After doing some packing, I walked up Caledonian Road to the Overground station and took a train to Hackney Central. It was pretty seamless. There is this whole overground system that gets you all around greater London. It began service in November 2007, while we were here the last time. We first took it this past August to visit my niece.

Once in Hackney, I walked through the lovely St. John at Hackney Churchyard Gardens, stopped for a cappuccino and crepe at the Brew For Two cafe in the gardens, and continued on to Sutton House and Breaker's Yard, a National Trust property.

Built in 1535 by Sir Ralph Sadleir, a member of the royal court of King Henry VIII, this brick Tudor manor house is the oldest residential building in Hackney. It has been through a number of incarnations since: it was home to a silk merchant in the 1600s, various boarding schools in the 17th and 18th centuries, some Huguenot families in the 1800s when it was divided into two homes, and, in the 1980s, squatters. It was falling into disrepair until the National Trust took it over in the 1990s. It is a maze of rooms and an odd place. It wasn't very crowded and they didn't seem to pay much attention to or were prepared for the few visitors anyway. In the Great Chamber, four people were rehearsing loudly for Beauty and the Beast that will be performed there next week and the week after. In the courtyard, two men were removing leaves and debris, and one was up on a ladder. In the gift shop and cafe, I had to hunt down someone to make my few purchases. There were two people in the kitchen, but they seemed to be preoccupied with getting food ready for an event or something. I felt like I was in everyone's way, but I was following their self-guided tour pamphlet and had to go through the Great Chamber and the courtyard to get to the next items on the tour. I'm hoping that maybe I just visited on an off day.

Mural by the squatters

Squatters' room

From there I took a bus to Whitechapel. Despite what I said in a previous post about a negative experience I had traveling by bus, it really is a great way to see London. I had a front row seat on the top of the double decker, and it afforded a perfect view.

My destination was the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, Britain's oldest manufacturing company (established in 1570) and the maker of Big Ben and the Liberty Bell, to name just two of many. At the end of last week, they announced they would be closing by May of next year. It's very sad. I knew I couldn't take a tour because they are filled up into next year as a result of their announcement. They have also been inundated with online orders for bells that will take three months to fill. They had some bells and paperweights in their shop, but anything with their name on it has sold out. I bought a limited edition stamp that was issued in 2000 as well as a tote bag. The woman in the shop was lovely and very helpful. On my way out, she told me to make sure to walk around the side of the building. I did.

I was headed to the Underground, but stopped at the Whitechapel Gallery first. I reluctantly decided not to do the ticketed exhibition, William Kentridge Thick Time, as I didn't think I could take the time. Instead I viewed the other galleries. My favorites were the Guerilla Girls Is it even worse in Europe? and the Barjeel Art Foundation Collection Imperfect Chronology - Mapping the Contemporary II. (I would say more about it, but it's after 2 AM, my brain hurts, and I want to get this posted.) 

Last but most certainly not least, I met my niece Brea for dinner. When she isn't working on the Christmas Jumper Day for Save the Children, she might be seen at a restaurant on assignment as a mystery diner. I joined her tonight, but I can't say where we went or what we had, only that it was very good. We spent a good three hours sampling too much food and doing a lot of talking. My job was easy--I had to eat half of the food--and Brea gets to go home and write a detailed review.

I'm going to miss this canal.