I used to love Monopoly as a child, I mean really love it. I especially liked winning. To the point that my family won’t play me, they believe I am just super lucky, but I know the truth, I am ruthless and take no prisoners.  I am sure my boys are throwing their hands up in horror as they read this and start to chunter about the game that they won, but generally I win the board games, well apart from Chess, they have overtaken me on Chess and Poker, that’s a very tight game these days, I still win but its 50/50 and they all gang up against me if it looks like I’m going to win, which I think is a little unfair!

So you can imagine my delight when I paid my 30p to have a tinkle at Marylebone Station and found this….

Monopoly, my very favourite board game.  Even as a very grown up adult, I sort of knew the game was about London but I had no idea how much it was connected. I am still coming across roads or streets that I first learned their names whilst huddled in front of our coal fire, in deep winter, playing Monopoly with my sister, whilst wondering what we were having for tea.

And after I squealed silently with glee I turned towards the doors and found these…

I think I started to beam a big big smile at this point.  I made a happy comment to a woman who was washing her hands and she just grunted at me.. it was then I remembered I was still in London and had not been transported to Willy Wonka’s factory loo’s.

And then I opened the door to the loo…

I definitely squealed loudly then, and laughed and giggled and little tears pricked my eyes of pure happiness. It was just such fun, I just loved it so very, very much. To the point that I told the attendant on the way out just how much I loved it.

One little fun fact from Wiki, the history of the game can be traced back to 1903 but in 1941 the British Secret Intelligence Service had John Waddington Ltd, create a special edition for World War II prisoners held by the Nazis.  Hidden inside these games were maps, compasses, real money and other objects useful for escaping.  They were distributed to prisoners by British secret service-created fake charity groups.

So in honour of those POW’s, I think we should all have a game and soon.