If like us you're always searching for out of the ordinary experiences, and relish the opportunity to indulge in the down right bizarre, then this is definitely the place for you!
On Mare Street in Hackney, right next to the Regent's Canal you'll find The Last Tuesday Society / Viktor Wynd's Museum of Curiosities, a gothic/steampunk-style coffee shop and bar with a lot of weird stuff in the cellar! For £4 (£5 with the guide book) you can take the wrought iron spiral staircase down into the chamber of horrors, with a complimentary tea or coffee thrown in (but no biscuit - no matter what the website says!).
In the basement you'll discover the personal collection of artist Viktor Wynd, and what a collection it is! Creepy dolls, unusual taxidermy and all manner of odd sexual literature and artifacts take centre stage, alongside the gold-plated skull of one of Pablo Escobar's pet hippos, skeletons of all description (including that of a dodo) and celebrity "waste" in jars! This is quite clearly not one for the kids, or the weakhearted for that matter, and nor does it claim to be...
What is great about this collection is the complete disregard for general law and order, everything is so thrown together that some truly bizarre compositions of objects arise out of the chaos. This also means that some stuff is half hidden and easy to miss. On returning home and leafing through the guide book we felt that we had barely seen half of the artifacts on show - repeat visits are a must, and I'm sure new discovers would be made each and every time!
The idea of this museum is to present "an incoherent vision of the world displayed through wonder enclosed within a tiny space", no attempt made at classification and comprehensiveness..." and a rejection of "attempts to educate and explain, to put the world into neat little labeled drawers..." This is certainly refreshing, however with such an interestingly eclectic collection I couldn't help feeling that the little information that was provided for certain objects did a lot to enhance the overall experience and I would have loved much more backstory and greater context for this visual feast!
Upstairs in the coffee shop you'll find a back room full of artwork and plenty more curiosities all around, some of which are for sale including two headed teddy bears and crocodile skulls. You can even share a candlelit beverage with half a lion (see below) and as weird as it sounds the atmosphere is strangely calming.
This fascinating venue also plays host to a number of querky events throughout the year including taxidermy classes, a petting zoo in the basement (offering the chance to get up close and personal with lizards, snakes, scorpions and the like), and London's longest running literary salon.
No matter how much you've planned to pack in during your trip to London if you're an oddity hunter, or simply a fan of the macabre, this is definitely one you can't afford to miss!
I absolutely love this place! Since moving to East London in summer 2015 we have probably spent a disproportionate number of afternoons at this little oasis of tranquility!
Spitalfields City Farm boasts an array of barnyard animals, our personal favourites being Watson and Holmes a pair of kunekunes ( a type of pig from New Zealand - the kind that can be glimpsed at Laketown in the Hobbit movies!).
You would never imagine to find such a beautiful little farm, complete with farm shop selling fresh produce, just striding distance from Brick Lane! There's something deeply satisfying and truly bizarre about seeing wooly, bleating critters nonchalantly doing their thing to the backdrop of the city's iconic highrise towers! See below.
Other animals to observe and fuss over include sheep, cows, rabbits, guinea pigs and apparently ferrets although we've never sighted the snoozey little fellas!
The staff are friendly, the atmosphere super relaxed and they offer great food as well! I'd recommend their hearty tomato, ginger and coconut soup served with bread and butter. The coffees not too shabby either.
The peace and quiet are periodically shattered to make way for all sorts of fun-day events happening throughout the year, such as the hugely popular Goat Race which is held to coincide with the Oxford - Cambridge boat race! Check out their events page for details!
The Spitalfields City Farm has so much going for it, if you have a spare afternoon east of the city be sure to drop in - it's free to visit and open everyday apart from Monday when the animals have a day off!
Scrambled eggs on sourdough with sucuk, avocado and halloumi
Under five minutes walk from Bethnal Green tube station you'll find Recharge Café, an exquiste little local eaterie offering a delightful fusion of Turkish and English mid-morning fare. The balance between modern East London chic and no fuss British brekkie is handled masterfully with just the right amount of scattered herbs and pumpkin seeds topping a generous dollop of no nonsense hearthy ingredients.
There is a choice between fancy full English (served with hash browns and black pudding), trendy Turkish (which includes halloumi, avocado and sucuk - a lightly spiced Turkish sausage) or a veggie option which is kind of a combination of the two, minus the meaty bits!
There's also a ham, feta and spinach omelette on the menu and all manner of tasty treats on sourdough, including roasted butternut squash or smoked salmon! They also do an excellent flat white, for all you coffee lovers!
Everything is so fresh, full of flavour and lovingly prepared we just can't help going back for more time and time again! This place is so East London right now but, probably due to its unassuming location, manages to side step any pretentious, hipster vibe - what you get is a relaxed local atmosphere with a refreshing, international take on the classic brunch menu.
