London - St Pauls

13-02-2015

Decided to try out the buses today.
Thought a short trip into the City to see St Pauls would be a good adventure.
Kids excitedly dashed up to the top deck off the double-decker bus.
Sadly it was a rainy day out so the we got to wonder what was outside the 'foggy' windows.
I insisted the kids listen to the audio guide(children's version) once inside St Pauls - in the hope they might absorb some info. Boys made more observations about a man having a sleep on a chair then on the architectural merits of the building. I decided to give up bombarding them with facts (ones I had only just learnt listening to my audio guide) and head to the stairs up! So we started with the 257 steps to the 'Whispering Gallery'(runs around the inside of the dome), where the boys did not 'whisper' as they raced around it. Then up the narrower twistier 119 steps to the 'Stone Gallery'. It was noted by me while listening to the audio guide at the whispering gallery level, that you could then decide if you are brave enough to climb right to the top(warnings of very narrow awkward spaces and claustrophobic conditions).
But no - not the case! Once to the next level I was told the only way down was to go right up(another 152 steps) and then down again. Boys were completely keen, but I stupidly had a bag over one shoulder and a very awkward big 'unzipped' shopping bag(with the big camera in it - which proved useless because I had forgotten that you cannot photograph inside St Pauls) over the other - I was not so keen. But with no choice we carried on - I was pretty nervous watching Lachlan (he only tripped once). Was a bit stressed at the top to take in the amazing view - you go outside onto a very narrow terrace around the outside. Pretty relieved to get back down to the cathedral floor without any loses.
Overall it was pretty cool that we made it to the top.
Had a quick look at Wellington's and Nelson's tombs in the crypt(missed out Sir Christopher Wren's tomb - the architect ) before afternoon tea in the crypt café.

Photo from the top - very nervously taken!

 Dashed into 'Boots'(chemist on Cheapside) on the way back to buy a couple of things. Turned around to see what the laughter was about -  Ollie and Jarvis had 'made-up' Lachlan with all the cosmetic testers. 'Ah, you have no girls', was the amused shop assistant's comment.