Just Our Luck That Both Computers Packed Up,

just as I was getting ready to go back to the UK and pick up a new passport,

but now I am back, as you might imagine I took lots of pictures, so I have split this into 2 posts, when you get to the bottom of the page, hit the 'older posts' button to see the next post, a new television screen at the end of Thepprasit Road,

 as we got on to the toll way it was raining hard,

 but it brighten up as I arrived at the airport,

 I had my suitcase wrapped for security and ease of finding it in the UK,

 entering the building a fabulous display of orchids,

 so nice,

 I settled for a coffee, which was delicious and a work of art,

 and a chicken wrap in the Bill Bentley dinner,

 not many people eating,

 the coffee was so nice I had another one,

 or two,

 then to the boarding gate,

 for my EVA Air flight to London,

 in the concourse a huge Thai style building,

 a happily uneventful flight,

 and I was sitting on Steve's balcony admiring the plants,

 next morning we were off for breakfast in Beckenham, walking past St. Georges church we were talking about Graham who works in the shop and his new car, I explained to Steve it was a mid 1950s Ford Zodiac with a small block powering it, I said it sounds just like that one, turning round it was such a coincidence, there was Graham driving past us!

 we stopped here,

 whilst eating a few magpies took up noisy residence,

 as we finished eating it started to rain, so Steve had the idea that Graham would go to his garage and lock the car up,

 and when we arrived Steve was right, Graham had decided to call it a day and not get his pride and joy wet,

 and this is the power plant, a V8 302 cubic inch, or 5 litres if you prefer, Ford Windsor engine, 

 next stop off to the shop,

 the following day we were out for Sunday lunch,

 and chose the Toby Carvery at Eden Park.

 the sign says it all,

 now I am terrible with names, so apologetics first, I think this is Peter and in the background Katrina,

 Steve and Kai went for their carvery first,

 whilst I waited for the drinks from one of the always happy staff,

 Steve and Kai returned,

 then it was my turn,

 so many dishes,

 and yummy Yorkshire puddings,

 a few slices of pork and I was on my way,

 lots of crackling too,

as we left we said farewell to some more of the staff, then feet up for the evening,

 then the fun began, whilst at the shop we loaded up all of the things that I had been ordering in the past few months,

 boxes and packaging everywhere,

 but soon order came out of chaos,

 a sandwich,

 and a look at Steve's aquarium,

 that has a couple of very nice clown loach, (Chromobotia macracanthus),

 and some red line barbs from India, (Puntius denisonii),

 in the afternoon we decided to pop in and see Frank,

 who runs a private bar in Beckenham Place Park,

 but alas the club,

 known as the Foxgrove was closed, so we settled for drink at home,

 then Monday, an important day for me,

 up to Victoria station to find the passport office I had an appointment from,

 it was past 10.00 so most of the commuters had already arrived,

 then I noticed this on the floor,

 just follow the blue lines,

 and there it is,

 with a pub just opposite, may be a beverage later,

 I was actually an hour early, but I was told that today was very quiet so just go in and wait, well I did not wait at all I was seen straight away, £137.00 plus £20.00 booking fee and I was on my way, the receipt I was given said to call back at 2.30, so I made my way towards Knightsbridge, to have a look around and kill some time, I thought about buying Diana some Hotel Chocolate, but I already had some that I bought before arriving,

 I then found another speciality chocolate shop, in case you have not guessed Diana loves chocolate,

 as I made my way from the passport office,

 I passed the V & A museum,

 and some lovely small mews,

 I was spoilt for choice as far as lunch was concerned,

 so I chose this pub,

 which did not open for another hour,

 but here I am,

 a nice selection of healthy food,

 and cakes,

 so I ordered a sausage sandwich, the sausages were fine, but the relish was not to my taste,

 but a nice view watching the London traffic roll by,

 meal over onwards,

 I was on a mission,

  as John Flaxman and his world of Dante looked down on my progress,

I had thought more people would be out and about,

 but there it is,

if you did not look up the link V & A is short for the Victoria and Albert Museum,

 I made my way past one of London 13 cabmen's shelters still in existence,

and past The Church of the Immaculate Heart ofMary, sometimes known as the Brompton Oratory,

 another cake shop, so tempting, but I was nearly there,

 and this was where I was heading,

the Carphone Warehouse, £3.99 and a £20.00 top up and I was on my way, a cheap telephone to use in the UK,

 I was thinking of going Harrods,

but thought I would wait until next year when hopefully we can both go,

 I had a bit of a thirst, so a swift pint,

 then back past the church,

 then this chap arrived at the lights, he must have liked the noise his car made as he kept screaming the engine as he waited for the lights to change,

 there are so many nice shops in the area, 

 like this one selling books and prints, I must admit I was quite taken by this one, 

