sue and I had a day off today (she worked on the weekend and i had a day owing for a recent birthday) so we went for a ride down the river on the ferry to Greenwich and back. The weather was perfect - nice and sunny.
After walking around Greenwich for a couple of hours we had some lunch in a pub and then went back to Canary Wharf. Had a wander around there and then we went back into London.
Had a look in some shops in the Strand and then went over to Paddington to catch up with a friend from Perth. Sue and I had a drink in the Union while we waited (nice bar) and then we had dinner in Zizzi. Steve and I had duck and Sue a pasta. Food was good as usual.
By the time we got home we had been on the road for 10 hours but overall it was a great day out. Greenwich will be somewhere to visit again during spring and summer.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
first ride in London
I bought a bike yesterday a Specialised Secteur and today, other than riding the bike home from the bike shop, I went for my first London ride.
Trip was from Home (Balham) towards London and then through Clapham Junction and back to Balham. Overall, I was out for about 40 minutes.
It is going to be interesting riding here. Perth you dont know how lucky you are. the roads are narrow, the roads are generally quite poor in quality and there are masses of cars (think Stirling Hwy near Fremantle or Gt Eastern Hwy through Belmont at peak hour).
My polar heart rate monitor wondered whether to send for an ambulance or not and i am sure my legs are going to protest tomorrow but it was fantastic to be out and about for the first time in six months.
I think i am going to need a Bike GPS. Tom Tom in the back pocket doesnt work.
the ideas is to ride to work, between 35=45 mins depending on traffic, but if riding around with Sunday traffic is anything to go on weekday traffic could be mental.
the bike - it was comfortable once i got the seat height right and the gear range was good for someone getting back on a bike after 6 months. At 50+ i am not going to be racing, but i managed to get this bike rolling along quite nicely on a couple occasions
more rides next weekend but not much in the week as i am off to Manchester and Derby during the week.
Trip was from Home (Balham) towards London and then through Clapham Junction and back to Balham. Overall, I was out for about 40 minutes.
It is going to be interesting riding here. Perth you dont know how lucky you are. the roads are narrow, the roads are generally quite poor in quality and there are masses of cars (think Stirling Hwy near Fremantle or Gt Eastern Hwy through Belmont at peak hour).
My polar heart rate monitor wondered whether to send for an ambulance or not and i am sure my legs are going to protest tomorrow but it was fantastic to be out and about for the first time in six months.
I think i am going to need a Bike GPS. Tom Tom in the back pocket doesnt work.
the ideas is to ride to work, between 35=45 mins depending on traffic, but if riding around with Sunday traffic is anything to go on weekday traffic could be mental.
the bike - it was comfortable once i got the seat height right and the gear range was good for someone getting back on a bike after 6 months. At 50+ i am not going to be racing, but i managed to get this bike rolling along quite nicely on a couple occasions
more rides next weekend but not much in the week as i am off to Manchester and Derby during the week.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
smiles
I read somewhere yesterday that getting a smile from someone is valued more highly by many people than winning the lottery. I made a million yesterday just by using good manners.
the tube in London is generally a dog eat dog world, with harassed people generally seeking to ignore each other so its not always easy to get a smile, but i managed to get two in a matter of moments by simply offering my seat to a women and then doing the same again a few stops later when someone else got on.
i always find it interesting to watch the faces of other people when you do these little acts of kindness. Some look at you as if you are mad, some look almost guilty and some acknowledge the act for what it is.
the tube in London is generally a dog eat dog world, with harassed people generally seeking to ignore each other so its not always easy to get a smile, but i managed to get two in a matter of moments by simply offering my seat to a women and then doing the same again a few stops later when someone else got on.
i always find it interesting to watch the faces of other people when you do these little acts of kindness. Some look at you as if you are mad, some look almost guilty and some acknowledge the act for what it is.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
I still love London
this place is one big contrast.
it is fast and slow at the same time
it is old and new in the same place
it is cold and hot
people are beautiful and ugly
it is rich and poor
the food is good and bad
there are more languages spoken in every setting than i have ever heard before
service is good and bad with not much in between
it is expensive and cheap
things are near and far
it is full and empty
for all these reasons i still love this place
it is fast and slow at the same time
it is old and new in the same place
it is cold and hot
people are beautiful and ugly
it is rich and poor
the food is good and bad
there are more languages spoken in every setting than i have ever heard before
service is good and bad with not much in between
it is expensive and cheap
things are near and far
it is full and empty
for all these reasons i still love this place
Monday, January 4, 2010
Spain
Saturday
We arrived in Spain via Malaga Airport on Saturday. Picked up a car at a rental place (left hand drive and manual to boot). Fortunately, i ordered a GPS and ever since then Wendy has been bossing me around. She nags like no one i know and she has tried to make me take the odd wrong direction (i refuse to turn up one way streets the wrong way) and when i dont follow her straight away she shouts at me. However, without her we would have really struggled so i forgive her.
