Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Testing for next trip
I am testing that this blog still works. I am off to northern Thailand, Laos and Cambodia in just over 2 weeks.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Trip home
The rest of Wednesday was fairly mundane – pack up, walk to London Bridge tube ( I had a conversation with a group of men outside a pub about my backpack – rather more loaded than when I left Canberra), negotiate the fairly crowded trains ( bit tricky) , Heathrow Express ( a tube would have been cheaper but I am learning ( very slowly) sometimes to take the more expensive but more reliable and faster option) , Vat refund office. When I came to check in at one of those boarding pass dispensing machines like at Canberra airport, the screen refused – said I needed to have more documentation. There was a nearby man who said I needed a visa to enter Australia. I said but that’s OK I will enter Australia on my Autralian passport. He said but now their system automatically connects to an Australian immigration site that won’t let people with British passports checkin to a flight to Australia without a visa. I said but I entered England on my British passport – doesnot matter he said. No point in any more questions I wanted to get on the plane. I groveled under my clothes and produced my Australian passport which got me a boarding pass.
Someone should write a book or do a study on people’s behaviour on aeroplanes or on etiquette on planes. The lady next to me insisted on using the arm rest between us, but that had the controls to my screen. Several times I had to ask her to move. Her husband was on her right, so at least she never asked me to move so she could get out. She also several times leaned right across me and called out to her friend who was sitting across the aisle and a few seats forward of me and talked in a loud voice in a language which I could not understand. ( I might not have been quite so put out if I could have eavesdropped) . The BA flight offered cranberry juice as one of the juice options which I have not seen before. The flight was OK. The lady sitting next to me on the leg from Singapore was a smaller woman and kept well within her seat. I got straight through customs and onto an earlier flight to Canberra.
I was pleased with how the trip went. I think 5 weeks may have been better. I think it would have worked better if I had taken a few days off between Venice and London and stayed somewhere in the country that provided all meals, somewhere I did not have to think. I was a bit too tired in London and did not appreciate the museums enough. I used all my clothes except my sun hat and should have used that sitting in the sun for lunch in Ireland – I was just too lazy to walk upstairs and get it. One of the nice shirts I bought was very useful in London and for dinner in Ireland so I will consider taking something similar next time. I had 16kg coming home – quite a few extra books and odds and ends.
Once again, I have appreciated knowing that some people were reading of my activities. Thank you. It helps me not feel lonely.
Till next time..
Someone should write a book or do a study on people’s behaviour on aeroplanes or on etiquette on planes. The lady next to me insisted on using the arm rest between us, but that had the controls to my screen. Several times I had to ask her to move. Her husband was on her right, so at least she never asked me to move so she could get out. She also several times leaned right across me and called out to her friend who was sitting across the aisle and a few seats forward of me and talked in a loud voice in a language which I could not understand. ( I might not have been quite so put out if I could have eavesdropped) . The BA flight offered cranberry juice as one of the juice options which I have not seen before. The flight was OK. The lady sitting next to me on the leg from Singapore was a smaller woman and kept well within her seat. I got straight through customs and onto an earlier flight to Canberra.
I was pleased with how the trip went. I think 5 weeks may have been better. I think it would have worked better if I had taken a few days off between Venice and London and stayed somewhere in the country that provided all meals, somewhere I did not have to think. I was a bit too tired in London and did not appreciate the museums enough. I used all my clothes except my sun hat and should have used that sitting in the sun for lunch in Ireland – I was just too lazy to walk upstairs and get it. One of the nice shirts I bought was very useful in London and for dinner in Ireland so I will consider taking something similar next time. I had 16kg coming home – quite a few extra books and odds and ends.
Once again, I have appreciated knowing that some people were reading of my activities. Thank you. It helps me not feel lonely.
Till next time..
Wednesday 8th April – last day in London
After a nice breakfast, J went to work. I read emails for a short while but decided that I’d rather be out and about in London. My first stop was for a coffee and then I walked along the river checking out the places to have lunch. ( I had been given suggestions) . I kept walking to a good bookshop I had been told about. I am not sure if my granddaughter knows about Madeleine and her school friends, but ‘Madeleine goes to London’ looked like a suitable present. I went onto Southwark Cathedral. I did not have much time ( my lunch reservation awaited - interesting priorities) but it had a good feel to it. It was not just a monument. They have close ties with an Anglican diocese in Zimbabwe and on a wall there was a lovely wall hanging in the form of a map made from material, string, beads, photos, press clippings etc. There was a prayer that said ‘ God bless Zimbabwe, protect her children, transform her leaders, heal her communities and grant her peace’ which I thought said it all.
