Wrapping up London.

If anyone is in London this week you might be interested that the last Summer Late opening of St Paul's Cathedral is the 31st August (this Thursday). Access is a little more restricted (the galleries, meaning the interior and exterior of the dome, are closed) but it is cheaper, quieter and I think more evocative in the evening hours.

My brother and I also joined the Royal Palaces for a year, which for a joint ticket is not excessive. Especially since we're both in fairly easy reach of most of them. We've already been to Hampton Court - mostly the gardens, the Tower of London, and Kew Palace.

As usual though, I've mostly just been walking about and snapping whatever interests me. 

Yesterday Morning

The Sky Garden at the top of the building generally called the walkie talkie (20 Fenchurch Street) is open free to the public from about 10am (tickets have to be booked online in advance) without obligation to buy anything. 

However you can also go in a lot earlier for breakfast, and it's neither significantly dearer than any fancy coffee shop, or sold out three weeks in advance like the free tickets. I booked a table for Friday morning at 7.45, and had the place practically to myself to watch the sun rise over towards Kent. 

..and a little later, in the other direction..

and almost the same view from the 8th Jan, under a far more typical sky for this time of year. I rather like this one. It's old fashioned somehow. Almost black and white.