London: Day 1.

Exploring today began at Madame Tussaud's, to relive some childhood memories.

Then began our tour of World War 2 at the Imperial War Museum. No photography was permitted, so this is it for pictures.

 At this place were some of the most moving and insightful displays of the horrors of Nazi Germany I have ever seen. Testimonies of survivors, recalling with graphic detail their torture, loss and starvation at the hands of Hitler and his band of men. Black and white video footage of these soldiers herding, flailing and kicking their own fellow-countrymen. Quite disturbing to see.

Then there was the model display of Auschwitz, and the chilling details of the atrocities that happened there. The exhibits of brass-buttoned German soldier uniforms, and the coarse, striped pajamas worn by those humiliated Jewish prisoners. A couple of dolls and a wooden yo-yo, recovered from concentration camps, post-war. I stood in the remains of a train carriage used to transport hundreds of unfortunate prisoners. And the Wall of Shoes. Thousands of them. Mostly black, but here and there you could pick out several which had once, no doubt, been worn by dignified ladies, now faded red and dirty white. And hundreds more, the size typically worn by a 4 or 5 year-old. Couldn't help but wonder how many miles those shoes had been force-marched along dusty streets, prodded by heartless armed Nazis, or traveled in putrid, airless cattle wagons to their concentration camp destination. Those feet, which had once perhaps danced or played in the street, had reached such a despairing fate. So horrifically sad.

We traveled on London's Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off to get around town.

Since the afternoon weather was less than favourable, so we chose the indoors London Dungeon as our next tourist destination. Or rather, the girls chose it. We descended into darkness, to pass through the Plague and the Great Fire of London, to meet villains and traitors from the past. Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd and even the impaled head of Guy Fawkes. Not exactly virtuous characters!

Creepy place, but very entertaining. And dry. Too bad it much too dark for pictures.