Rhoda went to London

I made what is hopefully my final trip of the year to London, to sort out emptying and renting the flat.
It was hard work packing as stuff seemed to have accumulated somewhat since the time 3 years ago when I started the job and I was staying in Aidan's (and Kirsty and Helena's) tiny tiny spare room.

I went to a Toastmasters meeting (though I thought the one I went to 3 weeks ago would be the last for a while!)

There were some things from Lorna's that had to be gone through. Will post some photos once I scan them, but in the meantime I found these... cute huh? Hopefully will survive the shipping to France.

There were many many boxes

Had to go to the British Museum

 Love this cow

Went to the Scythians exhibition - if you are in London well worth a visit. It is lots of things grave robbed by Peter the Great. Lots of interesting information too.

Huge (and ugly!) gold brooch - it is something like 20cm across!

Looked at the Assyrian stuff too of course. We might need a pair of bookends like these when the house is finished.

Also went to the new Postal Museum where they have a tiny tiny dinky train that used to carry post around under London. Like a mini tube.

You can go on it. Loved it!

Quick visit to Habitat to buy cushion covers for the flat.

Went to university round here, although that was a long time ago it is all still very familiar. This is Tottenham Court road with Center Point in the distance

Limehouse basin from the DLR.

The flat looks lovely and empty and clean now. It always seems a shame that flats look at their best just as you are moving out - you then regret not keeping it cleaner and better maintained while you were there!

Last (ish) trip to London for a while

I had to take back my laptop, say farewell for now to Toastmasters and go to a doctors appointment, plus Aidan was flying over on my normal flight on Thursday to visit in France (main purpose of visit - to eat steak!)
So I had a few days in London not working.

Buses

Baker Street

Millions of cranes. There is a theory that lots of cranes in London means imminent financial crash...

 Halva shop in Finsbury Park (popped up there to visit a friend who had just come out of hospital). Doug loves halva, so brought back lots.

The Royal Academy (Matisse - v good - but finished now I think)

Fortnum and Masons (for chocolates and fruit creams)

Artistic pic of bridge

More cranes

Tate Modern is quiet during the week in September...

He didn't just do skinny people

Cool seagull - tried to work out how to steal it but couldn't...

 Reflection of me on the DLR

Had lunch here with friends. Sirloin not as good as our Bif beef. Tasty though.

See ya later London!

(I will be back briefly end of Sept kind of time to clear and rent the flat)

Time off work

For the last 3 years I have been flying to London every Sunday night, and back to France on Thursday evening's. Easyjet and their persistent lateness have made that more painful than it needed to be. 

As of today I am taking a break and staying in France for a while. 

I feel sad leaving the team I have been working with, as they have been great. I feel sad/angry about the mismanagement that resulted in quite a few of us leaving so suddenly.

But overall I feel happy to be able to spend more time with my Doug and my dog, and am looking forward to getting more work done on the house/garden - also riding, sking, cycling, walking, going to the spa, camping, going to the beach, doing local French things like the market, learning more French, seeing friends and other FUN things - my god how did I fit work in?

Last time I had some time off I put on 12kg over two years - note to self - DO NOT DO THIS AGAIN.

Interested in new job at some point, but rest first. Thanks for offers I have had already :)

See ya later Poplar/Canary Wharf/London. Hello home!

We had a nice restful day today and took the dog for a walk to the virgin.

Visit to London

First things first. It was possible for Doug to get away for a few days because a good and kind friend looked after not only Poppy but the other animals too. You know who you are and we cannot say thank you enough!

We packed not only a lot of eating and drinking, but a lot of culture, sightseeing and other activities in to only three days.

First off we had crispy chinese duck at the Feng Shang Princess in Camden

On Saturday during the day, we visited friends. No photos of them. They have a new baby and were a bit tired but fed us with yummy fish and chips from the local fish and chip shop. It was lovely to see them and the first time Doug saw their very posh new (ish) kitchen.

In the evening we went to the Royal Opera House

To see Verdi - Il Troubador

We sat in the front row.

So close we could just lean forward a little and read the orchestra's music

We dressed up nice

and had champagne and salmon sandwiches at the interval to keep us going

Then curry afterwards

On Sunday we went to the Tate Modern to see Elton John photos (ones he owns rather than ones he took). I enjoyed it a lot as he has many nice things by Man Ray and lots of others.

We went there by river boat. Looking back towards work (hurrah I am having a day off!)

Waiting for the boat

Still waiting for the boat

On the boat

Rain, flag and tower  bridge from the boat

Here is Aidan heading in to the relatively new 'The Tanks' bit where they have emptied out old fuel tanks and added massively to the space.

This photo shows the remains of the crack in the floor 'concept' art from some years ago. I love that you can still see it badly filled in.

This is the view of some flats from the Tate Modern. It would be a very weird place to live with people staring in at you all day like you are a piece of art. I wonder how much the rent is - they look very nice!

Before the art we had lunch at Noodle Street which is near the flat and does good dim sum and various other things

Doug and I both got the same fortune in our fortune cookies! Surely this means it is the dreams about the house being done soon and coming out PERFECT that will come true

In the evening after the art, we had nice food and beer at The Gun which is a gasto pub near the flat

Venison carpaccio with yellow beetroot

Roast beef

Mmmm beer (yes dry jan finished a little before the end of jan!)

 On Monday we went to the British Museum in the morning

Our favorite things in the BM - the Assyria collection

Why is he poking something with a lemon and carrying a handbag?

This was in a new section and interesting because it shows that they are covered in clay or something which explains somewhat how they get the amount of detail in to the carving

We also like the Elgin Marbles. I always say this but they remind me of Georgette Heyer books.

In the afternoon we went climbing at The Castle (near Finsbury park). We had a lesson so that Doug could learn how to do the knots right and I could have some extra tips and practice so I can get signed off to do it safely without supervision.

 More beer was had afterwards

In the Prince Albert in Camden

Camden Town tube - we used to live near here. Bit weird going back

I bought DM boots here when I was a student (as did probably every other student in London at the time)

We had dinner at the Mango Rooms which we frequented quite often when we lived in Camden. It was just the same as it used to be. Perfect!

Yet more beer in the Spread Eagle (where we started going as students and went many more times since)

We now all need a few more days back to the 'dry' of January to recover from so much activity and beer and food... 

It was nice getting out and about with Aidan too as he is off to a job in Falmouth soon so good for Doug to see him plenty as well before he is off.