I took a long time on an annotation in a copy of the Canterbury Tales where the writer/reader had mentioned Shakespeare. I just read a book by Bill Bryson about how learning about Shakespeare is this weird random treasure hunt like that, and we only have so many mentions of him.
I also thought about this friend I had once who was appalled that people would write in books, and her point was "would you write in a three-hundred year old book?" My response was "no, but if it had contemporary notes, I would treasure that." And scholars do, too, so there.
Anyway, the British Library is tops on my list to visit again if/when I make it back to London. I adored it. Spent about two hours there and it wasn't a big museum.
After that I went on to St. Paul's.
I'm not really sure why I chose this of all the things left in London, but I'm so glad I did because I was surprised by how much I loved it. It seemed so much more modern than the 1600s--Wren's vision of a simple church, majestic but down to earth and uncluttered. Unimposing but grand. It's so bright, light, and airy. If the Victorians hadn't half-ruined it, then it really would be amazing.
I loved walking up to see the three domes.
I marveled at the views inside and out.
Later, I ventured to Abbey Road, and giggled about the tourists doing their tourist thing on a semi-busy road.
And that was my last day in London. I was shocked by how much I didn't want to leave, by how much I'd packed into seven days but how many things there were left to see.
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