The Dangers of Bottomless Bears

Uh-oh... Ajdin might have trouble if he ever wants to go to Poland...

Apparently a town council in Poland has said that Winnie should not be a playground mascot because he isn't wearing any pants... Ajdin, what do you think of this latest development in this erosion of bear rights?

Last Day in London

Hullo! On our last few days in London, the weather wasn't too bad. Today we are going to find a needle in a haystack... or at least a needle along the embankment. That sounds like quite a task but Mama says it's Cleopatra's Needle, so it must be beary important!

On our way there, we passed by the Opera House... beary grand...

It was nice to see the sun out. It was early enough that the crowds weren't out though!

It's all decorated for Christmas!!

Do you recognize this place?? Probably not - it looks beary different without hordes of people. It's Covent Garden!!

I came to say goodbye to Paddington Bear... He's such a polite bear, always tipping his hat.

The reindeer on the sleigh looks like he has a friend in the clouds! Is it a little bear on skies?

Wow... those sure are big Christmas baubles!

 

And huge candy canes too!

On our way to the embankment, we passed by a couple of theatres. This one was playing The Lion King!!! Now why didn't we go to that??

 And that one was showing Mamma Mia!!

 Of course, we passed a Starbucks along the way...

And a cute little chapel in behind the Savoy Hotel...

Alright... we are here. And we're supposed to find a needle??

Hmmm... this statue has funny hieroglyphics on it. I'll ask this nice lion if he's seen any needles lying around.

Gulp... not a lion!!! It's a Sphinx!!

He told me to look up... look way, way up... (that sounds like the Friendly Giant!).

Ohhh... up... and way way up....

It's an obelisk! That's Cleopatra's Needle. I sure hope she didn't have to sew with that. And it's not Obelix... but obelisk... I have to remind Mama about that... she apparently was raised on Asterix and Obelix!

 Well... there we go... a bit of the old and new in London. It was a beary cool trip and now I am looking forward to being home!!

It's Elementary...

Another outing day and again, it is bucketing rain! How does that work?? Archives days are nice and outing days are yucky. Not fair!! I think I should have brought my rain jacket instead of my ultra chic leather bomber jacket! Anyhow... this morning, we had a look at something that has always mystified us... Monument Tube Station actually has ... a Monument there!!! Who knew? You can pay a few quid to hike up the stairs on the inside and have a look around but... no... we were on a more important mission.

Getting to a Starbucks and finding a comfy chair with an electrical plug... and a hot chocolate of course!!! After a few happy hours there, but no sign of any other bears, we decided the rain wasn't going to let up and made our way via the tube to...

Yep... Baker Street!!! They famous Baker Street!

Jerry and Ben had recommended a visit here. As some of you know, one of my alter egos is Sherlock Sandy... and Ben said I might, just might... find an outfit here!

Oooohhhh... look!!! A whole flotilla of bears wearing a Sherlock outfit! (Ajdin will be happy to hear that these bears going bottom-less as well).

And then you could get keychains with small pipes and whistles and stuff. Those ones were sold out of course!

I asked one of the bears if they had any spare outfits for sale. It took a horridly long time for him to go downstairs and rummage around and call down a shop girl and... I admit I fell asleep eventually...

And woke up to find myself here!! Outside Big Ben and the Parliament Buildings (still bucketing rain). Mama wouldn't tell me if she had bought a Sherlock outfit.... saying "it's a surprise". Eh??? Little bears do not do surprises beary well!!!

Of Cabbages and Kings... or Cathedrals and Queens...

Hullo!!! After a few days at the Archives, I was becoming a beary cross little bear so Mama took me on an outing. We were in the South Kensington area and had a look at a few places. It began bucketing rain so we took refuge in a few places... This is the Brompton Oratory - a bit cathedral with a dome. Mama has seen similar places in Rome and says they are beary beautiful on the inside.

We weren't allowed to take pictures inside so... I nicked one off the web. They sure used a lot of beige and black stones in there. It wasn't what Mama and I expected. So, we scampered outside and raced next door to the Royal Victoria and Albert Museum (Beanie would be so proud!).

Whhhhaaaaatttt??? Whoa??? It was beautiful in there!!! This was the lobby space and it was all light and bright and the glass sculpture was amazing. Beanie had told me that is made out of a gazillion hand-blown pieces of glass!

Funny... the church next door was super dark and gloomy and this place is light and airy.

And the museum even had bits and pieces from various churches.

This is a lady lying down counting her beads...

The Royal Victoria and Alberta has way more to see than what we say but... both Mama and I were getting peckish so... we whipped through the giftshop and then headed out into the deluge again.

Can you guess what our destination might be??? I have to say... they don't seem to have little bear outfits for sale here in England. Usually in November, the latest winter fashion line-up comes out but I didn't see any!

But when we left Starbucks I saw something else... that red sign in the background... Can you see it?

Yup, that one.... It says... Ben's...

Ben's Cookies!!! I didn't know Ben had opened a pastry shop here in London!!??? Of course it wasn't really the Ben I know... but it might give Ben some ideas!

Righto... the rain seems to have tapered off so now are a few Tube stops away at Green Park.

Which is very close to....

Can you guess...??

Buckingham Palace!!!!

It seems like the statues have gotten some new gold leaf since last I was here. They look rather sharp and ship-shape.

Nobody was standing at any of the windows waving... drat... don't they know an little bear is here all the way from Canada??

The Guards were all dressed up for the rain as well.

This one decided it was time for some exercise at the same as his mate across the way.

They marched off towards each other,

There was a lot of saluting and heel stomping.

I think these two are the serious guards!

Well there you go... thought I might catch a glimpse of royalty but... no luck!

I saw the royal crest of arms on one of the gates - a lion and unicorn. I think, since the unicorn is long extinct, that the Queen should have a bear on her coat of arms. Just a thought...

Along the way, we came across a couple of strange emblems embedded in the sidewalk - this on is The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk.

And this one is the same but had another line which said The Canadian Memorial - Buckingham Palace. Interesting...

I wonder where they go??

Maybe we could go and find out??? But Mama said the weather looked to be threatening rain again sooo... nope...