New York scenes

I don't know why, it's just there.
I forebore to include photos of the large (2 metre), inflated r--ts that are anchored around the streets as some viewers have rodentophobic views.

Oskar getting tired, as is Jen.

An anonymous skyscraper.

In the subway.

On 5th Avenue

We went on the Staten Island ferry on a grey and drizzling day.

On the ferry, approaching a cloud-bound New York.

New York #1`

One of the 3 million yellow cabs in NY

and the lovely boys watching American TV

From our apartment balcony, looking up Madison Avenue .......

.... and across Madison Ave. .........

.... and down Madison Ave.

The good news is that the Americans don't have a ground floor - they call it the 1st floor. The bad news is that, even considering this, the apartment is on the 5th floor, and there is no lift!

Cathy's Birthday Part 3 and beyond

We walked off the High Tea wandering through Mayfair. some of the sights were:

(Newton's house, not me)

Cathy picked this one.

Cathy in Piccadilly

..and finally on the tube on the way to the theatre. Tony shouted us all tickets to see Cause Celebreb at the Old Vic, but strangely they wouldn't let us photograph the performance.

Sunday morning at Heathrow, inspecting our plane. It looked OK but as soon as we got on, they had problems getting one of the luggage containers fixed. Half an hour later (and late) we pushed back, taxied to the end of the runway, began to roll and then TURNED OFF THE BLOODY RUNWAY. The pilot said 'a minor technical hitch' (well, what would he say!) and an hour later, and well down on fuel, I would imagine, we .......

...... took off for the U.S. I remained totally calm throughout, and only screamed every 10 minutes or so.

Cathy's Birthday Part 2

Berkeley Square

And some film star outside brown's Hotel

Inside Brown's Hotel,

and having high tea, compliments of Claire and John

Floral arrangements in the hotel.

Shopping in Regent Street.

Cathy's birthday Part I

Brunch at Moomba - yes, the Aboriginal word meaning 'welcome'. In this case, welcome to a lovely restaurant just off Putney High Street.

These are NOT birthday flowers, but they were placed quite near to Cathy, so I think we might take credit for them.

While the girls went into Town shopping, John & I cycled up the Thames to The White Hart, and then like the good old Duke of York .....

Cathy took a photo of this interesting building. After all, it was her birthday.

Cathy and Claire in the foyer of the Lanesborough Hotel .... just passing

.... and near Marble Arch. Don't know if that's Tyburn Tree on the left.

A visit to the Country

Off to Wokingham on a beautiful day to spend some time with Susie and Andy. The next two photos are of Andy's immaculate back garden, which grows rhubarb, new potatoes, broad beans, beetroot, raspberries, melons, and much more. He admits they only glow in the dark 'a little bit'.

Lovely old Lupi

... and not so (old) Susie and Andy

After a game of golf (the golfers among you have already been told of my performance), back to Mayfield Mansions. This is the back gate.

And this is the croquet lawn (or so we're trying to convince Claire and John)

Out and About

On the way to the Tower, the bus went past the Bank of England - the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street. Sadly now a restaurant and bar although a connection remains - you need to own the Bank of England to afford to drink there!

It wasn't getting any lighter, so photos of the Tower (like the aforementioned Bank) are a bit gloomy.

The White Tower. The fierce looking beefeater wouldn't let us take photos of the actual ceremony of the Keys.

The famous Ikea book Tower of Putney.

No, not a chopping block - that would be going to far with the tower analogy. In fact the new Ikea workbench at Claire and John's place.