Had the opportunity to go to London on a business trip, and I squeezed in as much sightseeing as I could. Asked a couple people for ideas about where to go, what to do, etc. Got some great tips, like going to Waterloo Bridge for a sunset (which I did - barely made it, too). Got to see the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral, among other things.

Of interest in this group, found a cool little CD shop called Fopp. Bought the new Steel Panther CD, the UK version of the Who's "BBC Sessions" and a book called "The Who And The Making of 'Tommy'". Picked up a Kate Bush book at the Borders there. Oh, and the Flight of the Conchords radio shows.

But two highlights of the trip for me. One was quintessential me, if I say so myself. When I went to Westminster Abbey for the tour, I found myself suddenly standing at the tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots. As I listened to the audio tour stuff about it, I realized that I was at the tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots, and I had my iPod in my pocket. My iPod that, along with a TON of other stuff, contains several Monty Python albums, including the skit "The Death of Mary, Queen of Scots". I couldn't resist. I sat on a bench in front of the tomb and listened to the skit, trying to look pensive and reflective while quietly laughing to myself.

The other one was when I went not touristy, not geeky touristy, but uber-geeky touristy. I wanted to make sure that I went to Abbey Road - not a huge Beatles fan, but as a music fan, I couldn't pass up Abbey Road. So I hopped on the Tube with my iPod cranking "Abbey Road" in my ears. I went to Abbey Road, looked at the crossing, walked the crossing, and had someone take my picture walking through the crossing (and I took her group's picture as well). Now, all of that combined only qualifies as geeky touristy in my book. Where it went uber-geeky touristy is here - as I was walking from the Tube station to Abbey Road, it occurred to me that Abbey Road Studios has a web site, and that they have a web cam. And my wife was at work. So I texted her, told her to go to the web site and watch the web cam, so she got to watch me do all of it from 3,700 miles away. Pretty frigging cool - uber-geeky, but pretty frigging cool.



Alan

How geeky! Very nice, I'm jealous.

My one trip to London was way back in 1983, before I owned a CD player. One day there, I tore the page out of the hotel phone book that listed record stores, and spent the whole day taking the Tube from shop to shop. Those were the days!

And now for something completely different...

Although I lived in London for a number of years, I never thought to visit Abbey Road. And I call myself a music fan?

Sounds like the exact stuff I would do!

"You are Mary, Queen of Scots?"
"I am"

Good you had fun.

I went for a week back in 1996....and it was pretty much strictly Beatles. (No Westminster Abbey, Royal Palace etc.) I bought a book....400 Beatles sites in and around London...and spent most time with that...particularly Hard Days Night sites. I loved going to the Thames bordering Kew Gardens where the Ringo/camera/tire/boy walking scenes were....looked exactly the same except for overgrown weeds. Funny moment when security people asked me why I was behind the Hammersmith Odeon....I pulled out the book and showed them I was looking at the Can't Buy Me Love fire escape. Abbey Road and 3 Savile Row, of course. I did see the play version of the Odd Couple with Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. Bought too many CDs and books (Foyle's). I did go to Liverpool one day, and Stonehenge another.....it doesn't look nearly as big in person, but bigger than 11 inches

I'm hoping to go back next September. I want to go to Liverpool for 4-5 days to see all the Beatles stuff properly.....then back to London to see Small Faces and Kinks sites. September has an annual Small Faces convention.

I've made several trips to London, and while I always make it a point to visit the Kirsty MacColl bench in Soho Square, I've never thought to go to Abbey Road, either.

DanO couldn't say it any better than I about this. I probaby would have spent to much time at the record stores I'm afraid. Glad you had a great time Alantig.

Rick A.

I wish I'd have found more CD stores - two HMVs (only went in one), a Borders and Fopp.

Next time I need to spend more time at Foyle's as well.

Although there was one question my boss couldn't answer. Across the street from Borders was a bookstore with a big sign that said "Licensed Sex Shop Downstairs". As I asked my boss - what exactly is a "licensed" sex shop and what can they do that an unlicensed sex shop can't?

Alan