221B Baker Street …
After taking the early train up to London (getting in at 10am) we set off for the NW side of London. We were headed for Baker Street and not only the Sherlock Holmes Museum but also the Beatles Store (which, ironically, is right next door). We first went to the Beatles Store since the line for visiting Sherlock’s flat was long. We had a blast looking at all the Beatles memorabilia … from socks to t-shirts to backpacks and, especially, pins (which Maggie collects to cover her backpack).
The Sherlock Museum is very cool altho too crowded. Now, the gift shop, where we could “test” out deerstalker caps and iconic pipes … as well as find some really good souvenirs for those left at home, was fabulous and such fun.
The sign over the shop next door to the great detective’s flat
So … be honest … how do I look as the great detective?
Sherlock Holmes on Marleybone … just down the street from his home on Baker Street.
After reveling in one-foot in the early 1900s and one-foot in the 1960s we headed down Marleybone toward Kings Cross Station, a two-mile walk passed Regent’s Park, Euston Station, and the University College of London. Kings Cross is not just an amazing, architecturally beautiful railway station …
Kings’ Cross Station hotel
… and from another view
Kings Cross is the location of Platform 9-3/4, the “home” of Harry Potter fandom in London.
Platform 9-3/4 … where folks are launched into Harry Potter’s world
After a quick lunch at the Station, we headed over to the Charles Dickens Museum, tucked away down a side street off Euston Road. It was a little over a mile walk from Kings Cross thru a rabbit warren of streets … but well worth the walk-about.
Charles Dickens home in London from 1837-1839
The museum is filled with Dickens’ personal housewares and gifts given to this classic London-based author. There is much about his private life including a bit about his later-estranged wife, Catherine Dickens, has her own exhibit; seems she kept in contact with many of his creative contemporaries and continued to call herslef “Mrs. Dickens” long after the divorce. The nursery upstairs is set up as if the little ones had just run outside to play. The cellar is ready for a major feast.
some of Catherine’s handiwork
one of the kitchens ready for starting a meal
There is also much about Dickens’ professional, writer’s life:
Pickwick’s Clock
Dickens’ desk where he wrote much of his work
quote card-posters are placed throughout
Dickens was very involved with protecting copyright
more about Dickens’ work to protect intellectual property rights
We left the Dickens Museum to head back to Paddington, about a three mile walk. But we certainly walked a bit more than we needed to as we got a tad lost and, deciding we earned it, snagged a taxi on Oxford Street and rode in style back to Paddington. The six-pounds was the best spent money of the day! Made the 4:15 train back and settled into our seats for the run back to Paignton, via Newton Abbot.
Tired, but still smiling, after a rather full day in London
Tomorrow … we leave our Paignton home and head to London via Penzance!
Enjoy!
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