2 July continued - still London

Day 5 (Wednesday) - yet another sunny warm day.  Announcements on the Tube to remember to carry water.  They take their heatwaves very seriously!  Headed off to the Portrait Gallery - did one floor only.  Lots of historical stuff.  Tudors seem to be having a moment so many pictures of Queen Elizabeth 1, Henry VIII etc.  And then we get to the Stuarts and the Hanoverians.  Every time I come here I try to get my head around the various Royal lines.  Just when I think I have worked it out.... I have to start again every time we come back.  Very clever commentary and again seems to be some effort to include female artists of which there were actually some.  Then headed off to Westminster Music Reference library which was around the corner; to hear a lunchtime concert.  Piano for 4 hands and piano and cello pieces.  Variable quality but still enjoyeable.  Only in London do you do this and then pass a plaque in the building that says Sir Isaac Newton used to live here.  Of course. 

Sandwich in Leicester Square and then Stephen went to Farlows ( a fishing shop) and I went to the National Gallery.  Had to queue to enter but not too bad.  Place packed but just went into various random rooms and looked around until I found a painting or 2 that grabbed me.  Found one of my favourite Turners of a steam train and some Monets of a misty London plus lots more.  Left after an hour or so and sat in Trafalgar Square in the sun listening to an excellent guitarist busking. 

Back to hotel mid-afternoon for a rest as out tonight to Will and Em's place for dinner and then off to a wine tasting at Primrose Hill to one of Will's favourite wine shops.

Delightful evening at Primrose Hill for wine and cheese tasting at a Bottle Apostle wine shop.  Quick pasta dinner at Will and Em's flat which was very nice and Stephen got to check out their place.as well.  He approved.  Evening was such good fun.  8 of us sat around a table tasting "New Wave" Australian wine and were plied with delicious cheeses and olives.  Got to meet the manager - JR (who Will is great mates with).  He was very knowledgeable and very smart.  JR is Canadian by birth so we all had a bit of a laugh about Brexit not opening up opportunities for Commonwealth countries to trade with the UK, despite promises to the contrary. (Brexit is unsurprisingly not popular with Londoners).  Tasted some unusual Australian wines, not cheap stuff and JR and his assistant coped quite well with having half the table comprised of Australians who probably knew more about Australian wine.  (The tastings happen monthly and we just fluked an Australian wine night.)

Mentioned the cheeses were delicious.  Have noticed the variety and quality are much better than at home.  JR (also now my great mate as well 😀) told me Canada has the same issues as can't get unpasteurized cheeses.  He also mentioned the difficulty they had getting Australian wines at a reasonable price - not all one big happy Commonwealth family.

We caught a train back from Chalk Farm - never been there according to my memory (which admittedly was a bit unreliable  by the end of that night).  Very easy trip back and don't feel at all unsafe.  Lots of people on the Tube including a number of women travelling on their own.  Will be a slow start tomorrow morning. 

Saturday morning - Had a wonderful night last night.  Went to see the London ballet at the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden.  Saw Swan Lake.  Most likely the best production I have even seen.  The lead ballerina was Russian, originally from the Bolshoi Ballet Company.  She literally seemed to float across the stage and when she transformed into a swan it sent shivers down your spine.  One of those productions where you are transfixed.  The costumes and scenery were also outstanding. We had good seats in the Orchestra Stall so downstairs and not too far back.  The venue is also stunning.  Old fashioned opera theatre.  We did notice the curtains still have Queen Beth's name on it - no Charles as yet!

Even the pre-theatre dinner was excellent.  It was at Cafe Murano in Covent Garden.  Most are vey touristy but this was very good and got us out in good time to get there.  Treated Will and Em to dinner and the ballet so very glad it was so good.  Will especially was blown away by the ballet.

Other than that, met Will for lunch one day just off Oxford Street near the Strand and we wandered around the St James' area - such wealth and we did have a laugh at the second hand jewelry shops selling discarded tiaras.  Visited Fortnum and Masons, Burlington Arcade, Buckingham Palace etc as well - nothing has changed except more tourists. Also saw a great sculpture out the front of the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts - Sir Joshua Reynolds fighting off some sort of beast.

Went to Southwark and visited the Borough Markets - hugely expanded since we were last there.  Are also something called the Burrough Yards now - just more shops.  Our favourite home made pasta shop has gone.  Lots and lots of take away food places now.  Was pretty unpleasant given crowd numbers but was a Saturday and at lunchtime.  Will and Em said that Winter is much better there.

Walked along the side of the Thames (why there are some photos of St Pauls and Millennium Bridge above) on the Southwark side.  Love this part of London.  Past the Globe and saw the Shard etc.  Lots of building has gone on since we were last here.  Headed off for a walk down Bermondsey Road.  Place was buzzing. Stopped for lunch and visited Glassworks place that we discovered last time.  Did not buy anything - heavy glass object not a good pick we thought  and not that excited to order a delivery.  Lots of new converted warehouses since we were last here.  Walked back across London Bridge through Bank and Cheapside.  Found a Daunts Bookshop and bought a couple to tide us over.  

Dinner with Will and Em at Noble Rot at Holburn.  Very very nice meal. Stephen and Will spent what seemed like hours studying the wine list. Went for a walk afterwards as lovely mild night.  We left them at Tottenham Court Station to catch a train on our favourite Elizabeth line.

Sunday - small walk to Paddington Station side to buy some cakes for dinner and chocolates.  Some grand old white painted terraces here but thought the mews in between were actually more appealing.  Given proximity to Paddington Station, still a lot of ordinary looking hotels and guest houses even in this nicer part.  Also had our first lot of rain and cooler weather for London.  We were very lucky with the weather in London.

Went to Will and Em's place for dinner and to catch up with Em's brother Adam. Stephen and Will had a return visit to Bottle Apostle.  We are bringing some additional wine back to Edinburgh.  Huge delicious charcutier board prepared by Em, followed by a delicious duck baked risotto dish.  We supplied some small cakes and we all watched England narrowly survive to another phase of the Euro 24 competition.  Will also supplied some very nice wine - including a retsina from Greece which was many times nicer than any retsina I've drunk at home.  Easy bus trip back home.  Good end to our London visit.

Tuesday - And now we are back in Edinburgh for a week and a bit before we head further north.  Catching up on washing, shopping and enjoying the more chilled vibe in Edinburgh.