We had a quiet day on Saturday, just found the aparment and then went to a restaurant nearby. the food was ok but not great.
Sunday
We went to Malaga after going into Fuengirola. Fuengirola was a bit like a spanish Gold Coast (photos to follow). We had breakfast there and then went to Malaga. This was interesting as a driving experience but finally we found a carpark. then we went looking for Picasso's museum. Walked around a bit, no map, but in the end we found a couple of sites out of the fifty or so in the town. Cant say i am a fan but it was ok.
Monday
Today, it was pouring rain. We got in the car and drove to Granada. This was about a hour and half away. Again when we got there it was an interesting drive. Wendy took me up a bus/taxi only lane but again we managed to find our way into a carpark. we spent the afternoon walking around the La Alhambra (an old fort) - this is just one fantastic site and well worth the 13 euro entry fee (again photos to follow).
Driving back in the dark was a challenge - even the trucks were flashing us and driving past. No one seems to worry about speed signs here. In the end we made it back to the apartment, via a supermarket.
Tuesday
Got up late and had some breakfast in the apartment. In the afternoon Sue, Cam and I went to play golf at the Mijas course (played Los Olivas). Ash came along and drove the buggy. the game cost an arm and a leg (the sunscreen was a scam) but the course, although quite wet due to all the rain, was one of the most picturesque i have ever played on. Cam won the day with 101 (a great score really). Dinner was a high class meal of nachos (as good as any restaurant) with some red wine. Plan for tomorrow is to go down to gibraltar.
Wednesday
Got up late jumped into the car to head down to Gibraltar. we stopped in Marbella to have a look around. walked along the sea front and grabbed some breakfast in a cafe. Marbella, like fierengola is a bit gold coast like. lots of high rise down on the beachfront.
left Marbella and drove down the freeway to Gibraltar. paid about £10 in tolls along the way but worth it. Great road.
Gibraltar is stunning.
Thursday
Went into Malaga again and visited the castille and the Alamhambar. Some of these buildings are amazing. It is difficult to envisage how much effort was required to build and maintain these stunning buildings.
Friday
Dropped Ash and Cam in Malaga and then Sue and I headed off to Bavaria golf course for another game of golf. the day was cold and it rained a bit. the golf course was lovely, but the golf we played was crap and in the end with a biting wind blowing off the snow capped mountains and at the end driving rain we abandoned our game on the last hole. We grabbed a cup of coffee in the clubhouse and then went back into Malaga to pick the kids up.
Saturday
Dropped Ash and Cam at the railway in Malaga, they were heading off to San Sebastian to begin their own european trip for 4-5 weeks. Sue and I went to Benalmedena which is actually really lovely. Had a coffee on the beachfront and then drove back along the coast. Missed the exit for the airport and did another lap through Malaga before heading back to the airport. Our flight was delayed about an hour, but we did get home. Arranged a car to pick us up which was a good thing because the UK had had quite a bit of snow and it made it easy to get home. Had a bit of indian for dinner and fell into bed to get ready for the next few months as work before our next trip.
We arrived in Spain via Malaga Airport on Saturday. Picked up a car at a rental place (left hand drive and manual to boot). Fortunately, i ordered a GPS and ever since then Wendy has been bossing me around. She nags like no one i know and she has tried to make me take the odd wrong direction (i refuse to turn up one way streets the wrong way) and when i dont follow her straight away she shouts at me. However, without her we would have really struggled so i forgive her.
We had a quiet day on Saturday, just found the aparment and then went to a restaurant nearby. the food was ok but not great.
Sunday
We went to Malaga after going into Fuengirola. Fuengirola was a bit like a spanish Gold Coast (photos to follow). We had breakfast there and then went to Malaga. This was interesting as a driving experience but finally we found a carpark. then we went looking for Picasso's museum. Walked around a bit, no map, but in the end we found a couple of sites out of the fifty or so in the town. Cant say i am a fan but it was ok.
