United Kingdom 2018

Sitting at Heathrow Terminal 4, killing time. Set about 5 different alarms last night (including 2 set by our host David who arrived Friday night) to ensure we got up in time and of course both of us slept about 2 hours all up, ending up turning off all alarms by 5.15am and just getting up.  Actually managed a seamless transfer to Heathrow this time.  Taxi to local tube station with minimum number of stairs for Stephen to lug our bags down and onto the Piccadilly line to Heathrow.  Train full of sleepy looking people clutching large bags.  Even claiming our VAT refunds went through easily.  Slight hiccup at security as Stephen's backpack got pulled aside and we realised the very very well wrapped glass bowl we had bought was impenetrable when going through the machine.  And of course we then had to unwrap every little bit of paper and bubble wrap.  Still better than trusting it to the checked in bags we thought.  Had a good last weekend in Londo...

Just back from great dinner at the Flour and Grape.  Italian restaurant at Bermondsey that serves lovely fresh pasta amongst other things.  Crisp clear night so another amazing walk across London Bridge.  Pubs overflowing with people as is a Friday night and still very mild for this time of year.  Locals look to be soaking it up. Bermondsey was full of people enjoying some nice looking bars and restaurants - definitely an area on the rise. After cleaning up the place earlier in the day, we made the most of the sunshine and went for a wander around the Temple Bar area. Ended up in the Inner Temple, Middle Temple and the Temple Church.  Place full of barristers and solicitors.  All looked very old but bit misleading as great swathes burnt down in the Great Fire and then was destroyed during the Blitz.  Are still some old bits remaining and is quite surreal - very rarefied atmosphere - smelt of privilege.  Wandered into a wine bar/restaurant on Fle...

Another 2 great days. Definitely a more noticeable nip in the air. Visited the Museum of London which is only a short walk away. Went there a few years ago with Will and is even better.  Enjoyed the summary of London and seemed a neat way of encapsulating a lot of what we have seen this time  - from Roman ruins, Anglo Saxon  era, rise of the British Empire, Great Fire, Docklands, Victorian times, both Wars, fall of the British Empire and up to today.  Given how overwhelming London can seem, was a nice way to  summarise it all. Stephen then tried to sneak back to the fishing shops, mumbling something about a waterproof cap with ear flaps.  I tagged along to minimise the risk of a  new fishing rod somehow turning up for transporting home.  Stephen did find some gold tinsel he was hankering after plus a cap that is going to provide Will with many hours of amusement I fear if he ever sights  it. Does look very practical and with the ear flaps c...

Also found a place called Hays Galleria after visiting Bridge Theatre.  Was once an enclosed dock and been tidied up. Is now a rather nice shopping centre but with still the old wharves.  Another interesting east end Docklands area. Saw A Very Very Very Dark Matter in the evening.  Weird.  Starred Jim Broadbent as Hans Christian Anderson so was good to see him on stage.  The play is bizarre - a bit like a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale perhaps?  The premise is that HCA did not actually write his stories.  They were written by a black woman from the Congo who is also a pygmy and who he keeps locked up in a cage in his attic.  Plus he saws off one of her feet to exchange for a magical  concertina from some gypsies.  And it gets better.  HCA travels to England to stay with Charles Dickens - overstays his welcome (which I believe did happen) and then discovers that Dickens also did not write his stories.  You guessed it, he t...

Very relieved on Sunday night that the new Dr Who managed to locate her Tardis.  Enjoying some old favourites on TV - Mock the Week and Have I Got News for You. Very amusing although the jokes are starting to look a bit desperate as far as Brexit is concerned.  There is a 'peoples march' this Saturday from Park Lane to Parliament.  The gist of it is the 'people' are apparently demanding a vote on the Brexit deal.  Trying to make sense of what they are looking for, I think the idea is that the politicians are making a mess of things so the people should somehow decide what happens next.  Their website looks confused to me.  While claiming that they respect the last vote, i.e. voting for Brexit, whoever the organisers are, now seem to be saying that staying in the EU should still be an option and counter arguments to the leaver's arguments are set out.   The key speakers for Saturday's march include politicians from the 4 main parties, the Mayor of ...

