Meeting up with my niece, who is currently a zookeeper apprentice at Banham Zoo near Norwich.

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Thursday 16 October: arrivals, some walking, coffee and cakes in Shaftesbury Avenue, and the musical Billy Elliot (a real tearjerker but with some incredible talent, especially the boy who played Billy Elliot, and catchy music by Elton John).

Friday 17 October: London Zoo, Frieze Art Fair (or that was the plan, but the queue was a mile long, so for another time, bring a fast-track ticket), a hands-on cooking lesson in Vietnamese Street Food, at Recipease, and the musical Urinetown – a musical with a social and environmental message. Strongly recommended.

Saturday 18 October: Walkabout, past Tower of London, this time with ceramic poppies, Borough Market,  past The Shard by Renzo Piano, an unsuccessful visit to Nike Town (Christine), The Lion King (Christine), Fair for Contemporary African Art (Helle), Indian restaurant (Masala) in Brick Lane.

A recommendation: If you are in the West End, the Strand area, looking for lunch, Tom’s Deli in the courtyard of Somerset House provides delicious, natural and seasonal food and a nice break from the crowds and the fraffic.

Sunday 19 October: Natural History Museum (with the building by Danish Architects C.F. Møller Architects opened in 2009, in the shape of en eight-story cocoon), and the Tsunami Memorial .