Lunch was lovely. I sat at an outdoor table in a restaurant that served English food and, because it is coming up to St George Day, they had specialized food from different counties. I had a glass of Ortega from Biddenden Vineyards in Kent – a bit sweeter than I prefer – but it was English. First I had smoked mackerel pate with oatmeal biscuits, then trout and shaved fennel and potatoes, then the highlight – well, most different – Sussex Pond pudding. It was like a small individual steamed pudding upside down but inside was chopped up bits of cooked lemon, skin and all. It was hot, with a hot lemon sauce over the top. There was some cream, what I think is clotted cream, on the side. It was delicious. The espresso was good too. I watched the boats go past and the people. ( see photo - it does not look like there was room for people but there was )It was a lovely way to end my holiday. I walked in the opposite direction along the river for a while before going back to pack.
Tuesday 7th April
In the morning we went on another drive, this time to the north. We saw a nature reserve with lots of lovely old oak trees just coming into leaf - see photo. The wool and craft shop in Glengarriff was closed. Probably just as well going on what I saw through the window – I did not need any more temptation. We set off after lunch to drive to Cork – a different more direct route than we had taken on Sunday. The plane was more than an hour late which meant that we missed our connection in Dublin. The RyanAir staff made it clear that they are a point to point ( their words) airline and are in no way responsible if you miss your connecting flight. They had not checked our bags through from Cork to London – they told me at Cork that they don’t do that – in retrospect, obviously if they are a point-to-point airline. Anyway, there was another flight to London that night which we could get on for 100 euros each. We checked out all the other options and could find no cheaper way. RyanAir have many signs up that they have one of the best reliability records – 90% of their planes arrive on time. Pity if you are in the 10%. The positive side of this was that the plane went to Stanstead – so I got to go to another airport. Because we were later than expected we caught a cab back to J’s home – a nice spacious flat in a restored warehouse complex just SE of Tower Bridge. This was another plus – I had not had a ride in a London cab – an institution – but ₤10 divided by 2 was worth it.
Monday 6th April SW Cork
After breakfast P and C took us on a lovely drive over smaller roads than we had gone. The day started out a bit inclement – but cleared. We went to a lookout overlooking Bantry Bay and then drove a bit further and looked over Dunmanus Bay to the south. There was a small splodge in the sea we could just make out – Fastnet rock. I had never known where it was – just knew of it from the yacht race. We stopped at a farm at Durrus to buy some cheese, went to the fish shop in Skull ( second photo) and then another lookout. The sun was out long enough to have lunch on the terrace overlooking the bay.
In the afternoon they took us on a lovely walk over their property - first photo
In the afternoon they took us on a lovely walk over their property - first photo
Sun 5th April To Bantry Bay
Breakfast was included but I passed on the black and white pudding that went with the full breakfast of bacon , eggs, etc etc. We drove by the most direct route to Cork. We stopped in a town about 11.30 for a cup of tea and the only thing open, apart from a newsagent, was a pub. We did not see anything like a café , open or not.
After Cork we went south to the coast to Kinsale, supposed one of the oldest fishing villages in Ireland. It has expanded rapidly in the last few years with facilities for tourists and lost much of its character but we did find a nice café for a late lunch. We drove on through little picturesque villages ( see photo) , along lanes that were quite narrow, along roads with lovely views of the sea, past fields of cows, some sheep usually black faced- a lovely drive. It was green , very green.
We arrived at 6pm at our destination on the shores of Bantry Bay. The couple ( P and C) we visited are elderly relations of John’s mother. They had an Australian flag hanging over the front door. I had met them in Melbourne in 1983 but had no memory of the occasion, despite them showing me a photograph taken at the time of a large group including my family. Kevin and Carol had met them in 2003 when they visited Canberra. John and I were in Italy at the time. The ‘house’ they live in is large. It looks to me more like a small castle. It was built in about 1930 and little has changed since. P and C have led very interesting lives in many parts of the world and they have many artifacts collected over the years. They are very used to having people to stay and are excellent hosts. There were really interesting to talk to and interested in us.
