Baker Street Station

Today I stuck close to home and explored Baker Street. One very particular piece of Baker Street to be exact. I mean, you can't very well stay on Baker Street and not go visiting its most famous address.



There's a museum there, dedicated to a certain detective. I spent about three hours and a half there this morning. Some people visit art galleries; others get lost in old churches and other historic sights. For my last day in London, I go seek out the fake flats of fictional characters that never lived 120 years ago. Fandom: it comes with its must-see tourist sights, too.

Of course, it was absolutely brilliant. The entire museum is a mock-up of what Holmes' flat would have looked like while he inhabited it with Watson. The ground floor contains the gift shop (at which I spent far too much to obtain things like: an autographed image of Jeremy Brett; and: my very own magnifying glass) and then the first and second floors are Holmes' and Watson's rooms and study. The third floor is dedicated to wax figures depicting famous events in the Canon.

I took pictures of nearly everything, starting with the stairs. There are really seventeen steps!




The first we have the Master's bedroom.



Decorated of course with his personal objects and remembrances.



Then we have the classic study, with its two chairs present.



And now, upstairs to someone else's, equally familiar, room.



I was entirely too amused by the absense of the bed. Obviously, this must be after Watson and Holmes
realized the more physical aspects of their relationship. No need in keeping unwanted furniture around, right?



The next is Mrs. Hudson's room. Unfortunate that it hasn't been preserved with any kind of accuracy.



But I'm sure she doesn't mind a photograph of her favourite lodger marking her place.



This is the third floor, with the figures. The Great Dective and his biographer.



With Moriarty staring bitterly at them from across the room.



While I was there, I tried to see if I could fill the shoes of the Great Detective.



What do you think? I'm not so sure I don't make a better Watson. Hmm...



At this point, I decided I looked too good in a bowler not to own one, at which point I bade goodbye to Holmes' flat and made my way to the ground floor to do some unnecessary shopping. Anyone have any idea how to safely transport a hat across the Atlantic?

After leaving Baker Street, I went to investigate the universities I'd like to attend next autumn (which I'll post more thouroughly about later; I know a lot of you wanted to know my thoughts. A quick emotional summary is that: it was both wonderfully exciting and distressingly disappointing, and I wound up in a bit of a sulk the rest of the evening) and then I hopped a tour bus for a city tour of London. I sat on top again, out in the open, and it was terribly cold and miserable, but London is beautiful, specifically at night. I may have started crying at one point, I was so overwhelmed with love for this city.

Then a nice final dinner of fish and chips, with spotted dick and tea for dessert. So, all in all, a good final day in London. I'm not yet ready to say goodbye but I don't suppose I have much choice. When I get home, I'll do one final picspam of all the random pictures I've taken of London so far, mostly architecture, mostly at night. You'll only need to sit through one more of these super-long entries.

Now to packing. Boo.

*Delayed because stupid lj crashed for a while there. Everyone still have their sanity intact?