An Antarctic adventure in London - courtesy of the Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum

The Museum

The NHM - true temple of nature

Tony stands patiently outside

Tony and I realised early on in our London life that if we weren't careful, we'd leave here to go home to Australia in a few years having seen lots of things outside of London - and nothing in it. Weekends were quickly being swallowed by domestic stuff and lazy breakfasts on our rooftop. So, after yet another Saturday morning cleaning and shopping, we dragged ourselves out of the house on a sunny Saturday morning and set out to start ticking off some London tourist destinations. We had already achieved the Tower of London when Kate and Cam were here, and St Paul's when our dear friend Liz came to visit recently (I feel we will accomplish quite a few courtesy of having guests) - but none on our own. 

We had heard that the Natural History Museum was showing an exhibition on Scott's expedition to the South Pole which we were keen to see - and the museum's permanent collection is free - so we thought it was worthwhile heading over for even just a few hours. 

Dog flanked by fish

Dog flanked by lizards

Pelican/pterodactyl - flanked by leaves

The NHM - built in the height of the Victorian era's fascination with science, is a 'true temple of nature' - designed from the ground up with flora and fauna in mind. Like gargoyles on a church, the pillars and drains of the NHM are decorated with beautifully carved animals - both as the prominent features, and as the flanking decoration. My favourites from the outside are below - Tony stood very patiently while I took lots of photos. In particular I love the dogs flanked by lizards and fish - and the one below where I can't work out if it is a modern day pelican or a relic of the dinosaur age.

Inside the tribute to the natural world continues with vaulted ceilings and panels - each bearing a different type of plant lovingly represented on the ceiling.  The gilt pears and apples were really too high up to really appreciate - or reach.

The Scott Exhibition

The Natural History Museum currently has an exhibition on the Scott Exhibition to the South Pole - the one where he made it to the Pole - but was not the first, and died on the return journey. Not the most uplifting subject for an exhibition - but certainly fascinating. 

Tony has just finished reading Kim Stanley Robinson's Antarctica aloud to me - which has been such a treat. Its not a small novel and it has taken us the best part of 6 months - picking away at it with sometimes weeks between chapters. KSR wrote the book for the most part as an excuse to write about the history of antarctic expeditions - and one of the main characters in the book leads tour expeditions that recreate the journeys of the explorers - some of them in their amazingly inadequate gear. The concept of doing this is probably more crazy than that of the explorers setting out the first time.

The Cape Evans Hut

So armed with our knowledge of Antarctica courtesy of KSR, we were excited to go and see the exhibit of the famous and fateful trip. The curator had decided to focus much of the exhibition not on the trekking across to the Pole - but on the lives the men lead whilst at the Pole. The artifacts - which included original provisions, gear, diaries, scientific specimens - was set up in a replica of the Cape Evans Hut that the team built on their arrival. In this hut, lined with boxes of provisions, the men slept in bunks side by side for years whilst planning and preparing for the trek to the Pole itself. 

Inside the Cape Evans Hut 

The hut itself still stands in Antarctica - with many of the original provisions and pieces of gear as the team left them. It has been preserved as a national heritage site - and it takes a long time for anything to rot in the Antarctic.

Walking around the exhibition - with lines on the floor marking out where the men's bunks were, where they ate, where Scott wrote his diaries, the most striking thing was the space dedicated in this tiny hut to science. There was a desk for biology another for geology etc. The team collected thousands of specimens that had to be examined on the spot or preserved for the long journey home to England. The also risked their lives on little side expeditions to collect specimens - in one journey called 'the worst journey in the world', the men nearly died in a storm on an expedition to collect penguin eggs. In another case, a group had been sent for the 'summer' to a separate camp to collect specimens and readings and were to return to the Cape Evans Hut for winter. They didn't make it back in time - and so wintered in a snow cave, warmed only by burning seal blubber - I'm assuming they ate the seals too. When they were finally rescued they were coated in black sludge from the burned seal blubber... I can't imagine how they didn't go mad.

The lost team covered in blubber

There was of course a large part of the exhibition dedicated to the trek to the Pole itself. The trek was a bit of a race - with the Norwegian explorer Amundsen setting off at the same time, using dogs to pull sleds, and Scott's team - who were pulling the sleds themselves. Amundsen planned to use the dogs not only to pull them along - but also to eat on the way. Scott's team - pulling their own supplies, had to be careful with weight, gear and food. They had done some preparation trips - setting up food depots along the proposed route to feed them on the way back.