After Cork we went south to the coast to Kinsale, supposed one of the oldest fishing villages in Ireland. It has expanded rapidly in the last few years with facilities for tourists and lost much of its character but we did find a nice café for a late lunch. We drove on through little picturesque villages ( see photo) , along lanes that were quite narrow, along roads with lovely views of the sea, past fields of cows, some sheep usually black faced- a lovely drive. It was green , very green.
We arrived at 6pm at our destination on the shores of Bantry Bay. The couple ( P and C) we visited are elderly relations of John’s mother. They had an Australian flag hanging over the front door. I had met them in Melbourne in 1983 but had no memory of the occasion, despite them showing me a photograph taken at the time of a large group including my family. Kevin and Carol had met them in 2003 when they visited Canberra. John and I were in Italy at the time. The ‘house’ they live in is large. It looks to me more like a small castle. It was built in about 1930 and little has changed since. P and C have led very interesting lives in many parts of the world and they have many artifacts collected over the years. They are very used to having people to stay and are excellent hosts. There were really interesting to talk to and interested in us.
Sat 4th April
This morning another lovely walk - through woods, over fields, etc but not as many gates as yesterday and more views. After lunch my hosts drove me to Gatewick along lanes, past hedges, through little villages – it was very scenic. I caught my first RyanAir flight – to Dublin. My niece, J, met me at the airport – she had arrived earlier and had collected a car. We drove, via the port area and a nice view out to sea over the sand, into the main town. After a few circuits we found a park and went looking for a reasonably priced restaurant serving Irish food – along with many other people. We found a lovely place. J had an Irish beef stew and I had a seafood pancake – their pancakes, called boxtys, have potato in them, but are still quite thin. It was quite late by the time we got to the b and b .
Friday 3rd April near Guildford
I left my nice little shoebox - probably more a bootbox - and caught the bus to Waterloo station and then the train to Guildford where John’s cousin met me and drove back to her home. I met her new ( since I was last here in 2002) husband. We chatted over lunch and then went for a walk through woods, down laneways, over fields, through many gates. It was a bit misty but perfectly still and there were lovely views. In the evening another cousin and his wife came for dinner – they live on an adjoining property on the weekends. It was a lovely evening, good food, good wine, and good company.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Thursday 2 April Dinosaurs
Today I went to a place for breakfast that I have passed in the bus quite a few times and have read about . Daylesford Organic – a nice place that sells organic food, a lot of which has been grown in Daylesfood – they grow the cows, make the cheese etc etc. It does meals too. It had a nice feel – there were many staff bringing in the day’s produce, serving customers, but with an air of quiet efficiency rather than haste. But then again it was only 1/3 full of people. There was an emphasis on thinking about what you eat, eating good stuff, etc. The long central table was set with paper place mats that said ‘For what we are about to receive’ which I thought was a nice way of reminding people to think about what they were eating and where it had come from. A lady came and sat near me and asked for a ‘flat white’ - I’ve never seen a ‘flat white’ on a menu here. The staff member asked her what she meant so she got up to go and talk to the barista. While she was gone the guy over the table from me said to me in his very proper English accent ‘I’ve never heard of a flat white’ I told him that I had! I had mushrooms, poached egg and hollandaise sauce on toast – to compare with the previous one. It was delicious – different and yummy. The coffee was good. Not a given in this city.
On the way to the bus stop a guy on his bike stopped and asked me directions – that I knew! Mind you, talking to him made me miss my bus. It did not make much difference. I got to the Museum of Natural History at 10.10 and waited in a queue for 25 minutes. At least there were interesting local people to talk to. (When I came out at 12.30 there was no queue.) I wandered around – mainly the dinosaurs and mammals. I never got a good photo of a yak when I was in China last year so was pleased to get one here, even if it was behing glass. In Burma we saw a takin in captivity – a maingy looking specimen, so it was good to see a ‘healthy’ (even if stuffed) one of those too. I had to go into the room that is called ‘creepy crawlies’ – alongside all the other ‘proper’ names like ‘ecology’ , ‘fish’ ‘mammals’ etc- in all the literature. I was impressed by the large number of staff at various places talking to the visitors and just wandering around. I was not impressed by the large numbers of people, or rather I think it is the noise that they generate that puts me off. There were many many school group – but it does cater for younger people very well. There was an old ( even older than me) gentleman looking at the millipede v centipede display and pushing buttons to see the answer to questions, just like me.
