Viva the evolution!

London has continued to evolve since our return to Sydney. Many projects that were underway or on the drawing board have since been completed. This includes the opening of the Crossrail link, now known as the Elizabeth Line, The London Shard, and the recent multi-billion-dollar redevelopment of Battersea Power Station (which includes two brand new Tube stations and tunnels).

On Sunday, while Garry caught up on end-of-month bookkeeping, I took the tube into town to visit an exhibition centre I’d only recently discovered. In the east wing of Guildhall, the city’s old town hall is the London Centre. The centre is home to three detailed scale models of London in a setup that’s reminiscent of the extraordinary display found inside the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center.

The London Centre’s display includes a model covering the area between Wembley Stadium and London City Airport, plus a more detailed model of developments in the City of London and a second covering a comprehensive revitalization of the Royal Docks and London City Airport that’s only just begun. Each model depicts every building constructed in London, plus those with planning approval that have yet to be built.

Once I’d had my fill of scale model wonderment, I walked to Bank Station to revisit the forecourt of the Bank of England. From here I caught the tube down to Battersea Power Station. This last-minute side trip was well worth the effort. The redevelopment of this derelict industrial complex on the banks of the Thames is nothing short of extraordinary. It only opened in October last year, so it's still very much the hottest venue in town.

Its two turbine halls have been transformed into a massive indoor, upmarket shopping centre filled with designer brand boutiques and an array of restaurants and eateries. It even features a champagne bar where empty flutes await you at the table of your choice. The centre also includes an elevator ride that takes you up one of the preserved chimneys. Unfortunately, the ride queue was snaking across its mezzanine entrance and out an entry gate. It’s clearly something you need to book well in advance.

Later that evening, Garry and I ventured back into town to enjoy a session at Top Secret, a comedy club in Covent Garden. The venue had been recommended by a comedian performing on our cruise ship last month. The two acts we saw were both hilarious although the Master of Ceremonies came close to upstaging everyone.

A few nights earlier, we also got our fill of West End entertainment for another year. Months ago we booked tickets to see Backstairs Billy at the Duke of York’s Theatre in Covent Garden. The play is set entirely in Clarence House and tells the story of a 24 year partnership between The Queen Mother and her private secretary, William Tallon. Tallon’s formal title was Page of the Backstairs in Clarence House, hence the play’s title.  The play was a hoot. I also loved the theatre's ornate ceiling rose.