Well a dull Monday (weatherwise that is - London is NEVER dull!) in London but hey I will take it. Still enjoying the city and nice to relax and enjoy it at a slow pace. I think I will be going to the British Musuem this afternoon after a look in the shops in Notting Hill.
Yesterday I went for a walk from Victoria station through the Lambeth area of London which was new to me - past the War Museum but didn't stop - no interest in seeing a museum about any war - and on to London Bridge via the Southwark area. I had a roast lunch in the George Inn which is an old coaching house that Shakespeare used to visit. The meal was okay - had my first brussel sprouts since I got here so that got me excited but it could have been better. For the price I was hoping to have one of those meals that you want never to end and just want to say YUM YUM YUM. (okay maybe that's just me....) I walked along the south side of the Thames until it clouded over and got cool. My walking boots were giving me grief for some reason yesterday so I had to keep sitting down to rest my feet. It was nice not to have to wear my handband or mitts. Today I am back to sneakers.
I was lucky enough to get on one of the "old" busses of which there are only two routes (shortened) left. They are the kind you see in films where people jump onto the back and there is a conductor. They were all over when I visited London in the 70's and 80's. Now while the majority of busses are still red double decker there is no open entrance at the back and you pay or swipe your car with the driver and no conductor. Anyway I had a wonderful conversation with the conductor who has worked for London Transport for 28 years. He was a driver but developed diabetes and became dependent on insulin injections so they pulled him off driving. Anyway he was happy discussing the "old days" and told me the bus we were in was about 56 years old - I said the same age as me!! :) I commented you had to have nerves of steel to be a London bus driver with the traffic and idiotic pedestrians stepping out in front. He told me of one incident where he was driving along Oxford St. (VERY busy shopping street in central London) and this young woman wanted to walk between his bus and the bus in front (stopped in traffic - not at a red light) - he pulled forward deliberately to discourage her as there was busy traffic on the other side. Not to be deterred she actually went SIDEWAYS (all the room there was) between two honking big red busses and her clothes became filthy - not only that she got out the other side and was hit by a car. Not badly(injury to her hand) but if you ask me she deserved it for being so stupid. I love to ride on the top deck at the front and you just assume we don't run over the people who dash in front of the bus - the bus is so big you wouldn't even feel it. :)
I was "naughty" (as they say here) and ate too damn much yesterday and suffered for it last night in bed. Oh man. My tummy is still a bit wonky this morning so am taking it easy. I just hope it's due to being greedy and not a bug - the flu is going around here like wild fire. I am just nicely getting over my cold.
I had hoped to go to Windsor Castle today - haven't been inside it since about 1975 and not been to the town itself since 1980. But I went on the website and the state apartments have just closed for two weeks so guess that will have to wait until I get back from the Middle East. So maybe Leeds Castle - as much as I love London I am feeling the need to get into the English countryside.
I hope to visit an elderly family friend Wed. or Thurs. - haven't been able to go while I had the cold. I am taking each day as it comes but I should really make a list - as much as I am not a list maker - of things I MUST see before I go home in case I run out of time and go "oops I forgot".
Next stop is the ATM - but first have to check that Pioneer Village paid me!! (hi Dena - thanks for your comment!)
Toodles!!
Yesterday I went for a walk from Victoria station through the Lambeth area of London which was new to me - past the War Museum but didn't stop - no interest in seeing a museum about any war - and on to London Bridge via the Southwark area. I had a roast lunch in the George Inn which is an old coaching house that Shakespeare used to visit. The meal was okay - had my first brussel sprouts since I got here so that got me excited but it could have been better. For the price I was hoping to have one of those meals that you want never to end and just want to say YUM YUM YUM. (okay maybe that's just me....) I walked along the south side of the Thames until it clouded over and got cool. My walking boots were giving me grief for some reason yesterday so I had to keep sitting down to rest my feet. It was nice not to have to wear my handband or mitts. Today I am back to sneakers.
I was lucky enough to get on one of the "old" busses of which there are only two routes (shortened) left. They are the kind you see in films where people jump onto the back and there is a conductor. They were all over when I visited London in the 70's and 80's. Now while the majority of busses are still red double decker there is no open entrance at the back and you pay or swipe your car with the driver and no conductor. Anyway I had a wonderful conversation with the conductor who has worked for London Transport for 28 years. He was a driver but developed diabetes and became dependent on insulin injections so they pulled him off driving. Anyway he was happy discussing the "old days" and told me the bus we were in was about 56 years old - I said the same age as me!! :) I commented you had to have nerves of steel to be a London bus driver with the traffic and idiotic pedestrians stepping out in front. He told me of one incident where he was driving along Oxford St. (VERY busy shopping street in central London) and this young woman wanted to walk between his bus and the bus in front (stopped in traffic - not at a red light) - he pulled forward deliberately to discourage her as there was busy traffic on the other side. Not to be deterred she actually went SIDEWAYS (all the room there was) between two honking big red busses and her clothes became filthy - not only that she got out the other side and was hit by a car. Not badly(injury to her hand) but if you ask me she deserved it for being so stupid. I love to ride on the top deck at the front and you just assume we don't run over the people who dash in front of the bus - the bus is so big you wouldn't even feel it. :)
I was "naughty" (as they say here) and ate too damn much yesterday and suffered for it last night in bed. Oh man. My tummy is still a bit wonky this morning so am taking it easy. I just hope it's due to being greedy and not a bug - the flu is going around here like wild fire. I am just nicely getting over my cold.
I had hoped to go to Windsor Castle today - haven't been inside it since about 1975 and not been to the town itself since 1980. But I went on the website and the state apartments have just closed for two weeks so guess that will have to wait until I get back from the Middle East. So maybe Leeds Castle - as much as I love London I am feeling the need to get into the English countryside.
I hope to visit an elderly family friend Wed. or Thurs. - haven't been able to go while I had the cold. I am taking each day as it comes but I should really make a list - as much as I am not a list maker - of things I MUST see before I go home in case I run out of time and go "oops I forgot".
Next stop is the ATM - but first have to check that Pioneer Village paid me!! (hi Dena - thanks for your comment!)
Toodles!!
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