Then I caught a bus to the northern end of Marylebone High Street because I had been told that it was full of nice little shops – which it was. The best was this great bookshop – Daunt books with lovely old shelves. The travel section was large. I bought the first book in the series of an Italian police inspector to read in the plane coming home. I have not read any of this series.
I had lunch in a shop very similar to the shop I had breakfast in. I was hungry – I forgot to eat more than usual yesterday and worked out that I had walked 20 kilometres so no wonder I have been hungry today. I looked at all sorts of things and then caught a bus home.
Tomorrow I leave in the morning to catch a train to near Guilford in Surrey. I am staying with a first cousin of John’s . Then on Saturday evening I fly to Dublin. I do not know when I will next have internet access and be conveniently able to put a post on this blog.
On the way to the bus stop a guy on his bike stopped and asked me directions – that I knew! Mind you, talking to him made me miss my bus. It did not make much difference. I got to the Museum of Natural History at 10.10 and waited in a queue for 25 minutes. At least there were interesting local people to talk to. (When I came out at 12.30 there was no queue.) I wandered around – mainly the dinosaurs and mammals. I never got a good photo of a yak when I was in China last year so was pleased to get one here, even if it was behing glass. In Burma we saw a takin in captivity – a maingy looking specimen, so it was good to see a ‘healthy’ (even if stuffed) one of those too. I had to go into the room that is called ‘creepy crawlies’ – alongside all the other ‘proper’ names like ‘ecology’ , ‘fish’ ‘mammals’ etc- in all the literature. I was impressed by the large number of staff at various places talking to the visitors and just wandering around. I was not impressed by the large numbers of people, or rather I think it is the noise that they generate that puts me off. There were many many school group – but it does cater for younger people very well. There was an old ( even older than me) gentleman looking at the millipede v centipede display and pushing buttons to see the answer to questions, just like me.
Then I caught a bus to the northern end of Marylebone High Street because I had been told that it was full of nice little shops – which it was. The best was this great bookshop – Daunt books with lovely old shelves. The travel section was large. I bought the first book in the series of an Italian police inspector to read in the plane coming home. I have not read any of this series.
I had lunch in a shop very similar to the shop I had breakfast in. I was hungry – I forgot to eat more than usual yesterday and worked out that I had walked 20 kilometres so no wonder I have been hungry today. I looked at all sorts of things and then caught a bus home.
Tomorrow I leave in the morning to catch a train to near Guilford in Surrey. I am staying with a first cousin of John’s . Then on Saturday evening I fly to Dublin. I do not know when I will next have internet access and be conveniently able to put a post on this blog.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Wednesday 1 April Thames Path.
I have a brochure that outlines the part of the Thames Path (trail that follows the Thames from its source in the Cotswolds for 294km through London to the Thames barrier) near here. I set off this morning walking westward. It was interesting – a whole range of housing from council flats to fancy new blocks of large apartments. It was quite peaceful for most of the way – assorted boats along the river. I stopped at Putney for morning tea. It was a peculiar mix of an old style English café (apple pie, jam tart, chips and eggs and sausages) and an Italian café ( football team photos on the wall). It had old lino tables with the tomato sauce and a few other bottles, a delightful Italian family Mum, dad, 3 adult daughters all serving plus someone in the kitchen. There were always people waiting to be served – mainly local workmen – most were having chips and eggs. I had a very nice cup of coffee ₤1.30 ( the cheapest I’ve seen it has been 1.95) and a large piece of apple pie ₤1.40. Usually cakes are around ₤3. Many of the customers were known to the family and some had a shot of alcohol in the coffee ( Italian style) .
I walked onto Barnes. I cut off a loop of the river by walking along another path that went through a Common. I could have been miles from anywhere. Barnes has a real village feel to it. There is a pond in the middle of the shops with kids and ducks and mothers with prams. It was a bit early to stop for lunch so I walked on a bit and came to a nice looking pub right on the river so had some cider while I waited for 12 noon then had lunch. I crossed the river and walked back along the other side of the river, but only as far as Chiswick. I caught a bus and then train to get home. I walked a fair way and am about to have a bath.
I walked onto Barnes. I cut off a loop of the river by walking along another path that went through a Common. I could have been miles from anywhere. Barnes has a real village feel to it. There is a pond in the middle of the shops with kids and ducks and mothers with prams. It was a bit early to stop for lunch so I walked on a bit and came to a nice looking pub right on the river so had some cider while I waited for 12 noon then had lunch. I crossed the river and walked back along the other side of the river, but only as far as Chiswick. I caught a bus and then train to get home. I walked a fair way and am about to have a bath.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday 31st March
I thought I better have an English breakfast in England, so I went to a local nice place and had a modern version - a thick slice of brioche style toast, topped with bacon, then mushrooms ( big flat ones with a name I’ve forgotten and a lovely strong taste) and a duck egg on the top. The coffee was good too.
