Descendants of a noble present

In the 17th century, Charles II received some pelicans from the Russian ambassador. Their descendants still live in St James's Park.

Luckily another pair of animals, two crocodiles that once were owned by James I, haven't left any descandants. However, that's what my guide book says. And so far everything was correct.

This morning I went to the new galleries of the Museum of London to do some research on my travel feature that's due next Monday. The exhibition - recently re-designed for 20 million pounds - is excellent with lots of interactive features and surprising objects. Among them a prison cell from the 17th century and this beautiful lift, put into operation in 1928 at Selfridges.

This afternoon, after my sports journalism course, I went to 19 Princelet Street in the East End. It's a Huguenot house near Brick Lane that later housed a synagogue. Today it contains Europe's first museum on immigration.

The house is urgently at risk and volunteers aim to raise 3 million pounds to rescue it. It's open to the public on very few occasions - as in this week as it's Refugee Week from June 14-20.