The second team to the Pole. 

Amundsen's team were the first to the Pole - and made it back alive. They didn't have an easy time of it - and in fact Amundsen wrote a letter to Scott that he left at the Pole saying that he wasn't sure they would make it back alive. Scott's team - when they finally made it to the Pole around a month after Amundsen's team - found that they were second. They were crushed - and looks on their faces in the photo at the pole say it all. None of them made it back alive. Scott wrote a number of letters - and kept his diary to the last day. They were found by the team that came searching for them several months later. Many of them were on display in the exhibition - this final letter to the public being one of the most moving - mostly because even in the days before their death - they remained so forthrightly English.


Message to the Public

The causes of the disaster are not due to faulty organisation, but to misfortune in all risks which had to be undertaken.

1. The loss of pony transport in March 1911 obliged me to start later than I had intended, and obliged the limits of stuff transported to be narrowed.

2. The weather throughout the outward journey, and especially the long gale in 83° S., stopped us.

3. The soft snow in lower reaches of glacier again reduced pace.

We fought these untoward events with a will and conquered, but it cut into our provision reserve.

Every detail of our food supplies, clothing and depots made on the interior ice-sheet and over that long stretch of 700 miles to the Pole and back, worked out to perfection. The advance party would have returned to the glacier in fine form and with surplus of food, but for the astonishing failure of the man whom we had least expected to fail. Edgar Evans was thought the strongest man of the party.

The Beardmore Glacier is not difficult in fine weather, but on our return we did not get a single completely fine day; this with a sick companion enormously increased our anxieties.

As I have said elsewhere we got into frightfully rough ice and Edgar Evans received a concussion of the brain--he died a natural death, but left us a shaken party with the season unduly advanced.

But all the facts above enumerated were as nothing to the surprise which awaited us on the Barrier. I maintain that our arrangements for returning were quite adequate, and that no one in the world would have expected the temperatures and surfaces which we encountered at this time of the year. On the summit in lat. 85° 86° we had -20°, -30°. On the Barrier in lat. 82°, 10,000 feet lower, we had -30° in the day, -47° at night pretty regularly, with continuous head wind during our day marches. It is clear that these circumstances come on very suddenly, and our wreck is certainly due to this sudden advent of severe weather, which does not seem to have any satisfactory cause. I do not think human beings ever came through such a month as we have come through, and we should have got through in spite of the weather but for the sickening of a second companion, Captain Oates, and a shortage of fuel in our depots for which I cannot account, and finally, but for the storm which has fallen on us within 11 miles of the depot at which we hoped to secure our final supplies. Surely misfortune could scarcely have exceeded this last blow. We arrived within 11 miles of our old One Ton Camp with fuel for one last meal and food for two days. For four days we have been unable to leave the tent--the gale howling about us. We are weak, writing is difficult, but for my own sake I do not regret this journey, which has shown that Englishmen can endure hardships, help one another, and meet death with as great a fortitude as ever in the past. We took risks, we knew we took them; things have come out against us, and therefore we have no cause for complaint, but bow to the will of Providence, determined still to do our best to the last. But if we have been willing to give our lives to this enterprise, which is for the honour of our country, I appeal to our countrymen to see that those who depend on us are properly cared for.

Had we lived, I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood, endurance, and courage of my companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman. These rough notes and our dead bodies must tell the tale, but surely, surely, a great rich country like ours will see that those who are dependent on us are properly provided for.

R. SCOTT.

All in all we left not exactly uplifted - but filled with a sense of wonder at what these men achieved - and a sense that they must have been more than a little crazy to attempt it in the first place. 

Pro-wrestling - Mexican and Burlesque style.

Luche Britannia - Mexican wrestling with Burlesque interludes

This blog is a little out of sequence - partly because I hadn't started the blog when we first went to see Luche - and partly because the weekend we went for the second time was also the weekend of the trip to the Tower of London and Portobello Road - so there was already too much to write about for one post. Also - the Luche experience deserves a post all of its own. 