The next bit of the day was less successful. I got to St Paul’s to find it closed to visitors. It was crawling with police and I saw 3 trucks loaded with more police in a side street – and I only looked down 1 side street. Apparently there was going to be a debate on to do with the G20 meeting. The people going in to the debate had to provide 2 types of id with photo and their bags were thoroughly searched. The 2 locals I had tea with on Sunday were saying that firms in the city ( the inner part of London where the financial firms are) were worried and some were telling their staff to come to work in casual clothes on Wednesday and Thursday. The protestors have said they will target the tubes – according to a policeman I talked to. He said use buses – but many roads will be closed. Hmm.
I caught a bus to East Aldgate in the East End and walked along Brick Lane. There were many different shops and restaurants from many different ethnic groups. There were few people around at 9.30 in the morning. Then I caught a bus back through the city and went to Covent Garden and wandered around some of the little lanes and little shops. There is a coffee place that I had been recommended and I lingered over the best cup of coffee I have had in London. I came back to South Kensington railway station and had some soup for lunch at one of the restaurants in the Carluccio chain. I have a recipe book written by Carluccio quite a few years ago when there were not many nearly as many Italian restaurants in London as there are now. I have been pottering here - I m behind in my photos - and have gone down to the King’s road shops and actually gone into some of them to look.
I forgot to say on Sunday, when I was walking from the Embankment ferry stop to the Wolsley, I walked down a street that was the street to go if you were a traditional English male with lots of money – heaps and heaps of money. There were complete outfits like I saw in the V &A , really lovely suits, very fine wool socks for ₤60 and, in 1 shop, a nightshirt ( no price though – there were not many prices in any of the windows) . It looked lovely fine cotton in bright stripes. Now I am on the look out for more nightshirts.
The next bit of the day was less successful. I got to St Paul’s to find it closed to visitors. It was crawling with police and I saw 3 trucks loaded with more police in a side street – and I only looked down 1 side street. Apparently there was going to be a debate on to do with the G20 meeting. The people going in to the debate had to provide 2 types of id with photo and their bags were thoroughly searched. The 2 locals I had tea with on Sunday were saying that firms in the city ( the inner part of London where the financial firms are) were worried and some were telling their staff to come to work in casual clothes on Wednesday and Thursday. The protestors have said they will target the tubes – according to a policeman I talked to. He said use buses – but many roads will be closed. Hmm.
I caught a bus to East Aldgate in the East End and walked along Brick Lane. There were many different shops and restaurants from many different ethnic groups. There were few people around at 9.30 in the morning. Then I caught a bus back through the city and went to Covent Garden and wandered around some of the little lanes and little shops. There is a coffee place that I had been recommended and I lingered over the best cup of coffee I have had in London. I came back to South Kensington railway station and had some soup for lunch at one of the restaurants in the Carluccio chain. I have a recipe book written by Carluccio quite a few years ago when there were not many nearly as many Italian restaurants in London as there are now. I have been pottering here - I m behind in my photos - and have gone down to the King’s road shops and actually gone into some of them to look.
I forgot to say on Sunday, when I was walking from the Embankment ferry stop to the Wolsley, I walked down a street that was the street to go if you were a traditional English male with lots of money – heaps and heaps of money. There were complete outfits like I saw in the V &A , really lovely suits, very fine wool socks for ₤60 and, in 1 shop, a nightshirt ( no price though – there were not many prices in any of the windows) . It looked lovely fine cotton in bright stripes. Now I am on the look out for more nightshirts.
Monday 30th March Lewes
15th century bookshop in Lewes
A Lewes resident
Today I had a lovely day at Lewes. Lewes is the county town of East Sussex. It’s current claims to fame are its castle, built soon after the Norman invasion in 1066, a house bought for Anne of Cleves, little Saxon lanes running between rows of houses and shops called twittens, and a huge and rowdy bonfire night in November. I was met at the train station by a cousin of John’s – the daughter of the couple in Oxford- and her husband. We went back to their home by a very circuitous route to give me an idea of the layout of the town. We sat and chatted and chatted and then walked via the castle to the high street and had lunch at a restaurant run by another family member with their daughter. We walked back to their home and talked some more and then I came home.