Friendly staff, great coffee and well priced - everything is between £5 - £7! Highly recommended!
So the goat race happened at the Spitalfields City Farm and it was all that we could have hoped for!
2 goats, 1200 hipsters, a whole lot of fun!
Here's what we found out...
1) Cockerels can be incredibly photogenic
2) Someone is championing equal rights among goats (phew!)
3) Goat snacks are remarkably aesthetic
4) Cows will eat palm trees if allowed
5) If the job of goat-themed fun day commentator didn't exist we have no idea what this man would be doing for a living!
And now for the Shoat (young pig) Race - we were treated to the pre-goat appetiser of male pigs in drag racing one another, every bit as phenomenal as it sounds! Here's the evidence...
And finally, the day's main event; a goat representing Oxford and one representing Cambridge went head to head for the title of greatest goat - every bit as tense as the boat race which was taking place across town! It was a very close race indeed!
No animals were harmed or mistreated in any way, we were reassured that this was actually something that the goats did every day of the year regardless of whether they had spectators or not. All money raised went into the farm's fund to feed the animals.
A great afternoon of nonsense! We hope to see you there next year!
Be there on Sunday 27th March 2016, 1-6pm for the 8th annual event in which goats representing Oxford and Cambridge go head to head (race starts some time between 2-5pm); book tickets well in advance as places sell out quickly!
There'll also be booze, bands and betting! Stampeding farm animals couldn't keep us away!
Ok so this one is a bit of a cheat; there aren't now, and have never been, herds of okapi roaming the streets of London. However, it's still an incredible animal and completely possible to easily view in our great city - albeit at the Zoo!
So, it looks kind of weird, sure; a strange mix between a zebra, a giraffe and a donkey, indeed the okapi is most closely related to the giraffe, and
together they are the only living members of the giraffidae family which is pretty cool, but why does it deserve a place on this list when London Zoo is full of so many awesome animals? Well, mainly due to its former status as a cryptid! This strange beast, endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, had been described for centuries by both the Ancient Egyptians and central African tribes but was rejected by Western science as a myth. It was dubbed "the African unicorn" and was seen as little more than a fantastical hybrid belonging firmly to the realm of legends.
This changed in 1901 when the British governor of Uganda, Sir Harry Johnston, after whom the animal was finally named okapia johnstoni, acquired skins, a skull and finally a live specimen.
It wasn't until 2008 that the first full photographs of a wild okapi were snapped! These pictures are available to view on the London Zoo website.
So, how had it remained hidden for so long? Mainly because okapi are stealthy, solitary animals, which inhabit the deepest, most remote parts of the Congolese rainforest, and rarely venture into gallery forests or areas disturbed by human habitation.
They are now classified as endangered due to threats such as logging and hunting for bushmeat, and are fully protected under Congolese law, making the London Zoo examples even more precious.
So, definitely go and check out these mysterious, and persisting icons of cryptozoology at the Regent's Park Zoo, there was even a baby born there in 2013 - a real rarity! Loving these stripey fellas!
Pic: Londinium Now - A stuffed example at the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill
4) Pelicans
Pic: BBC
Now onto the weird and truly wild unlikely critters which really do freely roam the capital...
It's mindblowing to think that the pelicans at St James' Park were originally given as a gift to King James II by the Russian Ambassador in 1664. They aren't the same ones that you can see in the park today of course! but during this 400 year period over 40 pelicans have made London their home. Occassionally fresh blood is brought in to maintain a healthy population; the newest of which arrived in 2013, as a gift from the City of Prague. There are actually eight types of pelican in the world, the ones in St James' Park
being Great White pelicans which can be found throughout Eurasia and in
patchy locations in Africa, south of the Sahara.
The pelicans really are a city staple, and incredibly easy to spot; usually they'll be lounging on Pelican Rock on the park's lake or somewhere near Duck Island Cottage.
A pelican's diet normally consists of fish, as well as amphibians, turtles, and crustaceans which they gulp down whole using those incredible bills. However, occassionally they'll decide to snack on their fellow bird bros as well. Just check out exhibit A; video evidence, taken in St James' Park itself, featuring a pelican going all National Geographic of an unexpecting pigeon, in front of horrified children no less! Gruesome!
Vid: Solidworksmagic
Pelicans are clearly awesome, if a little brutish, but they only feature at number four on this list due to the fact that most people already know about them; let's crank it up a notch...
3) Terrapins & Turtles
Pic: Hackney Gazette
I have never witnessed these critters myself, so maybe they shouldn't be included on a list of animals easily spotted in our fair city? You decide!
Reports of them are widespread, and it does seem that oweing to the fact that I live right next to Regent's Canal, supposedly their number one haunt, it is simply a statistical inevitability that I will spot them in due course, or at least that is if pictorial and anecdotal evidence is anything to go by!