Luche Britannia is pro-wrestling - mexican style. All of my friends and family will think immediately - what on earth is Annie doing going to pre-wrestling - let alone loving it. 

The first time we went it was at the suggestion of Tony's mate Collo. Collo is one of those guys who always knows what 'the thing' of the moment is to do - and in May in East London - that thing was  - and still is - a night at Luche Britannia. 

We rocked up at 9.30 on a Friday night to an unmarked door down a lane way. On the inside - past a 1950s pin up look-alike girl on the door, we made our way into a large room filled with people and a boxing ring. The music playing was hits from the 50s and 60s, and the girls were all dressed accordingly - think red gingham kerchief with high waisted shorts and bangs. I wished I was dressed like them - so glam. 

The MC came out to rev up the crowd - bringing with him two gorgeous girls in blue and red lycra corsets - sexy as anything - but stylish at the same time.  The MC himself was my favourite part about the whole night - he called all of the fights - but mostly he was hilarious.

The fights - all stage crafted and choreographed - were involved really amazing acts of strength and acrobatics. The crowd chose favourites and cheered them on - for example the 'Piranha' fighter incited the call 'squish the fish' - we all joined in. Tony was particularly vocal.

The fights were in disbursed with burlesque strip performances to the delight of the boys and the genuine fascination of the girls. One of the burlesque acts involved a woman drinking wax from burning candles and pouring it over her (mostly) naked body. Confronting - but interesting.

The soundtrack and vibe to the whole night was excellent - so much so that I insisted Kate and Cam come along the next month for the next show. The whole thing is put on by a group who are learning how to be pro wrestlers - and some who are well and truly qualified - and who exhibit their latest choreography once a month to their friends, fellow students and the pubic who are happy to pay a small fee for the pleasure.

Portobello Road and theTower of London

Portobello Road

The next Beatles?

Portobello Road has been on my London 'must do' lists since I was small.  One of my favourite childhood movies - Bed knobs and Broomsticks - had a scene where the characters wandered Portobello Road and its 'riches of ages'. When we visited in 1998 we were only in London during the week (the Market is only open Saturdays) and so didn't get the opportunity to see it for ourselves. Thus, a childhood dream to wander the stalls and get lost in antiques had to wait until my late 20s.

Portobello Road

We had made our first visit on Tony's birthday in May - exploring all of the winding galleries that go in one shop and come out in another lane - or sometimes 2 shops down. We purchased some old advertisements to decorate our bare walls - and some luscious silk scarves (it was still really cold). We both enjoyed it - but had no money so felt we couldn't really engage in a serious way - window shopping is only interesting for so long.

Kate in the bustle of Portobello Road

With my sister Kate in town for a visit I decided we should do a girls trip to explore it again. The boys (Kate's husband Cam and Tony) were not interested in the slightest - and instead spent the morning in the closest pub showing the Rugby in Australia (some Wales v Australia game).

I think Portobello is one of those markets that never gets old, and in fact gets better the more you go. There is simply so much to see that you are overwhelmed by the time you're only 1/3 of the way down. I took in far more on the second visit.

On our way in we passed a group of handsome boys playing Beatles covers in amongst their own stuff - and drawing a crowd. Kate picked up an interesting gold and turquoise bracelet for ￡20 in the first shop we went into - whilst I made a mental note to come back to do my Christmas shopping there this year.

Stag buttons from the 1880s

You can find anything you are after in the long street of stalls. My favourites so far are a shop that sells Harris Tweed (we picked up a new cap for Dad), a shop that sells old prints and maps (we came out with a Cecile Alden print of a dog for Mum) and a shop that sells buttons. So many buttons. The vintage cape I wrote about in Columbia Road Flower Market lost a button the very afternoon I got it home. I was very sad - and knew I'd have to replace all 5 of the lovely gold buttons because I would never find one to match. When I stumbled upon the button shop I was overwhelmed by choice - so many vintage buttons that could go on my vintage cape! I was sorely tempted by ones with a little soldier on them (but at ￡10 each I felt losing a button would become a costly exercise - especially having to replace all 5 each time). My second favourite were ones with a Stag, holding a branch in his mouth. They are solid - and quite heavy - and according to the little man at the shop - made in 1880. I am looking forward to sewing them all onto my cape.