This place charges ₤5 for 24 hour internet or ₤30 for 1 week. What I do is start a 24hour period at say 8pm one evening, put a post on my blog, answer emails etc and then the following evening, assuming I am organized, I can put that day’s post onto the blog before the 24 hour period runs out. Then I start another 24 hour period the following evening, thus only paying for 1 day every 2. I had a win yesterday. My 24 hour period was due to run out at 7pm, I got on the bus outside the Wolsely at 6.30, rushed home, sent a few quick emails and realized I was still connected. I had forgotten about day light saving and I had 1 hour more than I thought.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday 29 March
This morning I had a slow start ( helped by daylight saving starting) . I went to a church service in Holy Trinity church in Sloane Square. I went because the daughter of friends used to sing in the choir. It is a nice church – building started in 1888 – Gothic – known as the Arts and Crafts church. William Morris designed some of the bits. It was a ‘smells and bells’ service – too much smells’- the incense started to get up my nose. Apparently some years ago the church addressed the ‘bums on seats’ problem by hiring professional choiristers. The music was lovely – they sang an anthem during communion and lots of other bits. There were several hundred people at the service. I did not see one male over 25 without a jacket. I was definitely the least ‘well dressed’ female.
After church I went on the ordinary ferry service from Embankment to Greenwich. This took about 40 minutes. It was good. I had the ‘walking along the thames’ guide with me so I did not need a commentary – there is quite a lot of detail in the pamphlets. It was interesting to see the development along the river. At Greenwich I bought a quick sandwich and then went straight back to Embankment on the next but one ferry.
I walked to the Wolsely, next to the Ritz., where I met 2 friends of my elder daughter – 1 who I visited before in London and another friend. We had to wait for a little while for a table, but we had a good table in the corner of this lovely old room – high ceilings, twiddly bits, gleaming silver. We had afternoon tea and enjoyed chatting, the occasion, the sandwiches, scones and tiny little cakes and plenty of tea. I donot need any more food today.
After church I went on the ordinary ferry service from Embankment to Greenwich. This took about 40 minutes. It was good. I had the ‘walking along the thames’ guide with me so I did not need a commentary – there is quite a lot of detail in the pamphlets. It was interesting to see the development along the river. At Greenwich I bought a quick sandwich and then went straight back to Embankment on the next but one ferry.
I walked to the Wolsely, next to the Ritz., where I met 2 friends of my elder daughter – 1 who I visited before in London and another friend. We had to wait for a little while for a table, but we had a good table in the corner of this lovely old room – high ceilings, twiddly bits, gleaming silver. We had afternoon tea and enjoyed chatting, the occasion, the sandwiches, scones and tiny little cakes and plenty of tea. I donot need any more food today.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday 28 March
This morning I went out early to take some photos of the streets around here but it was cold and raining so I was quick. I caught the tube to Euston and then the train to Milton Keynes where my cousin ( my father’s sister’s son) and his wife met me. We went back to their home for a cup of tea and chat and chat and more chat. Then we went to a nearby town, Olney, with old houses, old shops and lots of character. We had a lovely lunch, then went to a nice dress shop – she is looking for a dress for their daughter’s wedding –she had no luck but I bought some nice trousers and another white shirt. Then we had a cup of tea and a toasted tea bun – I think that is what it was called. The tea shop was old and I could imagine some of the English detectives in the novels I read when they go to a tea shop in the country. There were all sorts of traditional things but also gluten free cakes were advertised. We walked past a fish and chips shop which advertised that on certain days they had gluten and wheat free batter available.
It was a lovely day – it is really nice to feel on the same wave length as people that I have not seen since 2002 but have talked to and emailed since.
It was a lovely day – it is really nice to feel on the same wave length as people that I have not seen since 2002 but have talked to and emailed since.
Friday 27 March Creatures and Borough Markets ( unrelated)
For the first day in a while I set off with a definite plan. Silly move. I got to St Paul’s (by tube – quicker) only to find it closed for a service. After St Paul’s I was going to catch a bus to Waterloo station to go to the wool shop and browse in their books. I thought I’d walk instead ( about 3 km) and take some photos. The first half was along the river. The first thing that took my fancy was a rather unpleasant looking fish wrapped around a light pole – OK, see how many creatures I could find. I found 7 in a bit over 1 km – 3 different fish, a camel, a sphinx, a dragon, a winged 4 legged creature.
