Twenty Four Hours In London

A few pictures from our whirlwind trip to London last weekend. En route, we stopped off in Romford to deliver birthday gifts to Auntie Peggy and Cousin Gillian. Here’s Gill with son Julian

Leaving them, we went down to London and had a fabulous evening meal [thanks Jon, for cooking] with our girls and their blokes. And delivered Steph’s birthday gift. We also collected a few things for Bob’s birthday.

Monday morning, we went off for a wander around – the Tate Pre-Raphaelites Exhibition was too expensive, the Barbican ‘Rain Room’ had a two-hour wait in the queue- so we just looked round Chinatown instead. I do love all the red paper lanterns!

We went to Brewer Street for lunch, in Ten Ten Tei, a little Japanese place [full of Japanese people eating lunch, which must prove something.] Liz advised on menu choices.

I ate Buta Shoga, which was rice, miso soup, pork in a ginger sauce and aubergines.

Bob had Tonjiru, which was a winter pork soup, with tuna on a skewer, a vegetable croquette, and rice.

Liz had Healty Branch [we suspect that is Healthy Brunch] comprising grilled mackerel, spinach, and omelette, rice, miso, a fishcake and fried tofu.

And lots of green tea and a friendly waitress

We got the bus from Regent Street to Elephant – the Christmas Lights this year are based on the Twelve Days Carol

We walked back past the Lambeth Workhouse Water Tower, which was the 100th building featured on Kevin McCloud’s ‘Grand Designs’ programme. It was a derelict, Grade II nineteenth century water tower that was built for a former workhouse and infirmary in 1877. The tower is 99ft tall with 5ft-thick walls and topped by a huge steel water tank. Now it has been completely refurbished

The shot from the road shows very little change. The picture from the back [from Radio Times] shows how they have added a lift tower and a huge glass extension. All quite amazing.

Someone is obviously concerned that Liz should keep up with her maths – this plastic wallet was on her doorstep the other morning!

But she knew that fact already. We have raised two extremely intelligent daughters.

Sadly we could stay with them no longer, and came back up the motorway to the Midlands. A lovely holiday - all finished!