I love London. It’s my favourite city in the world. The first time I visited as a child, the magic of the place caught my heart and imagination.  I try and visit once a year, and this summer spent ten days in the city with another writer friend –  30C heat and royal baby included!

This trip, I suggested that we arrange a ‘surprise day’ for each other.  The day J arranged for me fell into four delicious parts.  This is part one.

I love the cinema.  Love it, love it, LOVE it!  From the first time I walked into the darkened theatre and watched Danny Kaye as Hans Christian Andersen as a five year-old, I was hooked. There’s something wonderful about the lights going down and a story unfolding in front of your eyes. So J’s first treat for my surprise day was a visit to London’s Cinema Museum.

It’s an amazing place and if you’re a movie afficionado, you must check it out.  On our guided tour we viewed original art deco cinema doors, posters, ushers’ uniforms, even the air fresheners and original tokens (instead of tickets) they used in the olden days. Fascinating.

Ironically, a few days before I left Canada, I’d watched a documentary called The Secrets of the Workhouse.  It traced the histories of various celebrities’ ancestors who had spent time in the workhouse.  Charlie Chaplin was one of those celebrities, and the workhouse where he lived… ?  Well it now houses London’s Cinema Museum.

Check out Part One of the documentary HERE .