Evidence such as this awesome little number published on Reddit, which appears to depict a terrapin riding on a dead fox!
Pic: Bloxie
And this video which allegedly captures the moment a spot of night fishing produced a snapping turtle from the canal's murky depths.
Vid: Tonymorris1991
And, in true British tabloid fashion the Daily Mail managed to brew up a mild scare piece about them after a baby terrapin was netted in 2013.
The BBC have also reported on them, as have theExpress, theGuardian, the Canal & River Trust, and many others. In fact a quick google search of "turtles regents canal london" will produce about 19,600 results, as of 2016; they are definitely here, and due to rising temperatures, probably here to stay.
All criticism of tabloid journalism aside, this is of course a major problem for native wildlife. A sustained population of these aquatic North American reptiles will chomp their way through our domestic fauna and flora, including fish, frogs and ducklings. This possibly makes them the sole entry it'd be preferable not to have had to feature on this list at all!
So, where exactly did they come from in the first place? Well, similar to the origins of the Sydenham Beast and other British big cats, as featured in my Top 5 London Monsters article, it is possible, if not highly probable, that they are the result of domestic animals being released into the wild.
Believe it or not some actually think that the 1980s-90s popularity of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Britain is to blame! This is due to the fact that many kids wanted to keep turtles as pets, or more specifically the red-eared slider terrapin with their distinctive coloured "eye masks", which the characters were based on. After the cute, baby terrapins inevitably grew too big for the fish tanks they were being housed in many were set free in lakes and rivers. Of course for the most part the UK climate is too chilly for turtles and terrapins to survive in our waterways. However, as summers grow longer and hotter, and winters more mild who knows what the future holds... The recent discovery of hatchling in the Regent's Canal is certainly a worry as it could prove that the cold-blooded pests are indeed breeding in the wild.
Please do let me know if you manage to spot them, snap a picture if you can, and then get in touch with the RSPCA or the Canal & River Trust!
2) Rose-Ringed Parakeet
Pic: civilianglobal.com
These exotic little green parrots, native to South Asia and a broad belt just below the Sahara, are a truly unexpected addition to the London flora and fauna, and there are some really cool theories as to their backstory which have become part of London lore. Ideas behind their introduction range from them being escapees from a damaged aviary during the 1987 hurricane, to them being the descendents of a pair released by Jimi Hendrix in Carnaby Street in the 1960s. As a film fan my favourite theory, and the one that I actually heard first, was that the original flock escaped from Isleworth Studios, a branch of Ealing Studios, during the filming of The African Queenstarring Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart in 1951.
However they managed their great escape they seem to be here to stay, and doing extremely well! There are established populations to be seen in and around Crystal Palace Park, Battersea Park, Richmond Park, Wimbledon Common, Greenwich Park, and Hampstead Heath. I've also seen them screeching through the trees in the borough of Bromley on many occassions, where they land on the side of my brother's building and peck at the ventilation grilles.
Basically if you want to witness these cheeky little green invaders then keep your eyes skinned the next time you are wondering through one of the capital's many leafy areas and the chances are you may just catch a glimpse.
But what is the environmental impact on having such an alien species establish itself here in London? Well, very little apparently; the RSPCB don't seem particularly concerned and actually state on their website that they are against the culling of these beaky little bros. They do however stress that it is important to keep their rapidly expanding numbers closely monitored to ensure that there is no long term negative impact on native bird species. For example woodpeckers make use of the same nesting holes and could potentially suffer from the competition. For now however there doesn't seem to be any real government effort to push the newcomers away, and the RSPCB state that all wild birds, their nests and eggs, are protected by law, includes the non-native parakeets.
These feathery fellas are really awesome, colourful additions to our city and I hope you manage to spot them!
It's worth noting that feral populations have established themselves in many other cities across Europe, including in Paris; I used to see them regularly in the suburb of Antony. Check out the photo I snapped there last year whilst out strolling.
Pic: Londinium Now
1) Red Deer & Fallow Deer
Pic: BBC - Yes, those are council blocks in the background!
Finally, my top pic for the most unlikely and unusual animals that can be easily spotted in London arethe deer; both red and fallow deer.
It's easy to forgot that we have some absolutely massive parks in and around our even more massive city; for example, Epping Forest in the north east is a truly immense 21.5 square miles (34 square km), and the Royal Park of Richmond in the west which is a more managable but still impressively large 3.69 square miles (5.94 square km) - both of which are full of wild deer!
It's staggering (pun intended) that such large animals, the red deer is in fact our largest native land-mammal, can be found happily living in such close proximity to people within the confines of the 32nd most populous urban centre on the planet! They really aren't shy either, arguably they're the most easily spotted animal on this list. In the East End they've even been known to wander out into residential neighbourhoods for a late night binge of manicured council lawn (see pics below)!