 I called in to passport office and with new passport in hand made my way to the shop to pick up some dry cleaning,

 in the evening we were off,

 to Steve's club,

 in Park Langley,

 steak for Steve, baked salmon for myself,

 the club is nicely laid out,

 but as it is a sports club I do not think I will be winning any of these trophies!

 next day off to Croydon,

 and made my way towards Surrey Street market,

 this building always reminds me of the Flatiron building in New York, but in miniature of course,

 at the end of the stairs there is a plaque,

 commemorating the widening of the street, to save you working it out the street was widened in 1896,

 plants,

 and fruit aplenty,

 from all over the world,

 also a fresh fish stall,

 I made my way along the market, taking in all of the sights and smells,

there are also a couple of butchers here as well,

breakfast, that seems like a good idea,

 I went to the tramway,

 as I know there are few cafes there,

 bacon sandwich and a coffee, 

 great way to start the day, the outside of the cafe,

 through the High Street, now pedestrianised,

 the balloon seller giving directions,

 I have been told that the giant Westfield company is making a move on the Whitgift Centre, so this might be a last look at it,

 I was actually looking for the Marks & Sparks store as I have a few things to pick up for friends,

 looking up one of the side streets,

 this building was new,

 shopping over I called in to see Mick and Pauline,

 then a tram,

 back to Beckenham,

 I walked down to the High Street and thought this was a neat play on words, this used to be the police station, so what better name for a restaurant than Coppers!

 on the way I called in to see Paul who owns a jewellers in the High Street,

 lots to tempt Diana here,

 just a few of the bargains to be had,

 there is another jewellers along the street, but a little to rich for me,

 it was hot going, so a quick pint in O'Neil s before heading back to Steve and Kai's,

 after a shower off for our evening meal  to Bromley, past the church,

 and this building,

 to Bromley police station,

 next to which was Buddha Belly,

 a Asian buffet restaurant,

 so a quick pose,

 and in we go,

 as you might expect food everywhere,

 and a belly or two,

 everything looking nice and fresh,

 with new dishes brought out,

 as the plates are emptied,

lots of sauces,

 plus a number of covered,

 heated dishes,

 a well stocked bar completes the picture for drinks,

 and cocktails,

 there is also a station where you chose your food,

 and it is cooked for you,

 Ta-Da!

 we all just ate till we were bursting,

 well we had to have a few desserts,

 there was a big party on one of the other tables,

 and there was a party when we returned home, out with the glasses for bubbly,

 as it was Kai's birthday, after a few to many we all decided it was time for bed,

 as first thing I was over to Hayes Hight Street,

for an appointment to see Robert Belcher, who is both my personal and companies accountant,

 meeting over it was off to the pub, in this case the New Inn,

but before we went in here is a bit of fun on top of this van,

 I wonder how many people have thought this is a real dog?

 inside the pub lives up to it's name,

 everything new and shiny,

 'Cheers!',

 after our main courses a dessert,

 I then took myself off to Bromley,

 where I found another Hotel Chocolate shop,

 along the High Street, 

 to Market Square,

 where I called in to see Danny in his shop,

 by now I felt another pint coming on, so I called in here, it is just off of the square, 

 it is called The Partridge, 

 and has so much character from the central entrance hall,

 to the ornate bars,

 which beer to go for?

 in the evening I was out for a meal at L'Argosta in Elmers End, 

 I met up with Graham and Lee from the shop and Lee's wife Sue,

 steak for Graham,

 to be honest I have forgotten what we all had,

 but it was nice,

 I think Lee also had a steak,

 I was so full I just went with another starter,

 I think Lee was telling a story,

 which we all thought was funny,

 "Cheers!', from all of us,

 the owner called by and offered us all an after dinner drink on the house,

 the bar at the rear of the restaurant,

 we all had a dessert then all home to bed,

 on Thursday back to Hayes for a breakfast,

 opposite the church,

 full English breakfast for Steve, a prawn sandwich for myself,

 we called into this little farm shop,

 a little way from Downe,

 the shop had so many things to tempt you,

 next stop the garden centre at Pole Hill,

 Devon ice cream, yummy,

 as we walked in,

 there was a nice selection of bonsai,

 and orchids,

lots of them and at £8.00 each not so unaffordable as they used to be,

 a nice self contained water feature, this one big,

 but there were some in smaller sizes,

 in to the marine fish section,

 it might look easy to keep these,

 but there is a lot of kit and plumbing keeping these alive,

 the koi section was next,

 with raised ponds with glass sides,

 a final farewell to the fish,

but as we left, I just had to stop here, 

 for a plate of whelks, delicious!

