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Open House London is a yearly event where building and homes open up for the public to view. I missed this by one weekend last year and was determined to try to attend this year. I only managed one day and next year I hope to do both. The best way to do Open House is

• Choose your buildings
• Choose your hub/area
• Choose your route

As this was my first one, I wanted to go to the Royal Albert Hall. This is one of my favourite buildings in London. We have attended various events there like the ballet, opera and Cirque Du Soleli. Here we viewed The Queen’s Box, The Royal Retiring Room, The Grand Staircase and viewed the Acoustics – where we found eighty five acoustic reflectors or known as flying saucers or mushrooms. It was really nice to start there.

We then went to Temple to try and visit the Royal Courts Of Justice. Here we had proper security checks and were not allowed to take any photos in the cells, court rooms or prison vans. But we did see them all and its was fascinating. When are you ever going to experience that ? We were advised to try and experience a talk by the current High Court Tipstaff Richard Cheesley in his formal robes. And this was so enjoyable. And we got to speak with him after telling him how much we enjoyed his talk.

We then found the Strand Lane Roman Bath. This was a plunge bath originally a feeder cistern for a grotto fountain at the Old Somerset House. It has literary associations with Dickens, as the character David Copperfield took plunges there. I have been around this part of London before and never knew it existed. That is the beauty of Open House London !

We then tried to visit City Hall, and walked from Waterloo bridge down to Tower Bridge. But the queue was snaking around the base and inside. So we decided to see what we could view in the city. We visited the St Botolph Aldgate church.

And then tried to see the Masonic Temple at the Andaz Hotel near Liverpool Street. But we got the wrong day, they opened it on the Sunday. I really enjoyed my time exploring the hidden side of London. I can not wait to experience both days next year and concentrating on areas