Monday
Today, it was pouring rain. We got in the car and drove to Granada. This was about a hour and half away. Again when we got there it was an interesting drive. Wendy took me up a bus/taxi only lane but again we managed to find our way into a carpark. we spent the afternoon walking around the La Alhambra (an old fort) - this is just one fantastic site and well worth the 13 euro entry fee (again photos to follow).
Driving back in the dark was a challenge - even the trucks were flashing us and driving past. No one seems to worry about speed signs here. In the end we made it back to the apartment, via a supermarket.
Tuesday
Got up late and had some breakfast in the apartment. In the afternoon Sue, Cam and I went to play golf at the Mijas course (played Los Olivas). Ash came along and drove the buggy. the game cost an arm and a leg (the sunscreen was a scam) but the course, although quite wet due to all the rain, was one of the most picturesque i have ever played on. Cam won the day with 101 (a great score really). Dinner was a high class meal of nachos (as good as any restaurant) with some red wine. Plan for tomorrow is to go down to gibraltar.
Wednesday
Got up late jumped into the car to head down to Gibraltar. we stopped in Marbella to have a look around. walked along the sea front and grabbed some breakfast in a cafe. Marbella, like fierengola is a bit gold coast like. lots of high rise down on the beachfront.
left Marbella and drove down the freeway to Gibraltar. paid about £10 in tolls along the way but worth it. Great road.
Gibraltar is stunning.
Thursday
Went into Malaga again and visited the castille and the Alamhambar. Some of these buildings are amazing. It is difficult to envisage how much effort was required to build and maintain these stunning buildings.
Friday
Dropped Ash and Cam in Malaga and then Sue and I headed off to Bavaria golf course for another game of golf. the day was cold and it rained a bit. the golf course was lovely, but the golf we played was crap and in the end with a biting wind blowing off the snow capped mountains and at the end driving rain we abandoned our game on the last hole. We grabbed a cup of coffee in the clubhouse and then went back into Malaga to pick the kids up.
Saturday
Dropped Ash and Cam at the railway in Malaga, they were heading off to San Sebastian to begin their own european trip for 4-5 weeks. Sue and I went to Benalmedena which is actually really lovely. Had a coffee on the beachfront and then drove back along the coast. Missed the exit for the airport and did another lap through Malaga before heading back to the airport. Our flight was delayed about an hour, but we did get home. Arranged a car to pick us up which was a good thing because the UK had had quite a bit of snow and it made it easy to get home. Had a bit of indian for dinner and fell into bed to get ready for the next few months as work before our next trip.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Restaurant Review - Fire and Stone (Covent Garden)
the family went to this restaurant last night. we went early 5.30pm and though we didnt have a booking we got a seat quite easily. the front of house was really pleasant and efficient. the table we got was good for the five of us but from there the experience went down dramatically.
the service was crap. Everyone in our section experienced the same. there were not enough people serving and you had to specifically ask someone or catch someone's eye to get any kind of service. the drink service was slow (they could have sold twice as many drinks if they were more efficient). the food service was slow, but the food when delivered at the table was tasty (4 out of 5 meals) and the serve sizes though not large were ok for 1 person.
in the end it cost us 60 pounds for 5 people but i did not pay the service fee (no service - no pay). I filled in the customer feedback form - not that i expect that will make any difference. I saw one of the service people look at one and bin it.
If you want a reasonably tasty pizza (and that is all they serve) at about 8 - 10 pounds a piece but crap service this might be the restaurant for you. but we wont be back.
the overall score - 4 out of 10
the service was crap. Everyone in our section experienced the same. there were not enough people serving and you had to specifically ask someone or catch someone's eye to get any kind of service. the drink service was slow (they could have sold twice as many drinks if they were more efficient). the food service was slow, but the food when delivered at the table was tasty (4 out of 5 meals) and the serve sizes though not large were ok for 1 person.
in the end it cost us 60 pounds for 5 people but i did not pay the service fee (no service - no pay). I filled in the customer feedback form - not that i expect that will make any difference. I saw one of the service people look at one and bin it.
If you want a reasonably tasty pizza (and that is all they serve) at about 8 - 10 pounds a piece but crap service this might be the restaurant for you. but we wont be back.
the overall score - 4 out of 10
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Christmas - London 2009
Xmas has come and gone. Everyone got some lovely presents and we all enjoyed some great food and some wine and beer. overall it was a fantastic day which i am sure will be remembered for a long time. It was lovely to share a wine and some cheese with Ron B and his friend Cathy who i am sure wondered where she had come to.
here are a couple of photos from the day:
here are a couple of photos from the day:
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