughty Street
I am not really a fan of Charles Dickens
but because I am so familiar with his works which I find to be enjoyable, I had
to include it in my itinerary. Locating the museum was kind of difficult; you
have to walk several blocks after getting off the Tube station and if you
blink, you will miss it. I had to do a double turn before finally finding it.
Compared to the Sherlock Holmes Museum, the Charles Dickens Museum has a very unassuming presence. It is the
actual house the author lived in for a few years. It contains letters, pictures,
restored furniture and memorabilia. On the ground floor is the museum shop
which proved too much for me to resist. And may I reiterate that I’m not even a
fan?
Tube station: Russell Square
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| Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
Platform
9 ¾
King Cross Station
Like Dickens, I am no Harry Potter fan.
Never read any of the books and only saw the first film just to see what the
fuss was all about. And because I saw the first in the franchise film series, I
recognized the scene in front of me while I was waiting for my tour guide at
King’s Cross Station. They say it usually has long lines but since I was there
at six in the morning, I was the only one there snapping away.
Tube station: King's Cross Mainline
Station
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| Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
Agatha
Christie Memorial
Covent Garden
As much as I am a Sherlock fan, I am
more of an Agatha Christie devotee. I had wanted to visit Torquay, her
birthplace, but my London schedule was too tight to accommodate an out-of-town
trip. (Maybe next time?) So I settled for the Agatha Christie Memorial statue. Not that exciting but still
thrilling to be able to tick it off my Agatha Christie bucket list.
Tube station: Covent Garden
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| Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
21 New Globe Walk, Bankside
Of course, one cannot go on a literary
tour of London without visiting the famed Shakespeare
Globe, right? Which I did but I didn’t go inside anymore because I’m sorry,
once again, I am not a fan and there was just too much on my itinerary that day to
bother going inside. I was also too tired from looking for it which took
several minutes. I just had my picture taken and that was all there was to my
brush with the greatest playwright of all time.
Tube Station: Southwarks
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| Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
Commemorative
Signs
Walking the streets of London, it is not
uncommon to see blue round signs on the facades of houses to commemorate the
residency of cherished authors in the past like the one in the photo.
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| Copyright Photo: The Paranoid Traveler/PFN |
40 Gay Street, Bath
Our last stop is not found in London but
in Bath, some three hours away on the bus. Located there is The Jane Austen Center
in which the gift shop was more exciting than the museum. I am a fan of Jane
Austen (I have an altar in my room complete with an action figure), however, I
was not impressed with what the museum had to offer so I passed up on it and
just enjoyed the gift shop.
Jane Austen did not really live in Bath
but stayed there only for a short while. It is believed that she didn’t
particularly care for it
Traveler's Notes:
- Currently, Philippine Airlines provides the only direct flights between Manila and London. However, there are competitive and often cheaper priced one-stop products with Singapore Airlines, Qatar, Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Thai Airways, and Emirates.
- Although many attractions are free, London is not always kind to the Filipino wallet especially with the currency exchange. However, there are some affordable London hotel options that you can check out including: Thistle Marble Arch Hotel London, Berjaya Eden Park London Hotel, and the Norfolk Towers Paddington Hotel.
No latest news? (e.g. closing of NAIA due to arrival of Pres. Obama this afternoon)
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