Well we are in London (again) .. how sweet (and how classical) it is!

The Emirates flight here, via Dubai, was really pretty easy and smooth but it has to be conceded that these two bodies are not what they once were! It seems churlish to even mention discomfort with any whinge being rightly the ultimate "first-world problem" so let's just say we were a trifle tired, but not too emotional, when we arrived. The ease of modern money and communications saw us quickly onto the tube with our Oyster Cards (eat your heart out Gladys!) and trundling thru Kensington High Street to our AirBNB digs .... A few moments of palpitations as no one seemed to be here with the keys as arranged ....... but after Mick borrowed a mobile from some workmen on the building opposite all worked out and we are comfortably ensconsced in a little bedsit with all that two people who like each other could need!!

This is what it looks like just up the road outside our local pub "The Glouchester Arms"... very "Upstairs, Downstairs" with lots of Mercs, Beamers and very few Toyotas parked in the streets. 

We both fell asleep very early and consequently woke early and decided to have a walk in the very nearby Kensingon Gardens (adjacent to Hyde Park). This was most pleasant and led us to wander into the Royal Albert Hall Coffee shop for a morning pastry and beverage. After breakfast at home it was out on the 9 (to Aldwych of course!) for a visit to Trafalgar Sq and the National Gallery. It is certaily a great blessing to have been given enough time and opportunity to become aware of some of the greatness of humanity expressed via artworks such as the NG has in such (free!!) aboundance! Quite an experience!  John Constable always makes us think of Colleen ( and we are certain she would be highly amused!) but it is lovely to think of people we love when wandering amoung the Vermeers, Caravaggios, Monets and the rest ... sublilme indeed. St. Martin's in the Fields (Smitf ... their own moniker!) didn't let us down with "Sacred Music" for the Assumption Eve - the leader advised us, Protestant and Catholic alike, to put aside any reservations we might have about the possibility of the occurrence (despite its undisputed infallibility) and to just enjoy the beautiful music!!! We joined in a couple of the hymns and enjoyed the choir singing many others ,, with decidedly greater skill!

It rained (a lot!) after that so we hid on the 23 bus to Liverpool St. station, jumped back onto an 11 and off, in dry conditions, at Westminister Abbey. Unfortunately we were just too late to go in and it was too long to wait for Evensong ... so we decamped to home and a little wine, reading, blog writing and planning.

A good start!! There is lots to come and we are enjoying ourselves!!!