Wednesday, September 16 A Day in the Rain

The shower issue

Only cold cold water in the shower, but hot water in the sinks.  What's the problem?  Got Brian's upstairs neighbour to help us sort it out.  Brian has a power shower, which means the water flow is quite strong, but that wasn't the problem.    The water coming from the left tap hadn't been hot, so to make it hotter I turned the left one, the cold, off, I thought.  But I'd actually turned the hot water off.  So, the right tap sets the water temperature that comes out of the left tap.  Problem solved.

To Chancery Lane via District Line and Central Line.  The train made a sudden lurch and I fell onto a passengers' legs/shoes.  I was helped up, and found my thumb bleeding.  My thumb nail had been a bit ripped from the flesh underneath it, but it wasn't torn. It certainly ached for awhile.

It was raining fairly heavily when we got out of the tube at Chancery Lane.  Had intended to go to St. Martins-in-the-Fields but the weather was so unpleasant, and we didn't know what direction to walk, so decided to eat.  Found the The Inn of Court, a lovely pub, to have lunch.
Inn of Court at 18 Holborn

Ate lunch here

My lunch - trout, potatoes, roasted tomatoes, samphire (a European plant of the parsley family that grows on rocks and cliffs by the sea. Its aromatic, fleshy leaves were formerly much used in pickles).  Estrella beer from Spain.  Absolutely delicious.  Enjoyed every minute.  Having Meg there added to the experience. 

  Three different beer samples, three different English pies. The lunch of the person sitting beside us.

Meg

The Inn of Court

Taxi driver demonstration, protesting Uber, which is functioning in London

This wasn't a huge demonstration, maybe 4 dozen men, and quite a few police officers, including several police vans.

Walked to Covent Garden to be out of the rain.  It was raining quite hard, were plenty of puddles of water to avoid.

Lower level of Covent Garden.  Playing classical music. Made a short video of the music, but it won't play here.

Quite a brilliant decoration hanging from the ceiling over the courtyard.  Balloons.

Are a number of cafes in Covent Gardens

Around the courtyard are shops of various sorts.  Two floors. 

A tea shop

A French novelty store in Covent Garden.  Went a bit crazy... didn't buy anything, wanted to, just took a few pictures

hair brushes

toasters

Various types of goods for sale made by artisans - Covent Garden

made from marble - very heavy 

Clocks for sale in Covent Garden

After I took these last 2 photos the man standing at the sales booth told me no more pictures, he was there to sell.  That ensured I wouldn't buy one from him.  They were actually very reasonably priced.

Exchange rates are quite varied so it's a good idea to shop around, if you have the time.  Exchange money at home for as much cash as you feel comfortable carrying. Rates are better.

It rained all afternoon, quite heavily.  After Covent Garden, found a Nero coffee shop in Trafalgar Square and had a pastry and flat white coffee.  Very pleasant.  Nero is an Italian chain with cafes all over the city.  Not that many Starbucks here.

Took the tube home and had a light dinner there.  By the time we got to Barking station the rain had stopped. Finally.