Or, Say hello to Patsy part 2…..
Right, it’s Thursday morning and another fine day in Crystal palace, so lets get you caught up on what’s being happening.
Monday was, as I said a day of relaxing but also getting in to a routine. After breakfast I check the water, waste and loo for emptying or refilling as required. A quick go over with the carpets with the hand held Hoover and that’s the days chores completed – all in about 15 minutes. Not much else to report apart from some great weather, clear blue skies and just warm enough to sit out in the sun.
Tuesday, and our first trip in to ‘town’ i.e. central London. The boys had invited us to the Liberal Club in Whitehall Place for afternoon tea, so soon after one pm, suited and booted we gathered and left for the bus. It felt a little odd, strolling through a caravan park done up like dogs dinners whilst all around were in shorts and t-shirts. I have to report at this juncture that my suit was grey, not black, showing yet again just how colourful my wardrobe is….
We caught the number three bus just down the road, then, winding down past Gipsy Hill (how appropriate!), Dulwich, past Brockwell park and through Brixton. The bus crossed at Lambeth bridge and we got off at the end of Whitehall, the bus continuing on to Oxford Circus.
We thought about doing a play or a show whilst in London, and checked out a ticket agent just by the bus stop. We had selected a show and was just about to pay for them when their system went down. We waited and waited but eventually gave up.
With time to spare we decided to try another of the many ticket offices around Leicester Square. The ‘agent’ turned out to be nothing more than a tout in a booth with a few posters and a laptop. Notes were swiftly returned to wallets and we headed off to the Liberal Club for our date with Earl Grey.
The club is just what you would expect of an old gentlemen's club although women are welcome to of course. High ceilings, dark leather and wood and exquisite decoration. Casual lounges and more formal dining rooms are stunning but the highlight is the terrace overlooking the Embankment and the Thames – the London Eye is just opposite.
Tea was delightful, although we all chose the more robust English Breakfast over the delicate Earl Grey, Crustless dainty sandwiches, pastries and scones with jam and clotted cream provided superb calorie laden accompaniment.
We adjourned to the bar for a a couple of liveners, having a quick chat with another of the members who very kindly bought us all a drink and was fascinated to hear of our plans for touring Europe.
Soon it was time to head to Covent Garden to meet up with some more friends – Ash & Stu and we had a pleasant couple of hours with them – over a few beers of course.
All that beer and gassing had brought on the munchies so we headed over to Soho, to Ed’s – an American style diner where we devoured delicious burgers and chips.
Final port of call was Comptons, a stalwart of the Soho ‘Scene’. They had somehow managed to run out of both real ales so the beer drinkers settled for Guinness. The security/ bouncer geezer made all our nights by asking for for I.d’s to provide were were old enough…
The journey home on the bus was a lot quicker, depositing us just a sort walk from the site entrance a little after 12:30am. It has been a really good day.
Wednesday – and the hottest day of the year so far. After the excesses of the previous evening nothing less than a full English breakfast would do – and Trev duly provided – the first cooked breakfast in Patsy. It was delicious. The gentle breeze which had been keeping the temperature below twenty had gone. After breakfast and the usual daily chores we had a great morning sunbathing and chinwagging.
In the afternoon we decided to go and have a look at the Olympic Park over in East London. I had lounged about in scruffs all morning but got changed - back to black of course; jeans, shirt and boots – just the thing for a hot sunny day!
A bit of a journey this one – number three bus to Whitehall, change to the number eleven that goes past St Pauls. get off at Bank and get on the Dockland Light Railway to Stratford changing once at Canning Town.
It is impressive, no doubt about it although it’s difficult to get an overview from ground level. The work that has gone into improving the transport links are evident with a massive multi-modal transport hub that will be dealing with thousands of visitors in a few months time. It is looking good.
We returned early evening via a different route – back on the DLR to Shadwell then on the London Overground back to Crystal Palace. The steep climb up from the station necessitated a stop at a pub for a burger and a pint.
Right, back to today (Thursday). At the time of typing Chef Trev is preparing some bacon sarnies for lunch, then the four of us are heading in to town, to Camden, then later on Piccadilly for ‘The 39 Steps’
I have to say that although we may have been spoilt by some great weather, I could really get used to this!