After crossing the river I had a nice cup of coffee at an Italian place. I wonder if sometimes my Italian would be easier for them to understand than my Australian. Waterloo station is confusing. Yesterday I walked around 3 sides of a rectangle, today I managed better but was 1 level higher than I wanted to be – looking over the roof tops of the shops.
I pottered in the wool shop for ages and bought a book of patterns. The shop is quite small but there is a table in the middle. 2 nights a week they have ‘bring your knitting and chat’ night which several places in Australia I know of do, but this place , called I Knit, had a grog license and sold wine, beer and spirits. Tea and coffee too.
I then walked through an area with a lot of council flats and ordinary shops to the Borough markets – apparently the best market for food in London. These were wonderful. I met my niece and she showed me some of the places she shops at, we had a drink at a nearby pub where Brigid Jones Diary was filmed, we had a lovely lunch at a Spanish tapas place, we went to an amazing cheese shop and a few other places.
Then I came home. There is a great variety in tube stations. Some of them are quite claustrophobic. I was on an escalator a few days ago going down ( a long way) quite steeply to a lower level and I reckon a tall person could have touched the roof – or that is what it felt like. I made the mistake of taking my hand off the rail to look at the time and felt funny. This afternoon I had to change lines at Westminster station. This was much more open. I had 3 escalators to go up – not quite as long as the unpleasant one, but you could see them all at once and others too.
After crossing the river I had a nice cup of coffee at an Italian place. I wonder if sometimes my Italian would be easier for them to understand than my Australian. Waterloo station is confusing. Yesterday I walked around 3 sides of a rectangle, today I managed better but was 1 level higher than I wanted to be – looking over the roof tops of the shops.
I pottered in the wool shop for ages and bought a book of patterns. The shop is quite small but there is a table in the middle. 2 nights a week they have ‘bring your knitting and chat’ night which several places in Australia I know of do, but this place , called I Knit, had a grog license and sold wine, beer and spirits. Tea and coffee too.
I then walked through an area with a lot of council flats and ordinary shops to the Borough markets – apparently the best market for food in London. These were wonderful. I met my niece and she showed me some of the places she shops at, we had a drink at a nearby pub where Brigid Jones Diary was filmed, we had a lovely lunch at a Spanish tapas place, we went to an amazing cheese shop and a few other places.
Then I came home. There is a great variety in tube stations. Some of them are quite claustrophobic. I was on an escalator a few days ago going down ( a long way) quite steeply to a lower level and I reckon a tall person could have touched the roof – or that is what it felt like. I made the mistake of taking my hand off the rail to look at the time and felt funny. This afternoon I had to change lines at Westminster station. This was much more open. I had 3 escalators to go up – not quite as long as the unpleasant one, but you could see them all at once and others too.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday 26th Tate Modern
I have forgotten to mention the flowers and trees. When I got here, 10 days ago, most of the trees and shrubs were still bare. Now, many of the trees in the street are flowering. – not the great big trees yet. On the way to Portsmouth I saw lots of daffodils on the banks near the train line. Around the corner there is a medium size magnolia that is just coming out. Many people have cyclamen in their window boxes.
Today I caught the bus to St Paul’s and walked over the Millenium Bridge to the Tate Modern. I havenot quite got the hang of looking out of the correct part of my multifocal glasses in the top decks of buses. It is quite hard to see things near to the front wheels of the bus. I find sitting on the right side of the bus better than the left. Took me a while to work out why I felt a bit odd though. I quite liked the Tate Modern building – an old power station was converted to a gallery. They kept the chimney stack and the huge turbine room has been kept as a large space.
I have never tried to understand ‘modern art’ apart from the odd painting. There were a few Picassos that were OK but not that I would not want to put on my walls. I could not understand the rather odd themes of the different rooms ( tho I didnot try very hard - I am almost at painting saturation point) – apparently they change the themes and shuffle the paintings around quite regularly.
I walked to Waterloo railway station and wandered around looking for the bus I wanted to get on. While the map is waterproof, it is still hard to see out of glasses covered in rain. I walked around 3 sides of a rectangle by mistake but stumbled on a lovely wool shop. I went in, dripping water, the lady behind the counter said hullo and added I was allowed to touch in a friendly voice. I told here that I would be back – it was lunch time. We got talking - I said I was from Australia and we could get nice wool but.. and then she filled in .. not pattern books – just what I was going to say. They had a huge range.
