Got up at 7.15. Clear sunny skies. Blood Pressure 128/74 Pulse 68
We have to be at the Tower Hill tube by 10.15 to go on the Jewish Walk. This could be tricky as the Circle Line and part of the Metropolitan Line is not working. This proved true but by a piece of good luck we got to the assembly point just on time. We took the Metroploitan Line to Kings Cross and then the Northern Line to Bank. We did not know it but we could walk underground to Monument and then get the southern part of the Circle Line to Tower Hill. We did the Jewish Walk through the East End. We had a very good guide. He explained pretty well everything. We went into a Synagogue. The oldest in London. 400 years old. Very informative talk by the Manager. Lots of history of Sir Moises Montefiore who belonged to this synagogue. Disraeli's father left this Synagogue because he had a blue over synagogue fees and had his children converted to Anglicism but not himself. They are struggling for numbers and only had 4 people at the Service earlier this morning. He did say that because the East End is becoming more hip they now are getting some young people at their Friday Services and things may improve. But its the same with all the synagogues in the City. There are only 3 now. There used to be 40. Another Australian in the crowd said that you have to go to Kilburn High Road if you want to see orthodox Jews. My memory of 45 years ago was seeing lots of obvious Jews in the East End. Dressed like orthodox Jews. Black gowns with big hats. And there was a big Synagogue also. All have gone now. The synagogue was demolished and moved to another suburb. We went to the site of the Free Jewish School no longer there also. Passed through Petticoat Lane. Lots of history. Lots of good talk. Finished up at Liverpool Street Station at the Kindertrain Momument. We then had lunch. I had a curry from a Wasabi inside the concourse. We then walked to a Pret for Jenny to eat. I have to admit that the Pret's do make a good cup of tea. We then took the Northern Line to Kentish Town and went to The Jewish Museum. Ok but probably a bit expensive. A good time line of the Jewish inhabiting of London. Very detailed line map of Jewish Life in London. From 1066 to present day. Modern History of Jewish Trades. Mostly Tailoring. Lots of photo's. A great quite simple history of the holocaust. One English Jew who married a dutch Jew was trapped in Holland when Germany invaded The Netherlands. His passport and papers were destroyed by Dutch acquaintances who claimed they feared reprisals by Dutch collaborators. Consequently he and his wife and young child were among the first rounded up and sent to Auschwitz. He survived but his wife and child were killed as soon as they arrived. He did not know this until the end of the war. He had made simple drawings showing the sequence up to the time when he last saw them. Since the war he has tried to talk to as many people and groups as possible. Schools etc. Anyone. Trying to explain racism. Large crowds at the Camden Town Market. A bit more upmarket than when we were here last. We took the bus back to Baker Street. We are starting to have a more benign attitude to buses. I always look to where they are going. If we have a chance to get on the bus we do. Next time we come we might try and use buses for the majority of the time and only use the tube infrequently. Still have not yet got London's layout in my brain. Not a lot on TV. Watched another show about rock music. Seems to be a show on most nights about English Pop music. I have come to the conclusion that I would be struggling to tape many shows for viewing later. BBC TV I hate to say at the moment is disappointing.
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