12 June 2016

At last we did what we came to do in London ! With all of H’s worldly  possessions in as many luggages, we got up a bus at Tottenham Rd. It cut the puffing and pushing of the luggages to Arlington Rd by more than half.

We mowed the grass and cleaned the kitchen as much as we could. Then we left H to settle down with her friends as we set off for our me-time.

Pat and I seeked out the wall of London, a place I never knew existed until this trip. It was near the Barbican but not quite. We got lost and walked round and round in circles getting to the place.

The walls was a small section of attraction but very pretty, red brick among green grass. After a meal at Pret, we checked out almost every exhibit in the Museum of London. I enjoyed it and found the exhibits well documented and curated. It was definitely one of the more enlightening moments in this trip.

Museum outings can be hard work and we hung around the café until almost closing.  Then it was back to Maple Street and some packing. Tomorrow we are bound for Scotland with a new travelling companion. Around this time, LH would be flying off from Singapore so that we could meet up at Inverness for a special trip.

Meet me at Isle of Isle with our new companion here.

11 June 2016 Church !

H brought us to All Souls where it had welcomed her the last 10 months. I could see that H is very fond of the church by her involvement in its bible study group. Steven and Peace recognized us and we were thrilled that we were remembered after a single acquaintance.

For going to church , we had a discounted burger lunch next door. Of course I was very pleased.

H had church activities and evening music duties, so we made off to Greenwich by ourselves.By now, it felt like a mini honeymoon which just both of us touring, eating and shopping in London. It was a long commute to Greenwich and a even longer walk up the hill to the Observatory. The view down east London was breathtaking even in the cold weather.

I was reluctant to pay for entering the Observatory for the upteen time and so lounged around a café near the planetarium. I would have gone in to take alook but it was nearing closing and it not make sense to spend money rushing through the exhibits for 1 hour.

The walk downhill was challenging for my knees but we made it eventually. I suggested a bus ride home to while off time since H will be ‘home’ late too.

Sunday has come and gone. It will be a brand new week with much things to do.

10 June 2016 Trooping the Color

It’s the Queen’s official birthday. Acutally, she has 2 birthdays, the one in June being a time to celebrate with the nation. It was one of those events where the British are united together and monies are raised in the Queen’s honor for charity. Not to mention, the amount of tourist dollars earned from tourists coming to London to catch a glimpse of the Queen, the prince and princesses.

H gave the event a wide berth so it was down to 2 of us again. We went late to St James park and couldn’t secure a vantage spot in front of Buckingham Palace. After waiting for 2 hours among very tall people, I was totally devasted to realize that the Queen had passed me by. Had it not been for Pat who showed me the lady in neon green, I would have demanded to wait forever.

Totally disgusted with my folly and waste of time, we left and headed to National Gallery where I knew the washroom would be available. We enjoyed the people at Trafalgar Square and then took a bus to Nottinghill.

On the way at Marble Arch, we saw the flypast from the top of the double decker. It was a good 3 odd hour since we first went to The Mall and by then I was not very interested in the whole Birthday thing.

We had a very lovely meal in a little Italian café and then walked the not-so-fantastic touristy Portebello market. My only memory was that of patting a horse on official standby duty with a police. It was good natured and tourists queued to touch the gentle creature.

It was a train ride back to Maple Street. We did not do much apart from waiting and it tired us to the core.

9 June 2016 Olympic Park

H spent the night with us, updating us on the events of that year. It was another good day for an outing and she joined us at Stratford Olympic Park. The place was huge and sparse, dotted with kids from kindies on their summer outing with their teachers. I had totally missed that Olympics when it was hosted by London so the place made no impression on me.

Back at the mall and after so-so mall food, we sent H off with a pair of Clarks shoes. She headed back to the bank where her friends were waiting while Pat and I headed along the navigation canal northwards. Shortly after that, we walked along the Jubilee footpath thick with flying dandelions. Pat had taken Clarityme earlier and was spared the sneezing.

Boat people stayed in boat houses and some parts wasn’t pretty. After an hour or so, we came to a Jewish enclave beside the river. We ended the walk at Marksfield Park , cut across the field and headed to the nearest train station miles away. It wasn’t the prettiest place in London and train service was down. Pat and I had our first experience taking a bus back from Tottenham Hale to London. It was a slow ride which added an hour to our 5 hour outing.

H could not stay for the night and it was us again. I was beginning to think the idea of getting a 2 roomer was a waste but on the other hand, it meant H could come back anytime to crash with us.