London, as this trip served to remind me, is old. There is so much history in this city that its a bit overwhelming. Luckily, there are also a lot of pubs that, generally speaking, reduce anxiety.
My first day was spent wandering around Putney with the friends I was visiting. They have an energetic dog that created a wonderful excuse to enjoy the green parks along the Thames. We spent the next few days downtown seeing the sites; Westminster Alley, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben etc. Saint Paul's cathedral had cool historic architecture and outstanding London view from the top dome (after a lot of dizzying stairs). We also checked out Camdentown with its punk rock history and unique and extremely diverse open markets. And accidentally ran into a house marked 'Sylvia Plath lived here for one year.'
I was very impressed with the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum. This is not a free museum, but well worth my 10 pounds. The cabinet rooms were used by Chuchill and his closest advisors during WW2 as underground secret bomb-proof meeting places and living quarters. Most of the arrangements (maps, phones, papers) and furtniture are exactly as they left them. The Churchill museum is extremely interactive and creative. I learned a lot here.