Jeff & Les’s London Adventure – Birthday Blog Special!

Jeff has now reached the age when he can get his bus pass so to celebrate we went to London for a few days, where we sightsee’d & photo’d, ate & drank, all to full capacity.

A few highlights in words & pics …

We managed to get there in time to see the later runners in the London Marathon and as a one-off experience crossed over Tower Bridge when it was closed to traffic. Found an interesting bar south of the river – The Draft Inn – serving up some unusual beers, got talking with a friendly couple (who for some reason had an inflatable kangaroo!) and after eating strolled back and took some fine evening shots of the bridge, and Tower of London. Finally back to the Minories, a pub just a few yards from our Travelodge.

Monday had fun travelling on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to East London – found the house I shared with four fellow university students in 1973/4 – and Greenwich where we ‘did’ the Maritime Museum etc, and took various silly shots of us straddling the Meridian Line. On the way back did a bit more of DLR, passing the partially built Olympic Stadium on the way to Stratford & back – Jeff has put in a number of bids from synchronised diving to archery, and the opening / closing ceremonies. We stopped off at Canary Wharf, had a meal - nice bar, shame abut the food! - then went to Bank station near Threadneedle Street, and walked back to the Minories and a relatively early night.

Tuesday was the Eurostar to Brussels experience, beginning with St Pancras Station – has to be said they have done a really good job of it. Caught train OK – plus side? comfortable and fast; minus side? it almost immediately goes underground more or less all the way to south of the river, and of course under the channel, and even overground it’s not exactly the most exciting journey. The Midi station in Brussels is quite a way to the main square, so we taxied there to save a bit of time (also very warm). Very pretty architecture and pleasant strolling round, managing to squeeze in a couple of beers, of course. Walked back – interestingly the boulevard near the station almost all Moroccan men outside their bars & shops. One final drink opposite the station, and an uneventful trip back. Before it got dark, back in London for one last bit of sightseeing. We found Florin Court which is used in Poirot series as the block of flats where he lives, and a quick beer in the pub, Sutton Arms, round the corner. Back to Tower Hill to another pub, The Cheshire Cheese, that we had passed the previous night, for some beers and a late snack – they were actually civilised enough to be serving food til 10!

Final day, a bit of fag having to dump luggage at Liverpool Street station, but once done had lovely trip on the river. We then finished off our trip with the most expensive lager of the trip – £5.40 for a fairly weak & tasteless pint! But fortunately it was made worthwhile by the most delicious pizza we’ve had in a long time in a little Italian restaurant on Whitehall.

Les X

PS Would definitely recommend the Travelodge we stayed at – basic but comfortable and not too noisy as long as you don’t mind hearing the odd mainline train going by. Slight downside – you can’t leave luggage there after you’ve checked out but numerous plus sides : within spitting distance from Tower Hill underground, and Gateway for the DLR; also Weatherspoons pub, Goodmans Yard, for a decent but inexpensive breakfast, and some good ales, with other bars within easy walking distance. And if that’s not all, just yards from the river for trips on the Thames, and both Tower of London and Tower Bridge. What more can you ask for!