Fun fact: there are actually more than 2 million wild deer in the UK, which means that the deer population is only about a million short of matching the number of Welsh people!
In London you'll see both red and fallow deer; the red, which are chunky and rust coloured are a species native to Britain whereas the fallow, more willowy and spotted like bambi, were introduced from western eurasia.
Pic: Daily Mail
For deer watching at its best definitely head out to Richmond Park, which was actually established as a deer hunting ground in the 17th century by Charles I, here you'll get a bit of peace and quite to reflect on just how incredible these animals truly are! The countryside there is tranquil and beautiful, full of birdlife (the odd parakeet swooping overhead if you're lucky) and herds of wild deer roaming well with camera range. You could almost feel yourself being transported back to the medieval era of the hunt if it weren't for the fact that the grand spires and skyscrapers of the modern city were clearly visible just beyond the trees.
Grasp the opportunity by the antlers and take the occassion to go and see these ordinarily secretive, evasive creatures in a setting that doesn't entail tramping for half a day through the back of beyond just to catch half a glimpse in the very distance; you'll definitely thank me for it!
Pic: Daily Mail
Have you witnessed any of the animals in this list during your trip to London? Are there any other critters that you feel should have made it into the article? I'd love to hear from you and see your pictures!
Just check out those awesome feet! These strange aquatic chickens are called coots and they are incredibly prevalent in London parks. In fact I could guarantee a 100 percent success rate at finding them on any day and at anytime of the year, you just need to know where to look.
Obviously as a waterfowl they enjoy being in and around lots of water.
Best places to spot them would be Victoria Park, Regent's Canal (where I photographed the pair in the photo above), St James' Park (which really is an absolute treat for watching birdlife, including pelicans!), and really anywhere with a good supply of water. Everywhere apart from the Thames that is, where I have rarely seen them, probably due to it being a bit too rough and fast flowing for them. They can however also be sighted around the docklands area.
They are extremely quirky, fascinating little birds and I love watching them. They're often seen in pairs and can be heard calling to one another with an array of noises. The most unique being a weird kind of whistle-click sound made by both calling and snapping the beak shut at the same time.
My favourite spot to watch them would have to be the West Boating Lake at Victoria Park; preferably whilst sitting on the decking by the Pavilion café with a mug of their delicious Sri Lankan Chai! Here you can spot them diving down to the bottom to return with beakfuls of green slimy stuff to happily snack away on. In the warmer months you may see them with babies which have bright crimson heads and look like tiny fuzzy vultures!
Keep your eyes pealed for this interesting resident to London's green spaces and let me know when and where you've seen them! Here's more info on coots from the RSPB.
Revamped with a bright mural in Summer 2015 after some knucklehead sprayed Free the Cats, Free the $ across its shutters, whatever that was supposed to mean... Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium is a hugely popular independent café and something of an East London institution.
Located on Bethnal Green Road right on the edge of Shoreditch, the Emporium was able to open in 2014 thanks to a massive crowdfunding response from local residents and offers a truly unique dining experience.
Booking ahead is advisable as it is incredibly popular, although apparently there is a walk-in service available as well.
I booked for my girlfriend's birthday treat and would definitely recommend this quirky little café to any lovers of animals and/or quaint English tearooms; for us it ticked both boxes!
The decor is very cute, and the ambiance is warm and restful; every inch is covered in cat paraphernalia and the walls are covered with cat pictures and knick-knacks. For me it was like being at my Nan's house, albeit a more tasteful and less cluttered version! The cats pottered about indifferently or simply snoozed away on specially made fuzzy sleeping shelves, doing what cats do best. One decided to run like a maniac for a time on a large custom-made hamster wheel (cat wheel) which was certainly different! The atmosphere was so calm and relaxing that time seemed to slip past at a different pace to usual; an hour flew by without us even noticing.
The food was really good too. I was delighted to see that bagels were on the menu; harking back to the area's Jewish roots. We both demolished sloppy, relish smothered cheese and meatball bagels, which were served with a sprig of salad and a side of crisps, and followed by a traditional cream tea, properly served with loose leaves in the pot. They also sorted my girlfriend out with a birthday pack, available from the website, containing a tote bag, card signed by the cats and a sugary little cupcake with a candle.
The staff were friendly and well trained; one girl tried hard to energise the cats with treats and toys. Do bear in mind that cats will be cats... in other words don't expect them to put on a show for you, they aren't natural entertainers! Don't let this put you off however, they were certainly adorable and were clearly well loved and looked after by everyone involved with their wellfare. I really can't recommend this original little café enough; get yourselves along and soak up the satisfaction of some serious feline down-time! Cats, bagels and scones; what's not to love!
