What happened to my frequent blogs? Not entirely sure. I do know that my brain has been doing overtime and that I have not been able to focus but I'll keep all that to myself.
Just watched "The Reader" and as I am so emotionally drained after that I have no energy to think so here we go...
The monkeys and I went on a little trip to London in the last few days and we had an absolutely fabulous time. Whenever I go back I just find my whole time in the capital sheer luxury. The weather for starters is always better than it is up North and is also nice to be "home" and seeing some old friends. The monkeys had a ball in the playgrounds; there was the massive sand pit in Holland Park, the fabulous pirate ship in Kensington Gardens and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain which they left, completely soaking wet from top to toe.
They couldn't stop going into the Whole Foods Market and walking up and down the High Street and I of course went back to my old favourites Ranoush Juice (my friends!) and the Exeter Street Bakery where they sell sweet pizza : raisins and lots of sugar on a pizza base basically but oh so yummy.
On Sunday we went on a river cruise to Greenwich. We had a fabulous guide who was not only very funny but also very knowledgeable. I should have asked his name because he is worth mentioning. I learnt a lot more from him than in the ten years I lived in London.
The banks of the Thames are absolutely fascinating. The juxtaposition of buildings old and new is at times awe inspiring at others plain ridiculous. It is amazing to think that 10 or 15 years ago a lot of the land was barren. Currently there is still a lot of building work going on.
The guide pointed out all the buildings old and some new....
Then there were the Dutch (effeweg.nl...). They are everywhere. Always.
I loved the red and white polkadot wrapped trees on the South Bank by Yayoi Kusama. For some reason this little group reminded me of the Supremes, must have been the big hair do's (don't ask, the mind has funny ways!).
.... and the yellow stair case of the Hayward Gallery.
More wrapping around the Tower Bridge.....
(detail of Tower Bridge)One sight that sadly is not wrapped anymore is the Albert Memorial. When I first moved to London it was covered for restoration and I was always very keen to find out what it looked like (had not discovered Google at that point, if that existed anyway). When they finally took the "Christo" off it I was so totally and utterly disappointed that I wished the restoration had lasted a few decades longer. Undoubtedly there are quite a few eyesores in the capital but for me it has to be the Albert Memorial.
Now we are safely back in Manchester, chasing dreams or perhaps I should have said ghosts, as that feels slightly more appropriate.
The first two weeks of the holidays have passed so quickly and yep let me mention it again : before we know it is Christmas time again....
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