Dinner on the Thames, Wednesday (Chris)

Just a quick note. Em made mention of our delayed dinner last night. She was understating the situation. After waiting 45 minutes? An hour? We got our appetizers. They were ok. 35 minutes after finishing our starters, we started to inquire as to our second course. Finally, a manager type who had been going from table to table apologizing about the long delays in serving everyone arrived at our table. I was ready to leave.

... Finally we got our meal. 

A young couple next to us who were seated around the same time as we were, got their meals moments before us. They were apologizing for the terrible service and hoped we didn't think all restaurants were so poorly managed. 

Anyway, here are two of Margaret's photos from last evening. One was taken before the dinner....the other on our stroll back to the apartment.


Wednesday- a Day on the River (Emily)

We started our day a little later than intended (apparently we needed more sleep after yesterday's treks), but finally got out of the house and onto the City Cruise boat to Greenwich ( on the recommendation of Heather Gibson). Beautiful day for a cruise. The sky was clear and blue, the temperature was cool and pleasant, and there was only a light breeze on the water. Thirty minutes later we were in Greenwich where we wandered  the Maritime College, watched the ball drop at the Greenwich Mean Time meridian observatory (indicating EXACTLY 1:00) and later had a tasty, if somewhat delayed pub lunch at the Mitre Inn, just beside the church where Henry the 8th was baptized and Thomas Tallis was the choirmaster. Along the way I had a Qi Energy session with Amelia in a booth at the Greenwich Mall which did make me feel a bit lighter and ready to go on to our next round.

We took the cruise back to the Tower Bridge landing where Chris and Margaret got maximum value out of their London Passes while Linda and Em opted for some couch time.

We finished off the day with a stroll along the waterfront and around our warehouse neighborhood, which they tell us was the site for filming  Oliver, part of Bridget Jones' Diary, and a number of other films. Dinner at a decent, but not spectacular restaurant on the quayside. The service was even slower than the lunchtime pub, but the view was spectacular and we made the acquaintance of a couple at the next table who were similarly frustrated with no food. They were lovely and planning a trip to NYC soon so we filled the time chatting and in the end had a more interesting time than we might have otherwise. 


We scatter to pursue a variety of interests

Today we got up and out early to different destinations. Margaret and Chris went to the Tower of London and the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. Linda headed out to explore our local neighborhood and to walk the Tower Bridge. I made my way to Queen Mary University where my childhood friend, Peggy Stone works. It was sweet to see each other (we think the last time was about 15 years ago) and to catch up and reminisce as only two friends who've known each other their whole lives can - about the old days in the Bronx, our summers at a family camp on the Saint Lawrence, and the challenges we face as we turn toward our seventh decades.  It was also interesting to compare notes about working in a London vs. a NYC public university.  We had to stop talking after three hours because Peggy had to get back to work, but we'll have some time together again before I leave. We had lunch at a pub called The Greedy Cow - why can't American eating places have such creative names?

My next stop was the London Eye (giagunda ferris wheel  on the bank of the Thames) where the four intrepid travelers had agreed to meet. We said we'd meet at the ticket line - when I arrived, I realized that would be no simple business since the place was mobbed and there were two ticket lines and two queues to get on the Eye. Once again I was grateful for Linda's height in a crowd and by some miracle we also found Chris and Marg. The Eye was as spectacular as promised. The views were amazing. Well worth the madness below. 

Next it was time to get on the river itself so we took a cruise from The Westminster area back to Tower Bridge.

Now back at our flat after a Tesco's prepared dinner of soup, salad and bread and ready to rest up for our next foray.