The Rest of Our Visit to the Capital

After we had been around the Tracey Emin Exhibition at the Hayward Gallery we made our way to Liberty.  The above is a photo from the Southbank Centre of the London Eye with a glimpse of Big Ben.

We wandered around Liberty admiring all the Arts and Crafts Architecture and the lovely haberdashery on the 3rd Floor. Going up in the lift reminded me of that programme "Are You Being Served" with Molly Sugden and John Inman "I'm free".

There were some gorgeous fabrics to tempt an able seamstress. Luckily for me I wouldn't really know where to start with making any clothes. Although the fabrics were quite splendid - this was reflected in the price!

I did buy a small tub of white / cream coloured buttons of varying sizes as spare buttons are always useful.

As we left Liberty we came across this street entertainment - a would be toddler playing with some gadgets! Of course there was a man in the box directing the puppetry!

We made our way to Carnaby Street. I have to say that I was a bit disappointed with it. This iconic place of the 1960's was rather depressing - it felt as if it had lost its soul and it certainly had no heart!

A mural in Carnaby Street.

A street sign.

More street signs.

After Carnaby Street we grabbed a taxi to Trafalgar Square. On one of the plinths we saw this ship in a bottle.

The Square was being set up for an organized event on Father's Day. Just behind the fountain you can make out a stage.

We found these street entertainers. They made me proud to be British. Do you remember when we were in Rome and we came across some rather rude centurians who demanded that we pay them 20 euros to have our photograph taken with them after the Other Half had given them 3 euros, which I thought was a lot of money in the first place! Well, these two were quite happy to pose with many tourists - some gave them  money others didn't. They didn't grumble or make any nasty comment. The Other Half had his photo taken with them and we did put some money in their tin!

In anticipation of the Father's Day event they had a few cars on show - one was a Flintstones car with the number-plate "YABADO" and can you see The Trotters three wheeler!

A few of the cars were under a tarpaulin but one looked like the batmobile. I couldn't get a closer look as there was some fencing around them.

After a quick walk around Trafalgar Square we popped into the nearby Waterstones for a latte and I was naughty and purchased two books. I still have the three that I bought here last time to read not to mention the three that I bought in Honiton recently! Books I'm afraid are my vice!

From Trafalgar Square we walked towards Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. It was by now six o'clock and we heard the clock chime.

We walked over Westminster Bridge.

We saw the London Eye.

We walked along the riverfront towards Waterloo Station. We just managed to catch our train - we literally jumped on the train as the doors were closing. The train was cramped to the rafters, which meant that we had no seats and had to stand most of the way back home. We managed to get seats ten minutes from the end of our journey.

I couldn't be a commuter for all the tea in China. Sitting on a train for just over an hour twice a day would depress me. I would rather earn less money. London is a wonderful place to visit but I couldn't work there! Maybe I could've put up with it and found it exciting when in my 20's but in my 40's I'm too set in my ways and would rather be at home at six o' clock rather than just about getting on a train to start the journey home. As the Other half said "If I worked in London I would hardly see Our Daughter as by the time I got home she'd be about to go to bed and I would have left the house before she got up in the morning!"

Our Daughter has just come home having been in the Isle of Wight with her school for a week. They had a wonderful time despite the rain.  Our Daughter is a bit of a scatter brain and has already told me that whilst away she lost her wash-bag. I dread to think what else she may have left behind or lost! She did however win a competition and got herself a real sharks tooth as a prize! Did she tell me this - "No" it was one of the girls that she shared a dormitory with!

Before Our Daughter went away we had been looking to get another dog - a spaniel. Whilst she was away we trawled through the internet and found a litter that had been reared by a family in the Portsmouth area. The family agreed to holding one of the pups for us until Friday when Our Daughter came home. We travelled down earlier this evening to see the pups and we now have another addition to the family - a blue roan and tan cocker spaniel called George!

Surprisingly for me I haven't taken a photo of him yet - I had taken a towel with me in the car in case we purchased a puppy and so that it could be wrapped up to feel safe and secure on the journey home. Good job that I did take the towel as the puppy managed to pee and poo whilst sat on my lap - luckily on the towel - on the way home, which Our Daughter and the Other Half thought was hilarious!!! I did not!!!

The puppy seems to have settled down well and is just following our dog, Charlie everywhere. Charlie has been most affectionate towards him - wagging his tail and gently playing with him. The cats - well that's a different story!

Until next time.

June.