The map and print shop is really quite amazing. It has maps (actual maps - not reproductions) of maps drawn in the 1400s - that don't have Australia on them at all, maps from the 1600s showing mangled versions of what the 'great southern land' must have looked like based on the glimpses of various explorers - and maps of early Australia - marked as 'new holland' and maps of early explorer's Australia - a large empty space only mapped up the rivers as far as the expeditions could make it. It feels like a journey back in time to flip through these maps - and I have a mind to collect a few to bring home.

Tower of London

The different phases of the Tower

I have just finished reading Bring up the Bodies - the sequel to Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall - both novels providing a fictional account of Thomas Cromwell, Master Secretary to Henry VIII during the Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boylen and Jane Seymour period. So many characters spent time in the Tower of London I was keen to go visit again with fresh eyes and perspective on this historical site.

Part of the defences - Lions

The Tower of London has had a varies life - from a lived in castle and  royal home to prison to storehouse - people and things were sent there to keep them safe, it was used for ceremonial purposes (Anne Boylen was housed there in the lead up to her coronation) and of course its most well known purpose as a gaol.

Once there was a moat - then they grew vegetables. 

What fascinated me was how the buildings had changed over the years to suit the current purpose. In its days as a stronghold it had all the defences expected of a medieval castle - complete with moat, siege weapons - and even lions used to guard the gates. I think my favourite facts of the whole day was how the moat's purpose changed.

The Tower of London moat vege garden

Other defences - Trebuchet

When it was a functional castle, the moat served as the standard defences - but also smelled really bad as all of the Tower's waste was simply emptied out over the walls and out the windows into the water below. At one stage there was a polar bear (given to the Tower as a gift to the Queen) kept chained to the wall - with enough length so that it could go for a swim in the moat (yuck). During WWII, and long after the moat had been drained, they used the lush grassy flat to grow vegetables!

Traitor's Gate

The Tower was only actually threatened directly by England's own citizens - it never faced foreign threats - so the defences were never really put to the test. The only ones to ever breach the walls were a rabble of peasants. Oh well - it all looked very impressive and certainly deterred people.

In fact it seems that the Tower really was only used against its own people - imprisoning them for 'treason', be that difference of religious beliefs, inconveniently refusing to stand aside as queen to allow your king husband to take a new wife, or simply falling out of favour. It was fascinating to walk the towers where notable 'guests' had been held - often for years at a time - seeing the graffiti they had left behind.

One of the most interesting parts was the 'Traitor's Gate'. This water gate opened onto the Thames, and was how prisoners were brought into the Tower. Anne Boleyn was brought into the Tower through this gate in a small boat. It conveniently avoided any protesters, peasants or other rabble intervening. 

Henry VIII's Armour - a young Henry

The White Tower - the central 'castle' in the Tower of London holds a fascinating collection of armour - tracing the history of the armour of the Kings of England - and their knights and soldiers. Armour was not just for battle - much of the armour we saw was for jousting or just made in celebration. The suit to the left is was made for Henry VIII just after his wedding to Katherine of Aragon. H&K are worked into the hem of the 'skirt'. Off his horse this armour must have been pretty impractical - the skirt stuck out some distance from the body (and was completely rigid). If used in battle, once unhorsed, you'd have small chance of keeping your feet. I guess that's not something you really need to worry about as a king - so your armour can be impractical - and beautiful. 

Craft Beers

We dragged our tired feet from the Tower in search of craft beers to celebrate Kate's husband Cam's 30th. We found what we were looking for at the Craft Beer Co - a small pub with 32 beers on tap. We worked our way (1/2 pint at time) from one end to the other. We have really been enjoying discovering all of the boutique ales and lagers available in the UK. Having so many to try in one place took the effort out of seeking them out - but didn't diminish the fun out of the tasting. Even with each of us sharing our halves, having a sip or two of each beer was enough for all of us to roll happily out of there, via dinner, to home.

6 of the 32 beers at the Craft Beer Co

A Jubilee

A Jubilee

The truly British way to celebrate the Queen's 60 year reign - with rain. 

A rooftop BBQ

I"m slowly catching up to the present weekend - but this instalment fills in the 4 day long weekend we had for the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations.

