tasting food and mad crowds

Another busy day in London!

Yesterday, we visited museums. The men folk went to the Natural History museum and the Science museum, taking their picks here and there. Annie and I went to the V&A to see the shoe exhibition (very interesting) and to design a teapot on a computer on the ceramics floor. Yes, slightly random but it was fun.

We did't feel like spending the day indoors today. We started late and visited Borough market for a bit of food tasting. It was delightful. We had a pick and mix lunch: an oyster here, a macaron there and some pretzels and chocolates in between. We tested every single honey at the honey stand -twice- and bought an old favourite (acacia) produced near where my paternal grandfather family comes from in the Piedmont (Italy). I quite fancied buying some mushrooms but we are determined not to cook this week. I really wanted taste a little at every stand. Borough market is lovely to visit but maybe not ideal for the practical housewife. We all liked it there. 

After the market we hopped on a bus that took us deep into London's heart. Exploring by bus is a good way to avoid the crowds and seeing lots at the same time. I have to admit, I find London a bit hectic. It is so so busy! I imagine being inside a beehive must feel quite similar. Still, there are interesting sights and people watching is not without its charms either. Richard is an excellent guide and knows his way around. He is full of interesting information you wouldn't get from a regular tour guide, for example 'This is St. Thomas hospital. I used to come here on Friday nights for nurses disco'.

We walked down Regent Street, ventured into the smaller streets behind and did a bit of window shopping and some real shopping for essentials, like Ordnance Survey maps and socks. Annie and I explored the household floor at Liberty's. Richard told me that his mother sometimes left him there to wait when he was little so she could do a spot of shopping. He informs me that the fabric bolts were quite comfortable to sit on. I looked into a few fabric shops on Berwick Street to see if I could buy lining for my duffle coat. The one I liked came in at £59 per metre. The second one I liked was a mere £135 per metre. I ordered some grey brushed cotton on Ebay instead. 

We wandered through Chinatown towards Covent Garden to see a couple of street entertainers. Those guys that never move or seem to sit on nothing are astonishing. It was quite difficult to get the little ones to move on. The unicycle artist and knife juggler was good, too. Eventually we went back to Chinatown for an early dinner, then we took a bus home to our three story house in Kennington. It is so good to come back to a house rather than hotel! I am once more propped up in bed, with tired feet and a head full of images. They'll probably appear in my dreams, jumbled up with a bit of weird thrown in. 

Have a lovely day tomorrow! We sure will. Cxx