An Interesting Bus Ride!!!!!

Today, we decided to have a day out in London to do research for the next in a series of bus travel guides that we're doing

We didn't have to wait long for our bus.....

And we gave them a CD too!

And got off at the last stop!!!

The train we were going to get got cancelled so we got an earlier on instead.  They got a floppy disc.

And we're off!!!

There's the Shard!!!  But we didn't get off here....

We arrived at Blackfriars next..... but we didn't get off here either!

We got off at City Thameslink!!!

We used the facilities first left them a floppy disc - and washed our paws carefully afterwards.

Now, this station has two exits and we came out this one, because this is where we normally come out.

There's St Paul's Cathedral up there!!!  We went to look for a bus stop for the number 25 bus - we need that one firstly for the bus bingo and secondly because it goes to where we're picking up the interesting bus for the travel guide.

We couldn't find the bus stop opposite the train station, so we walked up to St Pauls, and left them a poppy.

We got out Andrea's smartypants phone and tried getting up a google map to find out where the bus stop was, but it didn't want to play..... so we ended up deciding to go to this bus stop instead and tweak the plans slightly.....!!

So we ended up getting the number 11 bus!!!!!

We gave them a CD....

Wonder where we're going??

Wasn't too far - we got off here at Liverpool Street Station!!!

And then crossed the road to get another bus!!!

Which was the 205 bus!!!  This is the bus we're doing the travel guide research for..... !

We put a floppy disc on this one!

And we're off.....

...as far as Aldgate where we got off!!!

We got off because this stop also serves the 25 bus which we need for the bus bingo game!!!!

And a few minutes later, we got the 25 bus!!!  

We think what happened was that we came out the City Thameslink exit that we normally come out of but the 25 bus stops at the City Thameslink OTHER exit that we don't normally use.... which is why we couldn't find the right bus stop.

And we're off!!!  This bus goes straight through the East End of London - Stepney, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets..... it's quite run down in places.  It's a very Middle Eastern community here too - the East London Mosque is out this way, as well.

But there are some posher places!

This is the Booth Memorial Statue..... he's the founder of the Salvation Army.  We didn't know that.

We also spotted a strange boat shaped object on the pavement!!

Very odd..... it might be a fancy bench but we're not sure....

That's part of a University building.

And here's Bow Church!!  There's a popular nursery rhyme about Bow Church that goes:

Oranges and lemons, Say the bells of St Clements,

You owe me five farthings, Say the bells of St Martins

When will you pay me? Says the bells of Old Bailey

When I grow rich, Says the bells of Shoreditch

When will that be? Say the bells of Stepney

I do not know, Says the great bell of Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed

And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!!

But Wikipedia says it might be a different Bow Church......!  

This one is quite small and is over 700 years old!!

Quite pretty here though.....

We left a bookcrossing book near the front gate.

And then we put one of our poppies here....

And then a CD on the railing here.....

And then went to the bus stop on the other side of the church.

And got the 205 bus - we're going to ride the entire length of the route!!!

Oh look at that!!!  This is the same bus we got earlier!!!! Hahaa!

We gave them another one though!!!

There's a sign on that boarding that says St Clements - it's that nursery rhyme again!

We spotted loads of grafitti tags too.  Our bus got heaving busy - literally HEAVING!!  Standing room only - it was packed!

And then here at the East London Mosque, three quarters of the passengers got off and we had a light bulb moment.  It's Friday Prayers, isn't it?

We came back through Whitechapel again...... this is the area Jack the Ripper was at.

And then arrived at Liverpool Street Station.  We started debating where to have lunch because we were all starving hungry and we decided to stay on the bus a bit longer because where we wanted to go was open until 2.30pm and we thought we'd get there in time.

Pink palm trees?!?

And coloured bollards!

We spotted some interesting graffiti on that corner!

And went past a pretty park!

When we came past Kings Cross Underground station, there were loads of people standing inside with a big film crew - and more film crew people outside as well!!  Wonder what's going on?

Anyway, we got off here and then ran for the restaurant!!!

And we arrived when they were still open!!!  YAY!!!!

First we had a cold drink because it was warm today and we were thirsty.

Followed by plaice and chips!!!  HURRAAYY!!

That was a cracking lunch!!  We're all completely stuffed full up now!!!

On our way back to the bus stop, we left some more stuff on railings.

Pretty huh?

Right ho - back on the Euston Road....... that way is Kings Cross.....

And that way is our bus stop!!

We're back on the 205 to finish off the route!

And we're off!!!

They got a CD as well!

This is an interesting ride you know - we saw so much more than we were able to photograph!

Ooooo..... that's a bit fancy....

A bit fancy indeed!!

And we got booted off the bus at the last stop, Paddington Station!!

That's it down there!  The building on the left is the Hilton Hotel.

Then when we'd crossed the road, we had to find a bus stop to get the 205 back..... can't use this one, it's suspender'd because of roadworks.

So we walked a bit furthered on past where Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin....

to St Mary's hospital.

And we took the opportunity to leave something on the gates!

.....and on the bike!....

.....and on another gate!!!

And then arrived at a working bus stop!

And waited for the next 205 bus!!

And we're off!!

OH!!  That building has lollipops and parasols on the roof!!!

Oh those tiles are pretty......

I'm sure this is an art deco building you know.  It's opposite Marylebone Town Hall - really must check it out one day.

(Ed's note: this is Dorset House on Marylebone Road and it IS art deco!)

This is at Baker Street Station.  There's a big statue of Sherlock Holmes on the other side of this wall!!

That building has "HOW" written on the front in gold!!

And there's the bug hotels hanging up in the trees!!

And then we got off at the British Library!!!  It's time to head home now!

But first we left a bookcrossing book in the Courtyard.

And then hung a floppy disc on a railing.....

And a CD on this railing!

And then we made our way to Kings Cross and St Pancras Stations.

OH!!!  Hahahaaa!!  That funny!

Here we are!  Time to go home!

We stopped in here first (we'll show you pictures later)

And at the Laduree concession (we'll show you later!)

And then made use of the facilities and left another floppy disc.  We all washed our paws carefully afterwards.

And then went to the platform to get our train.  We only had to wait 10 minutes, so that's not bad.

We got a window seat, too!!

And left a CD!

And we're off!!!

Ooo there's the Shard again!!!

Here we are arriving at Brighton Station!!!

What a day!!

And there was even a bus waiting for us when we got outside!!!

And we scooted off the bus here.....

And then it was just a short walk home!!

Leaving stuff on the way.....!!

Right ho.  We got some posh bis kwits from Fortnums - these are macadamia ones.

And a cayke for dinner!  Yum!!