The weekend before had been gloriously sunny - and all Londoners were outside enjoying it. The jubilee weekend was not. It was 4 days of miserable cold and wet - but really - if it had been sunny it wouldn't have been a truly British celebration.

We had - inspired by the previous weekend's glorious sun - bought a BBQ and invited the few people we know here around for dinner. This included Caitlin who used to work as a journalist at Parliament House with Tony, an ex-housemate of Tony's (Jonno) and his wife Emily. To go with our BBQ we had also bought an outdoor table and chairs. Both came from Argos - a revolution in shopping as far as I am concerned. The way Argos works is you go into their shop and look at their catalogue - they don't have anything really on display in their shops - they are basically a warehouse with a small customer facing bit - and an extremely efficient pick and pack system. You pick the items out of the catalogue, write down the numbers on a little docket, take it to the counter. After about 5 minutes you order is ready for collection. Most things come in plain brown boxes - no real branding or fancy photos on the outside. I think this all means that they can sell things cheaper - and they do. The BBQ (weber style) and outdoor setting totalled about ￡120.  We had discovered Argos the week before by actually going down to the shop and struggling home with our purchases on the bus. Then we realised - if all we're going to do is look at a catalogue - we might as well do it online - and given we don't have a car here - get it delivered! So this time I put in an order on the Thursday - and it arrived THE NEXT DAY - in time for us to have our BBQ on the Saturday. Amazing.

So we had gone to our fabulous local shops for all the bits we needed for the BBQ.  The butcher - Godferys has the most amazing range of quality meat - we are really spoiled. I particularly love their fresh stock - chicken and beef - which saves me from having to make my own - or carry litres of it home on the bus (I used the chicken to make delicious rustic chicken soup with barley the other day). We are also spoiled by a delightful Italian delicatessen called 'Di Mario' and my favourite of all - La Fromagerie. The cheese room at La Fromagerie is twice the size of any of the ones I had found in Australia - and the staff are lovely. I go in at least once a week and ask them what is eating well. They offer you a taste of the things they suggest before you pick - which really helps in putting together a well balanced cheese plate. They also have a great range of handcrafted breads and 'bits' - duck rillets, caper berries, olives, cornichon, chorizo and smoked salmon. Their cake range also looks delicious - but with the egg allergy all I can do is look and admire. Tony is always very restrained when we go in - he doesn't generally buy anything that I can't eat.

One of the things I have enjoyed the most is getting Tony into the cheese as well. He has long been a cheese eater - but has never really engaged with the process - or the variety available. The cheese here (even the basic ￡1.25 rounds from Sainsburys) is so much better than the cheese available in Australia we have really been opening our eyes (and mouths) and trying some interesting things. At first Tony refused to come into the cheese room - leaving me to do all the tasting and deciding. He now comes in, jokes with the staff, and gets involved in the tasting - and is becoming quite decided about the subtleties of the cheese and what he likes and dislikes. I can't wait til we actually to France! We have a trip planned to Paris in 2 weeks and I can't wait!

Loaded up with fresh produce we walked the block home to prepare it all. The weather had turned pretty nasty - and the christening of our BBQ was not looking like it would happen. The wind got up and it was cold! After all that effort we ended up cooking the BBQ in coats, scarves and gloves (outfitting our guests as they arrived as well) and scurrying inside as soon as it was cooked. However - mission accomplished - our first BBQ in the UK. 

A Garden Party indoors

The garden party invitation

 The bad weather continued to Monday when Julian and Sarah had invited us to a garden party. They live on a square with a locked, walled garden (think Notting Hill - the movie) to which they have a key. Sarah had sent out a very enticing invitation (all photos in this section are courtesy of her) and we were hoping for at least a few hours of sun to enjoy the garden.

Sarah had really gone all out in preparing the food - there were jellies, ribbon sandwiches, chicken drumsticks, cupcakes, scones, a sponge - you name it. She had also prepared jugs of Pimms and there were buckets of cider and beers. We were set.

It was a small party in the end - about 10 of us - crowded into their little flat (the same one we had stayed in when we first arrived). Not only was the weather pretty awful - but their key to the garden wasn't working!

The feast Sarah prepared

 We ended up turning it into a rooftop party - scurrying up every time the sun shone - and then hurrying back inside when the showers re-appeared.

The party - on the roof. 