I bought some nice lunch on the way home from a little shop nearby that has prepared food. I am having the afternoon off to get up to date with photos and plan my remaining days in London, besides its cold and raining outside..
Today I caught the bus to St Paul’s and walked over the Millenium Bridge to the Tate Modern. I havenot quite got the hang of looking out of the correct part of my multifocal glasses in the top decks of buses. It is quite hard to see things near to the front wheels of the bus. I find sitting on the right side of the bus better than the left. Took me a while to work out why I felt a bit odd though. I quite liked the Tate Modern building – an old power station was converted to a gallery. They kept the chimney stack and the huge turbine room has been kept as a large space.
I have never tried to understand ‘modern art’ apart from the odd painting. There were a few Picassos that were OK but not that I would not want to put on my walls. I could not understand the rather odd themes of the different rooms ( tho I didnot try very hard - I am almost at painting saturation point) – apparently they change the themes and shuffle the paintings around quite regularly.
I walked to Waterloo railway station and wandered around looking for the bus I wanted to get on. While the map is waterproof, it is still hard to see out of glasses covered in rain. I walked around 3 sides of a rectangle by mistake but stumbled on a lovely wool shop. I went in, dripping water, the lady behind the counter said hullo and added I was allowed to touch in a friendly voice. I told here that I would be back – it was lunch time. We got talking - I said I was from Australia and we could get nice wool but.. and then she filled in .. not pattern books – just what I was going to say. They had a huge range.
I bought some nice lunch on the way home from a little shop nearby that has prepared food. I am having the afternoon off to get up to date with photos and plan my remaining days in London, besides its cold and raining outside..
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Wednesday 25th March Portsmouth
The beetroot sweet was better than nothing, certainly better than the seppia, baccala and fegato but I won’t be rushing out to buy more.
I spent quite a while today in trains , which was OK. Sometimes I find the people who make the announcements may be speaking the same language, but that doesnot mean I can understand the accent when spoken at speed. A few times today I struggled . My first train was cancelled and it was difficult for me to understand the announcements. I had to get another and be careful to get in one of the front 3 carriages because after a while the back part was going somewhere else. Coming home the train was also cancelled so I had to get one going to Brighton and change, but then there was an announcement on the train to change at a different station, then on that second train I woke up after we had been joined to another train and the sign in the train said we were now going to Bognor Regis not London Victoria . Luckily that was a mistake. Nevermind, it is the first time a train journey has been a bit muddled for me. I was a bit unsettled because I did not have a route map, not any map and did not have a picture in my head of where the different places were. ( Something about lack of control I fear)
Portsmouth was good. I had gone to catch up with 3 people. I spent several hours talking in a café to a cousin of John’s and his wife. They were well . He was recovering quickly after a recent operation to remove a tumor on a kidney. Then I spent 3 hours talking to an English friend who I met in Canberra. She had driven from her home 20minutes away to meet me. We went to a nearby little marina , had a bit of a wander but the weather was not good – blowy and cold. We had lunch, talked some more and she dropped me back at the train station.
I spent quite a while today in trains , which was OK. Sometimes I find the people who make the announcements may be speaking the same language, but that doesnot mean I can understand the accent when spoken at speed. A few times today I struggled . My first train was cancelled and it was difficult for me to understand the announcements. I had to get another and be careful to get in one of the front 3 carriages because after a while the back part was going somewhere else. Coming home the train was also cancelled so I had to get one going to Brighton and change, but then there was an announcement on the train to change at a different station, then on that second train I woke up after we had been joined to another train and the sign in the train said we were now going to Bognor Regis not London Victoria . Luckily that was a mistake. Nevermind, it is the first time a train journey has been a bit muddled for me. I was a bit unsettled because I did not have a route map, not any map and did not have a picture in my head of where the different places were. ( Something about lack of control I fear)
Portsmouth was good. I had gone to catch up with 3 people. I spent several hours talking in a café to a cousin of John’s and his wife. They were well . He was recovering quickly after a recent operation to remove a tumor on a kidney. Then I spent 3 hours talking to an English friend who I met in Canberra. She had driven from her home 20minutes away to meet me. We went to a nearby little marina , had a bit of a wander but the weather was not good – blowy and cold. We had lunch, talked some more and she dropped me back at the train station.
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