This week's title has really made me chuckle. If any of you can work it out (and Andy and Jackie H you are excluded but I don't think Andy you read this anyway as you are living it) there is a prize for the winner. Text, email or message me!
Saturday: Awoke to a beautiful, sunny morning in London and I knew there was no way I was going to stay in all day. I was going to the urban beach at Camden. Yes you did read that right. London has beaches in the summer. There is one at Camden. Basically, an urban beach has sand, deckchairs, beach huts, pop up food and drink places ............. a Londoner's day out to the beach. Don't you just love it? But Andy and his mates were going out for brunch at the Roundhouse at Camden so I thought I will go somewhere else.
I walked up to our local Tesco. I have never shopped so much in Tesco. I do not particularly care for it but hey what can you do. I got myself a picnic. Sushi, strawberries, cashews, little bottle of wine and the Guardian. Caught the tube up to Kensington Gardens and found my spot. It was bliss. I sat there from around 12 noon until 5.00pm reading my book and paper and watching the world go by. I must admit, I did have a bit of a snooze at one point. It was so relaxing. I think some people would find it hard to comprehend that living in a city can be relaxing as well. There are pockets of tranquillity in this City. You can be on the busiest of roads, turn a corner and find peace and quiet.
Picnic in the park
The park soon filled up, mainly with tourists. London is heaving! You can sit and go nowhere and the entire world can just pass you by. Some of the language I have no idea what they are, sound so musical. I wish I could ask them where they are visiting from. It amazes me that people can afford to come here. To visit London, as a tourist, is so expensive. I can't imagine how much people spend. But living here is different. OK take of the rent which is extortionate, the rest of the day to day living is OK. Even eating out is not over expensive, unless obviously you make it. But parks, museums, galleries, walks by the river are all free. For example, the South Bank is a ten minute walk from my flat and it is amazing. The river, bars, restaurants .... so much going on and all free (well obviously not the food and bars but you get what I mean).
Kensington Palace was just behind where I was sitting. I cannot imagine living in a place like that. But hey, I guess I don't have to worry about that.
Kensington Palace
I finally walked home through the park, through the beautiful gardens. I did have to smile as once again I smelt the smell of London .... cannabis. I swear we are the only pair in London not using it. I thought to myself, in a Royal Park, cannabis. It made me chuckle .... that is the thought of it not the cannabis. The gardens were stunning. I ended up at the Royal Albert Hall and the Albert Monument. If you ever needed proof that the Victorians were pretty amazing with their architecture.
Albert memorial and the Royal Albert Hall
I decided I was going to get the bus home as there is far more to see. Caught the number 9 bus and it went through Kensington and I could then see how the other half live. There were some beautiful apartments and hotels and I did smile as parked outside one of the hotels was a lovely car and chauffeur. A boy of about 13-14 come out of the hotel and the chauffeur walked up and opened the car door for him. I smiled but then thought what that child is actually missing out on, how we live. Real life.
Changed bus at Trafalgar Square and finally got back to the flat. I called into the Community Garden and watered the plants. Another guy popped in and asked about it so I gave him details on how he could join. Andy is convinced I will be co-running it in a month. It is looking good. Got home around 19.15 ish and was so tired. I think it is because I did not sleep well the night before and had been out in the sun all day. Can you remember when you were a child, out all day, probably like me on your bike. You never worried about the time, you just stayed out and played. But when come home, had a bath (no showers in those days) you then become incredibly tired. That, I have been out all day feeling. Can you remember it? Well that is how I felt Saturday night. We decided to put the blanket up the window to block out the sunshine and some of the noise to see if that helped me get a good nights sleep. It certainly did. I went to bed at 23:00 is and woke up the first time at 9:30 to another warm and sunny day in London and more opportunities.
Sunday: Every now and then Andy and I decide that we need to take things in hand and get healthy .......... it never lasts but hey at least we try. Today was one of those days. We decided the night before that we were going to the gym as he hasn't been for ages. It did not help with me getting up half way through the morning. But true to my word, I was up and ready to go .... well sort of. The first thing we were confronted with when leaving the flat was a group of guys walking pass but one wearing a tutu! We will never know. They look to well for a early morning night after stag night. We decided that perhaps that guy just decided that today was the day he was going to wear his tutu. Don't you just love London, anything goes!
Our gym is lovely. It is about a ten minute walk. However, this morning we found a guy about my age just lying on the pavement. I mean what do you do? You know me I just can't walk by. So I stop and say hello, hello are you ok? No response. He was breathing as he was lying on his back and you could see his chest go up and down. I continued with my hello bit then I heard a deep voice behind me say 'Hey mate you OK?' It was Andy. I hate it when he turns all manly. It is like having three people in our 'relationship'. Me, Andy and then the very straight, manly, macho Andy. I don't like that lol. It frightened the life out of me it's like a voice that comes from nowhere. The guy opened his eyes and said yes he was fine, mumbled something and went back to sleep right there on the pavement. We get to the gym and we worked hard the pair of us and this equated to lots of sweat ....... yuk. We come out of the gym and on the wall, and I wished I took a photo of it but didn't, there was a banana skin and a small bottle of brandy. We figured it was on the go crepes. Any ideas? Random things you see in London.
The sleepy guy had moved on by the time we returned. We both said that there have been numerous times when we have both been how can I put this, drunk. But never felt the need to just sleep on the pavement. Quick turnaround at the flat and we were both out again. We had planned where we were going. Walking up to the tube it happened. The first time ever and why people say it is lucky I do not have a clue. A bird decided to shite on me. Well why not. I have had people do it for years so the birds may as well have a go. In my hair, down my back. Covered. So back to the flat up all those stairs which ached like hell because of the trip to the gym. A change of clothes and semi hair wash and out we go again. So why is it lucky? It didn't feel lucky?
Summer is a great time to be in London. Well apart from the tourists and the heat. Things are popping up, literally, all over the place and it is hard to decide what to do and where to go. Today, thanks to my friend Sarah's recommendation we went to the old BBC studios at White City, which like many things in London, is now being transformed into apartments, offices and shops. Next to the building is the old BBC car park and on the 16th floor, the top floor, there is a pop up bar/eating place. So basically it is like going into the car park at Newcastle under Lyme, in the lift to the 16th floor and then across the top floor there are bars, food outlets, chairs and loungers. It was great. There was music playing and a really good feel about it. It is called Storeys and is there for the month of August. Cocktails were £8 each, which is OK for anywhere let alone London. We both had a cocktail and I found a sun bed for us to chill on. Andy had some sort of beef meaty roll thing and I had soft crab burger which was absolutely yummy. So we sat in the sun eating, drinking, laughing and watching planes every 30 seconds coming overhead to land at Heathrow.
Soft crab burger and mango salsa ....... delicious
The pictures do not do this place credit. It really did have a great atmosphere and well worth a look!
So all in all a really lovely and fun weekend. But tomorrow is Monday and you know what that means ....................... DBS checking day ... sigh!
As always, with much love x
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