The Jubilee - how the rest of London celebrated

The rest of the London were far more active than us over the 4 days - despite the weather. The Sunday involved the Queen's flotilla down the Thames - with the royal family braving the wind and rain to staunchly stand and wave to the masses the whole way down the river.

The crowds

The tube

The merc

The crowds had turn out - their spirits not to be dampened. I have borrowed these photos from Sarah. She and Julian ventured into the city to see the celebration - but didn't last very long. The streets and tube stations were like carparks - no one moving - didn't bode well for the Olympic crowds to come.

I have to admit - I am glad the Jubilee is over - the merchandise produced for the Jubilee - and decorating the front windows of every shop - was a little twee. I was pleased to see the city return (mostly) to normal - with only a little bit of bunting remaining here and there - not surprising given the Euro 2012 and the Olympics to come.

Next instalment - the Tower of London, Mexican Pro-wrestling and Ascot!

Columbia Road Flower Market

Columbia Road Flower Market and the delight of English pubs

The most Hipster and Melbourne thing we've done since we arrived

Forbidden flowers

One of the first markets I hear about when I got to London was the Columbia Road flower market. Once a week a street in East London is turned into something straight out of My Fair Lady - minus Audrey Hepburn. Men shout at you from both sides 'a fiver a bunch' as they thrust bouquets of blooms at you. About a third of the market is made up of potted plants - herbs, trees, shrubs - you name it. The rest are cut flowers for next to nothing. I have made a rule - i'm not allowed to buy flowers that I can get easily in Australia. This basically means no lillium, warratahs or plain roses. What is allowed however is peonies in every colour you can imagine and beautiful hyacinths. My grandmother used to have bushes of it at her house in Canberra - but only in blue and purple and I don't ever remember it being cut and in vases in the house.

Flowers at the market

At Columbia Road however they come in every colour - beautiful and bushy - at the same time as the individual blooms in each head being delicate and soft.

The flowers that took my fancy this visit however war the peonies - beautiful colours all bunched together. Tony - the gentleman he is - bought me a mixed bunch wrapped in brown paper. What more could a girl ask for really.

My peonies

Sadly I learned in the following week that the reason they were going so cheap is that they were really at the end of their life. They didn't last more than 5 days.

At the end of the flower market is a collection of little shops serving breakfast on the street. Literally. Not on tables - but in the form of a coffee and a pastry to eat whilst sitting on the curb. One place was also selling bloody marys (the hair of the dog for some on a Sunday).

We grabbed a coffee from a bustling shop that was once a stable - and wandered back through East London to do a bit of vintage shopping.

The kerbside breakfast

Vintage in the East

East London is really where the best vintage is in London. Everywhere else is expensive however in the east you can still find proper bargains on real vintage - not retro - vintage. Tony picked up a brown tweed jacket for £20 and I found a lovely short brown cape lined in orange silk form the 1950s for £45. It will be perfect for wearing mid season with slacks and something warm underneath.

Backgammon at the Highbury Tavern

On our way out of this particular vintage shop we were accosted by some protesters (who I have to admit we had dodged on the way in). At first we couldn't work out what they were protesting against - they had something about dead animals - and so strode into the shop. On the way out we were met by shouts of 'fashion over morals - nice one' but the protestors and it dawned on us what they were on about. It seems they object to people wearing animal fur. I understand this objection and I too object to people slaughtering animals for their turn. However I wasn't sure what good their protest was going to to for the vintage fur on sale at this shop. Evidently the protesters felt strongly enough about the issue that even wearing vintage fur was a crime. I'm not sure I agree - I love my grandmother's vintage furs - but would never buy or support new fur - and so can't see how a shop promoting the recycling and reusing of vintage furs - amongst a huge selection of other vintage and recycled clothing. I replied to the retort with a throw away line of 'no - we don't support fashion over morals - we support recycled clothing' - however I think it was lost on them.

English Pubs - boardgames and football

The only game I can ever win against him it seems

We finished up our hipster Sunday at our local. Highbury Tavern is a lovely independent low ceiling'd pub with great food (using the local butcher and green grocer's produce). There seems to be a blight on English pubs being taken over by chains offering a standard menu offering - bland and stodgy. Highbury Tavern is thankfully not one of these and we have happily eaten our way through the menu a couple of times by now. It also has boardgames for whiling away long afternoons. We chose backgammon and settled in with a pint each. Like any pub game it was missing half the pieces which we substituted with 5p pieces - being the smallest.  