 Steve took a leisurely drive home through some of the smaller villages,

 that had a quaint,

 old world look to some of the homes,

 we also called into this museum, but it only opens at weekends,

 we past some Chelsea Pensioners at a function in one of the pubs,

 back to Beckenham,

 to a real old fashioned sweet shop,

 just what the dentist ordered!

 speaking of dentists we were going to the Moon & Stars to meet one,

 Mahendra joined us for a drink or three,

 for our evening meal we went to the Hisar Meze Bar in Beckenham High Street,

 and nice it was too,

the prawns looked and tasted great,

 Steve ordered and liked the sardines,

 lamb chops for myself,

 Steve's chips and salad arrive,

 lamb chops, lovely!

 and we had to finish off with?

 Turkish delight of course,

 'Cheers!',

 up with the lark in the morning, this might look suspicious,

 but it is just a gated property in Greenwich where we will be spending the day,

 there are lots of old military/navy buildings that have been made into homes in the area,

 we made our way to the riverside,

 passing a few pubs on the way with their nautical connection outside,

 one of the river sightseeing boats makes its way past us,

 well I had to take a panoramic picture,

 Steve strikes the pose,

 in the distance the building that is part of the Maritime museum,

 having found the button for panoramic shots I thought I would use it again,

 a final look and we were off,

 past the obelisk,

 to the Cutty Sark,

 we were going to eat at Nando's, but had to call back for the upstairs to be open,

 so we made our way back into Greenwich one way system,

 taking pictures as we went,

 we were going to have a look around the covered market,

 and one of the first stalls we saw, a stall selling Thai food,

 there seemed to be a large number of stalls selling food today,

 but as we made our into the market, more bric-a-brac stalls appeared,

 I was intrigued by this one,

 after spending 5 years in a letterpress printing company,

  it seemed strange to see these printing blocks,

all type high, .918 inches or 23.3 mm if you prefer, one of the few facts I can remember from my days, or I should say years in the print,

 more craft stalls,

 filled the rest of the market,

 this one I found fascinating, kaleidoscopes, I had great fun playing with these as a kid, but of course in those days they were made out of cardboard, not brass like these ones,

 we stopped off for a coffee,

at this place,

 what ever they were at £15.00 up,

 I really could not get a handle on what was going on here,

 then it dawned on me, 

 it was a cafe/studio, you bought a plain cup or mug and painted it yourself,

 it was then fired to complete the glaze, the coffees were nice,

 as were the cakes on offer,

 we had a look in the Nauticalia shop, 

 and of course Goddards pie and mash shop,

we then made our way back through some of the old buildings that line the Thames,

until we reached the Cutty Sark,

where these nautical coves,

were hosting some flags, 

as Nannie inspired by the poem 'Tam O' Shanter' by Robert Burns looks on,

Her cutty sark, o' Paisley harn,

That while a lassie she had worn,

In longitude tho' sorely scanty,

It was her best, and she was vauntie.

Ah! little kend thy reverend grannie

That sark she coft for her wee Nannie

Wi' twa pund Scots ('twas a' her riches)

Wad ever graced a dance of witches!

at last Nandos's was open,

so upstairs we went,

my finger already on the panoramic mode button,

upstairs it was a great place to take a picture of the Cutty Sark, provided you have a wide angle lens,

and of course,

to take a few pictures,

of Kai with the Thames as a backdrop,

work still ongoing on the far part of the city,

looking upriver we could just make out the Shard,

it appears you can go up to London's highest and best view which is situated at the top of The Shard, on floors 68, 69 and 72. at almost twice the height of any other viewing platform in the capital and one view I will definitely give a miss to!

our food arrived. and nice it was too,

we then made our way back into the one way system,

we were on a mission,

to this shop,

that sold ice cream,

so many flavours,

and once chosen so little time until it melts,

a very happy Kai,

we made our way back to the car,

passing many buildings,

some topped with wind vanes,

two of London's finest,

the building with the wind vane atop of it, 

I do not know what all of these buildings house, but the sounds coming from this one made me think it was a music school,

the staircase leading to the Maritime Museum,

as well as weather vanes, some of the buildings had fantastical figures on them like this one, we had now made it back to the car, to continue our day out we were of to see Philip in his that he bought several months ago, well that is it for this post, I am now going to take a break, if you want to see the rest of my trip click the 'older posts' button at the bottom of the page on the right.