Wednesday 1 September 2010

Covent Garden Then Home,

just when you think you have seen it all,
you walk past half a car,
anyway on to Covent Garden,
at one time every greengrocer and florist would come here first thing in the morning to buy produce for the day, but so many were forced to close because supermarkets took their trade the grounds of the market have become home to street theater and shops,
street theater like this lady in silver who will pose with you for a modest fee,
the facade in the distance leads into the covered area,
being a bank holiday Monday this already popular area was packed,
inside there are a number of stalls selling antiques and bric-a-brac,
and I forgot to mention jewelry,
so many things to buy, so little time,
there is also a huge range of shops here like this one,
selling whisks and things for the kitchen,
there is a lower floor as well which is more of a dinning area,
we then crossed over the road to another part of the market, this one selling only second hand objects, some of the stall holders were very colorful,
lots of jewelry,
but enough already, time for a drink, so into the Maple Leaf,
as you might have guessed a Canadian theme pub,
past one of the many London theaters,
we made our way back to Charing Cross, this is the ornate walk way that joins the buildings together,
the front of the station,
next day and it was time to go, our three weeks here seemed to be over in a flash, we said our goodbyes to Steve and Kai who looked after us so well, many, many thanks for all that you both did for us, then it was it to Heathrow,
when we could afford HBO satellite television in Thailand we often watched and enjoyed a program called Deadliest Catch, it was filmed in the Bering Sea where fishermen risked their lives for Alaskan King Crab, well I said to Diana if ever she came to the UK I would buy her some king crab,
so her we are at the seafood bar at Heathrow,
and there is Diana with her Alaskan King Crab - all £36.00 of it, but it did taste so good!
I just settled for smoked salmon and a white wine,
a little later it was time for a coffee,
but before we leave London, some chocolate,
we still had plenty of time so a quick look around the airport,
oh no! Harrods, but at least they do not have the ice cream stall here!
Diana poses by the bear,
in the plane and soon to be flying high,
as we taxi out it is amazing the amount of building work going on at Heathrow,
then up and away over the reservoirs,
higher into the clouds,
then above them,
the first drinks were served as we leveled out at our cruising height, I then had one of those 'I wish I had not said that' moments, I turned to Diana and said 'be careful you do not spill your drink' as I turned back I knocked my glass over, in trying to catch it my beer, which was open, caught my hand and fell towards me, as it hit the folding table it all turned to bubbles and just shot out of the can like a jet stream, over my shirt into my lap through my trousers and underpants and in to the seat, I decided that I would go to get some tissues from the toilet, then things got worse, as I got up there was at least 3 or 4 millimeters of beer sloshing around in my right shoe that I had taken off for the flight, so holding my shoes with beer in them I made my way to the toilet, I washed my shoes out with fresh water and dried myself as best I could, all this just 40 minuets into a 12 hour flight, worse there was hardly a drop of beer left in the tin!
now a bit drier with a new beer,
Diana keeping one of her new coats on as she is cold,
a quiet read as I dry out,
then home at last, the mark in the window is condensation that formed when we came into land, this time straight through customs, but I bet the guy in immigration thought I must be a drunk with all of the beer on my clothes, then home to bed.

2 comments:

Jil Wrinkle said...

Hi Stan. I just finished enjoying your photos. A lovely trip, and I'm sure Diana will remember it for the rest of her days.

It reminds me of the winning joke at the Fringe Comedy Contest this year: "I've just been on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. I'll tell you what, never again."

PattayaStan said...

Dear Jil, great fun taking the Photos, Diana is still talking about it now, also some of the places she wants to go to next year! but if funds permit I might hire a car and travel around a bit more, maybe even drive to Scotland! We hope you all are well, for us we are fine but my computer is not speaking to my camera or vice versa so waiting for the computer guy to call again, best regards, Stan and Diana.