Sunday and is raining and cooler.  Parts of Wales have apparently washed away but London has escaped this.  Just misty drizzly rain.  Saturday was ridiculously warm and sunny.  T shirt weather.  Decided to visit Portobello Road markets at Nottinghill.  Was not expecting anything too exciting but neither of us had been there before. Packed as expected.  Many antique shops, clothing shops, junk shops etc.  Lots of silver and fiddly bits of antiques (or maybe antiques). Some very cute spoons - mustard, salt spoons etc that were allegedly old but one thought of the endless cleaning and happily walked away.  Plus we have many spoons that are already good at... spooning things.  Lots of atmosphere.  We wouldn't return though.  Bit over the whole market thing.  The houses around Nottinghill are stunning - huge white terrace style houses or smaller brightly coloured terraces.  Upmarket area.  I guess one to tick off th...

It's Saturday morning and quiet around Paternoster Square.  We stare straight into offices from our windows and balcony - so all silent today.  The streets outside however are never quiet.  I'm not sure how I will order my day without the bells of St Paul's. Been catching a few buses to get around and occasionally managed to nab the front seats upstairs. Tricky though as place packed with European tourists - French, Spanish, Italians and Scandinavians.  Think there are some mid-term breaks for schools as lots of school children around. Actually not heard too many Australian accents or could just be where we are hanging out. Have seen two quite different plays.  One was a new play "I make Greatness Happen" at the Hampstead theatre.  Very good production.  Set in a high school classroom with 3 high school aged children and their teacher.  She is assisting them to pass their English GCSE's which they have already failed. Very clever script and ac...

Ridiculously warm  weather - mid 20's.  Locals as confused as us.  Some super storm cell is apparently bearing down on the UK but Scotland and Ireland are going to be absorbing most of it, it seems so should escape the worst of it. Have enjoyed a lovely lunch at Chiswick with Australian friend, Priscilla.  French restaurant called La Trompette - like an upmarket Bouchon (local Crows Nest restaurant).  Spent 4 hours there finishing lunch with a bramley apple souffle.  Enjoyed walking down Chiswick High Street before lunch.  Have not been there for some 27 years as stayed there during one of our previous visits.  Genteel suburb and very relaxed.  Was a Sunday so lots of locals out and about.   Finished watching the new Dr Who who is a woman.  Not only a woman but her new side-kicks are a mixture of women, men, ages and races.  Some older viewers may be a bit traumatised.  Was good fun.  TV viewing is pretty restr...

Rainy Saturday (6th) used to catch up on washing and cleaning.  First rainy day so far and is cold whereas has been very mild for October. Ventured to Oxford Street and bought 2 pasta bowls.  Is a notable omission at apartment, given amount of pasta we eat. Have enjoyed 2 great plays.  Saw The Height of the Storm at the old Wyndham Theatre in the West End starring Eileen Atkins and Jonathan Pryce.  We were in the middle of the front row.  Stage not high so front row was fine.  Great production.  New play.  Playwright is French - Florian Zeller and is a 'family drama' with many themes of course but very clever as it presents at least 4 possible scenarios as to what is going on.  Acting superb as you'd hope. Had plotted what we thought would be a seamless mode of transportation to get there.  But the Tube did not cooperate.  One line was partly closed so we ended up having to go east not west and then found ourselves packed on a t...

Bermondsey continued.... At dinner with friends heard all about Brexit.  They are very worried as to the impact on the UK economy.  Cannot blame them as the level of uncertainty seems high.  Have bought both The Times and The Guardian to read to date.  The Guardian, while tending to the left has had some interesting articles about what is happening with the Conservatives.  Sounds a bit similar to our Liberal Party.  There is a very Conservative rump.  Almost seems as if Rees-Mogg (what a name) and Boris Johnson are their Tony Abbott. The Conservative Party are holding their annual conference at the moment so will be interesting although Teresa May doesn't seem to be budging on her version of Brexit  or the leadership.  Jeremy Corbin wants to nationalise many things and give employees ownership of the companies they work for.  The anti-semitic tag also seems to linger.  No idea who I'd vote for here. We headed to Surrey for the wee...

1 week down in London (primarily).  Apartment is in line of sight of St Paul's Cathedral - our local  Evensong venue. Forgot how beautiful it is inside. Have heard some choir boys singing - we just wander across the road and sit ourselves down.  Have to wear ear plugs to block out the bells - actually is rather a nice sound. Apartment is in a building called Amen Lodge.  Part of the street is called Ave Maria Lane and Amen Court (next to us) backs onto the old Newgate prison.  You can see the last remaining wall.  The 'scuttlebut' is that this wall is haunted as it was where the prisoners were hanged.  No sightings as yet.  Also it is "Amen" lodge etc as this street is where the clerics used to wander along singing hymns, finishing with 'Amen' where we are (and presumably then off or back from St Pauls).  There is a Christian bookshop next to us so the religious leanings linger on.  There is also a Vidal Sasoon hair salon which I assum...