downthetubes Pages

Tuesday, 30 May 2006

London Calling

Walk in the park, breakfast at the Honest Sausage in Regent's Park, lunch at the Richaux in St Johns Wood, where they have their own brand of tea bags and the three men on the next table are discussing £100 million pound deals. No wonder it's so expensive...

Monday, 29 May 2006

London Calling


Explored Regent's Park yesterday, blown away by the surrounding architecture and the sheer variety of wildlife, so many herons it's amazing. Read an article in Daily Telegraph later suggesting grey squirrels may be responsible for predation on song birds eggs. Well, I think the birds are holding their own here, despite the obvious numbers of squirrels.

The park's busy but not heaving, perhaps the dodgy weather puts people off. By the time we get to Primrose Hill the sky is black but the rain is transitory. It's a great exploration, although turning a corner afer such a glorious few hours and walking past an armed policeman (machine gun and all) was a bit of a shock (Winfield House. the official residence of the US ambassador, is in the park, or rather on its edge).

Lunch in St. John's High Street is good if pricey, then back tyo hotel, change and brave the tube to Westminster for one of the main reasons for our trip. The stage production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Westminster tube station is incredible these days, an imposing industrial, all metal edifice below ground that is a far cry from the quaint Victorian station it used to be.Ffor some reason it now conjures the Morlocks from The Time Machine.

The play is excellent (seats good too, despite the price). Good cast as well as the leads, a powerful play, still relevant today. I would like to read the book and see the film again now.

Trip back fine -- late night sandwiches in our room. Sleep well for the first time this trip.