Having enjoyed photographing Berlin last month, I thought I would try some tourism in London. I was encouraged by a forecast week of fine weather. I did a trial run with a friend on Monday, but today have come back to see the Bailey East End exhibition. The exhibition is particularly interesting as there are three distinct eras of photography covered (and equipment). I was least impressed with the most recent photos. I liked the exhibition space and staff. I was standing outside with a freshly bought coffee, and was invited to come in with my coffee. A refreshing change in the modern world.

From there I crossed to the Greenwhich Peninsular on the Emirates Cable Car. It hardly seems a vital communication link from nowhere in the north to the dome in the south. At least there are cafes at the southern end, so I had a croque monseiur at Cafe Rouge before catching a boat to central London. In tourist terms I think both trips are pretty fair value £3.20 one way on the cablecar and £5.40 for 50 minutes ride down the river. The boat also has a bar so an ideal respite for the more serious tourist. I did consider getting off at Tate Modern, but as I have a gig in the evening I decided to go straight home.

Luckily I just missed the breakfast rush by going down after 9. My efforts at completing an account of yesterday were thwarted by falling asleep. Wandering around cities is extremely tiring even if you didn't get up at 3.30am. On a plus point the rain discouraged too much random walking.
After an afternoon nap I headed out to the DDR museum. It seems more critical than last time I was there. A whole new room majors on the lack of consumer goods and political freedom. The strange thing about their poking fun at DDR fashions (clothes and furnishings) is that they look just as awful as the 60s and 70s in the west.
Afterwards I went next door to the DDR restaurant which offers some favourites from the days of East Germany. In fact I went for the Berlin staple pork knuckle, sauerkraut and boiled potatoes. Unfortunately large and filling, so I was unable to sample a dessert. The black beer was excellent.
Back to the hotel through the rain and in bed by 10pm.
So today after breakfast I went to the radio tower and took some entertaining photos (although not much in the way of views due to poor viability. The Helmut Newton gallery provided an interesting couple of hours followed by a sandwich and coffee at Zoo station.

Then it's back to the hotel to swap my tourist bag for my camera bag and wander over the bridge to Kreuzberg.

Previously trips abroad have provided me with a wealth of material for mildly amusing comment just from the flight. Today my trip with easy jet was rather uneventful, apart from being half-asleep due to starting out at an hour I am more likely to be going to bed, the trip was almost enjoyable. We left promptly, arrived early and I was on the S-Bahn platform at the time we should have been landing. No sign of Teresa May and her '30 minutes is a reasonable time to get into the country'. and there on the luggage belt was my bag. As my hand luggage is full of cameras and electronic devices (well ok, just an iPad ) I have to check a bag to be able to exhibit a degree of sartorial elegance (ie pack a change of clothes). Initially I had thought the fee for this rather high, but now I realise the worth of not trying to get all your worldly goods into a carrier bag in the overhead locker. I also appreciate that toffs (including me) who check in luggage now get a top class service. All this smooth running meant I was at my hotel ridiculously early - early enough to have had breakfast if I hadn't already had one in Cafe Rouge Gatwick (little English, which must involve two petits in the French); 'Full English' was an option but just sounded too much after 4 hours sleep.