It seems this is one of the few games I can beat Tony at - and we spent a happy few hours playing whilst keeping an eye on the football (Euro 2012) match. I look forward to many more cosy afternoons in pubs with a fire in the winter. 

White swans, Palaces and Parks 

Wandering through Hyde Park in the middle of the London Marathon

On our first weekend - before I started work - we though we had better tick at least one of the tourist activities off our list. Julian and Sarah's flat - where we were staying for our first 10 days - is about 10 minutes walk from Kensington Gardens - and Kensington Palace - currently famous for being the residence of Kate and Wills - or so says the Daily Mail - source of all truth.

Kensington Gardens

Hyde Park ponds 

 If you walk from the top end of Kensington Gardens you can walk all the way through to Hyde Park and beyond to Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. This is exactly the route we took - winding our way along pretty paths lined with trees just recognising it was spring and sprouting.

The parks are full of dogs - all running around off the leash with their owners casually following behind. England seems to have a completely different attitude to dogs than Australia. People live with dogs in flats you wouldn't consider keeping animals in in Australia - and they escape to the Parks to stretch their legs - both the owners and the dogs.
Its not like Paris where dogs sit up at the table and share in cream puffs - but dogs are just an accepted part of life. I walked past a church in Dursley when we were there that had a sign out the front - 'No dogs except on a leash' - of course dogs were allowed in the church - they just had to wear their leashes.  In the pubs not only does the owners' dog wander the place - knowing all the regulars and requesting the odd scratch behind the ear - but all the patrons bring their dogs with them. To my surprise the dogs have behaved far better in the pubs than the people - they don't have one to many and get a bit rowdy - they simply ask for the odd pat - and in one case - for the (rather soggy) ball to be tossed up and down the pub between our feet.

The boys

 I remember visiting Hyde Park with mum and dad when we came through London in 1998. It was April and cold, and we defied the cross looks of the Londoners whilst playing bocce on their soft lawns. This visit was quite different. Whilst cold, the air was fresh and it felt like spring. The walk through the park was really delightful with bluebells and other flowers springing through the garden beds, people paddling little boats around the lake, and a feeling of a people who really know how to make the most of a find day outdoors. The parks run a deck chair hire business - where you don't have to own a smart stripy deck chair - or lug it from your little flat (which in our case would have been down 100 stairs and 10 minutes walk) to the park. They are provided for you and a little man comes around to ask you for your deck chair ticket. It is the outrageous price of $1.50 per hour (that's 1.50 pounds but my Australian laptop doesn't have a pound sign) - or $7 for the day. We didn't stop to sit on this trip - but it will make for an easy way to picnic on some future sunny day.

White swans

Another memory from the1998 triggered by this meander was seeing bluebells and deer in the wild for the first time. Mum and Dad had taken us for a walk somewhere in the English countryside - it could have been the Lake District but I can't remember exactly - and we has spied a patch of bluebells off the path with a deer in it. We broke the No 1 rule of walking in the UK and *gasp* left the path to get closer. We didn't get very close before a group came walking along the path behind us - catching us breaking the rules. Like good rule breakers we felt it wouldn't matter if we didn't get caught - so the whole family - all 5 of us - hid. We scattered and stood behind trees and shrubs until the walkers passed by and we could safely get back on the path and pretend we never left.

Bluebells

On this walk the bluebells were clearly visible from the path so there was no need for straying.

The marathon

It so happened that the weekend of this walk was the London marathon - it was going to be impossible to get public transport anywhere in the city - hence the long walk! We watched the runners - some in fancy dress - run the last kilometre past the glorious frontage of Buckingham Palace. 

The last leg of the marathon

From there we continued our walk to the Houses of Parliament and Westminster. I didn't realise they were so close  - my memories of London from 1998 don't include a sense of space.

We didn't go into Westminster Abbey on this visit - too hard in the midst of the marathon wending its way through the city. We did however admire the flying  buttresses (after a quick lesson on what they were for the boys) and the juxta position of the two seats of power together.

Westminster and the Houses of Parliament

The Flying Buttresses of Westminster