Stormy Weather

[salymap]

SHB, I had neighbours some years ago who frequently had cruises on the Oriana. The always seemed to come home with stories of tummy bugs, dropping expensive watches in the pool, hold ups etc. Being next door I looked after their plants for them and gotthe full force of their cruise stories when they returned.

Marthe, local shop I can walk to is big Co-op supermarket, 20 mins walk each way. If I want clothes,
anything other than grub, I have to bus to Bromley or Bexleyheath. Which is why I keep things as long as possible now travel is difficult. Comes to us all. I hope to hear more from Connecticut soon, surely
power is back by now?

Over the years I have had cousins in Linwood NJ and years ago my mum's sister in Philadelpia, must stillbe loads of relis somewhere.

[Serial_Apologist]

hold ups etc.

Stan Dan D. Liver must have been on board then...

[salymap]

Stan Dan D. Liver must have been on board then...

Delays at the ports they stopped at, pedantic ain't funny. I see you found your way here eventually

[Stillhomewardbound]

SHB, I had neighbours some years ago who frequently had cruises on the Oriana. The always seemed to come home [and I] gotthe full force of their cruise stories.

Indeed, that's part of cuise lore, Salymap. Feel free, by the way, to dip into my own officer's log from that period. Be advised though, some of the recollections are a mite rum. Only a mite though!

http://lgshipsdiary.blogspot.com/

[salymap]

Indeed, that's part of cuise lore, Salymap. Feel free, by the way, to dip into my own officer's log from that period. Be advised though, some of the recollections are a mite rum. Only a mite though!

http://lgshipsdiary.blogspot.com/

Great stuff SHB, thanks from salymap x

[BBMmk2]

Been another lovely day in these parts!

[Serial_Apologist]

Not a bad day here either, BBM.

In fact I made it the day I'd been planning and toning up for since spring - a coolish, calm day for me to fulfil a self-inflicted challenge to cycle a full 30 miles around London.

The aim was to circumnavigate the outer limits of Victorian-built London; but doing it all in one go would have meant taking in Finsbury Park, Upper Clapton, Wanstead, Ilford, E Ham, Greenwich, Lewisham and Sydenham, adding a further 15 miles - which would have been just a bit too much for my 65-year old legs.

So it was 11 am start from here (just north of Crystal Palace) to Hampstead Heath, arriving 1 pm, passing via Brixton, Clapham Common, Battersea Bridge, Ideal Homes Exhibition W Kensington, Notting Hill Gate (beautifully cleaned up following Carnival), Kensal Green, Frognal, and stopping off for a half of - Fuller's London Pride at the picturesque Spaniards pub; then home via Highgate (Stopping at John Betjamen's birthplace), Kentish Town (tea at a friend's) Camden Town, Bloomsbury (an hour in secondhand bookshop - no finds), Archway, Waterloo Bridge, Kennington, Camberwell, Herne Hill, and home by 5. 32 miles in all, I reckon - the furthest I've cycled since moving here in 2004.

Well, you got to try it while you can!

[salymap]

S-A Well done you.

[mercia]

cycle a full 30 miles around London

well done indeed
erm, in true journalist style I shall ask the obvious question .......... which was the hardest bit?
bit hilly round Crystal Palace I would think

[Stillhomewardbound]

Well done, you, SA ...

I've been experimenting with a new route to work this week (normally Blackheath to Greenwich 7.45m).

Rather than keep South of the river upto to Tower Bridge, I've been going through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel - Isle of Dogs up to Limehouse and then along the blue cycle route along Cable Street to Tower Hill.

This alterntative is well away from the traffic but the tunnel bit losese one at least five minutes and the route can be a little meandersome. Also, these new blue lines are inclined to provide the wrong kind of green light for what I can only describe as the cylce stasi, who literally think there on a cycling equivalent of the M1.

BTW, are you aware of the statue of Guy the Gorilla in Crystal Palace. It's always been something of an intrigue to me. Why it's there and the artist (I think I did know who it was once). I believe it's a replica of one at London Zoo.

SHB

[mercia]

replica of one at London Zoo.

wikipedia says that's by William Timym

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_the_Gorilla

[Stillhomewardbound]

Thanks, Mercia. I had checked that one out, but I realise it's not the same.

Actually, I've just found him. The artist is one David Wynne and there's a picture (bottom right) of the piece at the following link:

http://www.secret-london.co.uk/Animals_2.html

[mercia]

ah, so that's why he was called Guy

[BBMmk2]

Hmmmmmmm, I think we are going to get an Indian Summer?

[mercia]

Indian Summer

wikipedia (my middle name) says that occurs late October to mid-November