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The Temple Inn

Temple Inn with the fountain playing next to it is the most peaceful and glorious tourist free spot in the whole of London.

Despite the Da Vinci Code shlockbusterI have been there many times and haven't seen that many tourists. I think the dip through the doorways from the strand or the side gate from the embankment flumoxes most of them and sweeps them back and forth from Trafalgar Square to the Tower and Tower Bridge.

You can encompass Shakespeare, the fire of London, the Crusades and Dickens' London seated on a quiet seat near the fountain. 12th night was performed in the Middle Temple Hall. The Middle Temple Hall escaped the great fire. The Temple Church, of course, is the Crusader link and the Fountain itself is described in Martin Chuzzlewit.

"Brilliantly the Temple Fountain sparkled in the sun, and laughingly its liquid music played, and merrily the idle drops of water danced and danced, and, peeping out in sport among the trees, plunged lightly down to hide themselves..."

And you also have a nice view of the Inner Temple Gardens going down to the river. But I would still quite like to know what the barristers eat and drink at the Inner Temple banquets.

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