June 19th

Old Putney cemetery from the 337 bus to Richmond

If Tony Q ever want to give up the beer game, there's a nice little family pub in East Sheen

London's Underground escalators are really long and steep.

I know what you're thinking.

No I don't.

Cathy in Burlington Arcade

Yes I do!!

A typical Fortnam and Mason's stairwell.

Regent Street gearing up for the Olympics.

Cathy said that this cactus display represents the 'O' in "London Olympics" (??)

Tourists!!!!

Trafalgar Square has 4 plinths (no lisping jokes, please) and 3 of them have statues of 19th century British generals on them. The 4th can be rented by interest groups - this one is obviously by the Society for the Preservation of small golden boys on Rocking Horses.

We stole this very touristy shot from one of the people on that bus.

On the way to see Antigone at the National Theatre, we saw this tree ......

.... and london's newest skyscraper, the Shard, .......

.... and  Buckingham Palace (it's through Admiralty Arch, down the Mall and behind the large golden statue)

We also saw Florence Nightingale (well, her statue, anyway). She's the one on the left.

I think these were on the wall outside Fortnum and Masons. Apparently they have a bit of pull.

 

Actually, I do ..........

June 17th

Early Sunday morning and off to Hampton Court palace on a No 85 bus. We were reminded of the No. 10 to Stanley, but there was no screaming. (perhaps Anne should explain)


Actually, the No 85 was a disappointment as it only went to Kingston, after which we had to catch the ferry.

First view of Hampton Court from the river.

We've edited out the late lunch at the pub across the road, and here we are, proceeding straight to the Palace.

 

A peaceful inner courtyard

A lurker in the peaceful inner courtyard

A garden gnome, gloomily glancing.

These trees are almost certainly the descendants of the trees that Jen gambolled, and Tony rolled, under in 1978

Cathy and yews ... no, not yous, YEWS

There was a lucky Palace door prize, and these people won! They intend to call their prize Koo Chi

One of the very few photos of Paul where he is not bandy. Good look!

And so we bid goodbye to beautiful Hampton Court. As we wandered through the palace, various actors in Tudor dress were wandering around. As we walked down one corridor, Henry VIII appeared, exactly as in the famous painting, and hurried past, surrounded by courtiers. When he reached me, he nodded and grunted 'hullo'. So there!

Having just met Henry VIII, it was amazing to come across Betty Windsor on the ferry home. She's the one in the middle.

 

June 16th

Saturday morning coffee at Moomba in Putney.

After a long lunch, time to lose some calories. Most of these were removed pumping up the tyres ....

....then a long ride through Richmond Park (having to wait for deer to cross the road). Didn't have the camera, but a deer is a deer is a  ....John and I then replaced the aforesaid calories.

This is the view from King Henry's Mound in Richmond park. If you look through the narrow gap in the trees you can see the dome of St Paul's cathedral (about 12 miles away). As St Paul's was built after Henry VIII lived, and there were no more Henrys, one wonders at the story that Henry had it built to see the view.

Sunlight (rare) in Richmond

We stumbled across a wedding and looked, but sadly, no Anne and Peter in the background.

This is the chauffeur whose Rolls nearly ran us down.

More calories at The Ship in Mortlake.

The road crew had some calories, then left in the Beamer. John and I had to finish the England-Sth Africa rugby game on the TV and then rode the last 15 km home, well and truly laden with calories.

June 15

At Mayfield Mansions at last.

 Claire, who is usually much more level-headed, went to work in the kitchen
 .

 The Thames from Putney bridge ........

 ..... and Putney High Street from Putney bridge.

 Anne and Peter told us about the opera singers entertaining the crowd outside Covent Garden, so we went. Fabulous!

 Cathy remembering the Dickens connection

 and Paul outside the Bow Street Magistrates court. I didn't do it!!!

 Clearing up a few errors in the London street map.

 Sorry this didn't rotate. It's Cathy with three very tall friends.

 Same friends with Paul. Outside St Martin-in-the-Fields

 Trafalgar  Square and Cathy

June 13

Despite dire predictions, we DID get on the flight, and up the pointy end.

 Our feet doing the business .....

 We weren't allowed up  to the flight deck, but Dan turned on the camera, thereby adding great terror to a simple takeoff.

The camera was also there for landing, but I couldn't bear to look.

Anyway, we're off!!!!

Europe 2012 #1

This is NOT our aeroplane - at least not for this year.

Still, it will do to give you a chance to find our blog, and practise making comments

When we arrived at the check-in lounge, we found one of the pilots entertaining the passengers. Fortunately, he wasn't rostered on to fly that day. 

Survived another flight!

Next blog from London.