life's a picnic

I began my day with walk across the Waterloo Bridge towards the Strand Campus of King's. A little shiver of delight ran through me as I stepped onto the bridge, walked past the trees obscuring my view and saw this.

Seriously, way better than my usual view through the window of the Armadale train in the morning.

I found the Australian High Commission, housed in the aptly named Australia House.

And stopped for a mid morning snack.

 I passed BBC's bush house (once declared the most expensive building in the world?) which is interestingly inscribed with the motto "'To the friendship of English speaking peoples". Not exactly inclusive isit now?

 

I wandered down Drury Lane, and Shaftesbury Avenue then continued on Long Acre, Covent Garden admiring the wares in the windows and the lovely old architecture.

For the Cat-Lover of your friends?

 Lovely....

I was enjoying the utter Englishness of it all when suddenly, I was struck by a distinctive and familiar smell. It caught me off guard, but I knew immediately what I would find when I turned the corner.

Boom. China Town.

Like a homing pigeon it seems like my Asian genes have pulled me towards the ethnically relevant ghetto of my people.

I hightailed it out of there and decided I needed a little therapy. Retail Therapy.

So it was down to the Tube and off to Oxford Circus. I climbed the stairs, my heart fluttering a little as I exited onto High Street Heaven - also known as Oxford Street.

One long glorious road, bustling with people, and gigantic stores brimming with merchandise for me to buy. Merchandise which in many cases, I have only seen in my online shopping dreams. Shipping? What shipping? No shipping!

vergemagazine.co.uk

In the end I only bought one dress, but believe me - I Will Be Back!

I went to meet a friend in Trafalgar Square where there was a Canada Day celebration complete with a hockey match (and many attractive older men in hats):

The rest of the afternoon was spent meandering through London.

Picnic in the Park.

The inscription on the side of  St John's Southbank:

All May Have If They Dare Try a Glorious Life Or Grave.

Words to live by don't you think?