Sunday, January 20, 2013

A snowy trip to London

Proper pictures to come.
Snow makes me happy and joyous inside.

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The delightful Mr. Todd invited Tom and I for a weekend of frolics in London. I adored trudging through the snow to the station and the iced landscapes across the vista viewed from the train.

We played in the snow in Paddington Recreation Ground, and the chaps very kindly helped me make my obligatory snowy weather snowman. There were snowball fights and getting soaked and cold and warming cups of tea.

We went to try the newly refurbished Elgin on Elgin Avenue for supper where the ever lovely John Wheatley met us. We felt rather too uncool for the place and were disappointed by being served mouldy bread with our sharing board. But the rest of the food was tasty. Let's put it down to teething problems.

After a quiet evening in with wine and chat, we slumbered and awoke gently. Tom cooked us breakfast and we went off into the big white world. I had convinced the lads to come walk through Portobello Road market, and we enjoyed the antiques of every shape and size. We then went cross the urban country to see bits of Crossrail, and then on to St Martin in the Fields at Trafalgar Square for soup and sarnies in their crypt, and a quick church tour. We saw the wedding party from that days wedding troudlnig off on their special wedding routemaster bus.

As sleet came gently down we then met up with Martin who was also in London to see friends and went to meet Death at the Wellcome Collection. This was a very thought provoking exhibition, but where it was a damp and cold day, the place was heaving. I think I should like to go back and take my time.

It was time to warm up slightly, so we had a coffee in a Pret whilst we waited for Dan to join us, then cosied up in a pub for a couple of rounds chatting away. Martin then had to sadly leave us to meet his friend, so the five that were left went on to Amalfis in Soho, our favourite late night resonably priced Italian London haunt. We had a bang slap up dinner that warmed the bones and sustained us till we made it back to Maida Vale.

Sunday saw us out in the snow again, enjoying the beautiful city under its icing sugar coat. I loved our walk through the Barbican to the Museum of London. I think I should like to live there should I ever need to live in London. So peaceful despite being in the middle of the city, like a run down scifi utopian dream. It was interesting to see the updated modern galleries. There was more snowy city wandering, including taking in St Pauls, and a Yo Sushi lunch before we gradually worked our way back to Southampton.

Thanks Todd x

A snowy St Denys

Our snowman

Beautiful Paddington Recreation Ground

Gathering snow












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