Hidden London, 12th August 2007

A party of 49 Rotarians, partners, ladies and friends embarked at 8:30 from Ascot High Street for a trip to London. As it was Sunday, the coach made very good time, arriving at St. Paul's Cathedral at 9:45, three-quarters of an hour before our guide was due to meet us. We passed the time in local coffee establishments, while the Cathedral produced a rousing performance on the bells.

We met our excellent guide, Gillian, who took us through some of the local history of the cathedral and the fight during the war to save it from incendiary bombs. Our walking tour, with full commentary from Gillian, took us into the Kings Wardrobe, past the Old Bailey, up to Smithfield Market and St Bartholomews Church (used as a location in the award-winning films "Four Weddings and a Funeral", "Shakespeare in Love" and "The End of the Affair") and finally to Postman's Park, where under a sheltered area is a wall commemorating ordinary people who lost their lives trying to save others. We then returned through Paternoster Square and Temple Bar for lunch in the Crypt Café.

After lunch we took the coach to Little Venice, where we boarded a boat for a leisurely cruise along the Regent's Canal (again with full commentary from Gillian) to Camden Lock (or Little Bangkok?). We were able to spend 45 minutes in the market area - too much for some, not long enough for others - before we met the coach again for the return journey to Ascot.

As we returned to Ascot, IPP Geoff thanked Beverly and Ian for organising the day.

Little Venice	On the boat
Smells of the orient in Camden Market	Camden Lock