Tourist Trip: Sherlock Holmes

Despite having been to London a few times there are still loads of tourist spots I've never seen (one of the attractive points of coming to live here are that there are just so many). So it seemed appropriate to try another one. We headed to Baker St station on the Bakerloo line, one of the browner-looking old tube lines (but also one I rarely hear of having major delays), and full of Sherlock Holmes tiling, right around the corner from Madame Tussaud's, another tourist spot I've never seen but one I'm not in much of a hurry to see. There was a long enough line snaking out of the Sherlock Holmes museum on 221b Baker St and, being guarded by a period dressed policeman, at this time was full of young Japanese tourists. The museum was pretty good though, full of wax reproductions of famous characters and props from the stories - severed fingers, pistols, blue carbuncle's - and real letters from random people all over the world asking Mr. Holmes for help or mentioning they'd spotted Moriarty on the No. 17 bus just last week. The most surprising thing was actually how small the place was, or really how small the rooms and how low the ceilings. Maybe it's more true to life, but anytime I've seen Sherlock Holmes on TV or in the cinema, his flat always seemed so much more roomy and less cramped. But I guess that's because they need to fit in all the camera equipment and lighting. We also got a chance to see Regent's Park nearby and walk down through Marylebone, one of the nicest neighbourhoods I've seen in London - plenty of nice shops and restaurants, side streets to stroll, and a cool old book shop specialising in travel books - but yet another central area full of the mega rich. Or maybe considering Mayfair was around the corner, only the super rich.