Wassailing down the Thames on a Sunday afternoon

me and the Green Man

yes! You read that right…..I went Wassailing down the Thames on a Sunday afternoon!!  The Twelfth Night of Christmas festivities are held annually on the 6th January, and this year (also the first year) I got to hear about it!
So yesterday (January 6th) was one of the highlights of my London life to date!!  I have lived in this city for 11 years now and it was only 2 weeks ago that I learned about the custom of wassailing.  I received an email from a friend of mine inviting me to join him and his crew on the Trinity Tide as they carried the Holly (Green) Man from St Katherine’s Pier along the Thames to Bankside.    I joined the cutter and crew at the pier at 1.45pm and my excitement knew no bounds; to be a passenger on the Trinity Tide had been a dream of mine since November 2010 when I first saw it in the Lord Mayor’s Show

the beautiful Trinity Tide

My daughter who was to be the official photographer and I set off really early and made our way to Tower Hill…thankfully the trains were running just fine and we made it in good time    We stopped off at Costa Coffee for a last-minute order (by text…gotta love social mobility) of 5 hot coffees; white please!!     I was guessing the crew were in need of urgent refreshment after rowing on what was a cold and grey day, from Deptford to Tower Bridge.   Then down to the pier it was…I was still stressing big time about ‘am I in the right place?’ & ‘where were we landing?’ and sent a panic stricken text to Joe to make sure I had the right place. Daft!!!

me on my phone

When we arrived at the pier, there was no Green Man to be seen; my nerves were skittering about and almost overwhelmed my excitement.  Then suddenly I saw the Trinity Tide as she rounded the bend

the Trinity Tide arrives in good time

and a few seconds later I saw the Green Man making his way down the walkway to the pontoon!! Hooray!! I was in the right place at the right time! This does not happen often  The Green Man looked absolutely splendid decked out in his greenery and the face painting was extraordinary!   The Holly Man ‘brings in the green’ and ‘wassails’ or toasts the people, the River Thames and the Globe – an old tradition encouraging good growth.

the extraordinary Holly (Green) Man arrives

The cutter pulled up alongside the pontoon and quick as a flash before anyone could change their minds I was on and seated.  Try to pry me off now and see how far you get!!!

safely ensconced and looking as pleased as punch

Within a very short space of time we were off…..the piper in the bow,

settled in for the trip; the piper in the bow of the Trinity Tide

the oarsman ready to row, the jolly green man standing as we go, one of the Mummers to wave and say hello; wassail the boats, then me in the VIP seat ( ) and Joe standing at the stern to guide us safely along the river with nautical expressions like: easy as you go, or keep it even lads and even the odd ‘heave’.

looking ever so tiny against the huge structure of Tower Bridge, the Trinity Tide is on her way

Ohmygosh…what fun!!! I was truly in my element, grinning from ear-to-ear like a cheshire cat.  I could scarcely believe my luck.
What an experience…..I can recommend it to anyone….although I am not sure that you would be able to go in the Trinity Tide, but you can sure take a ferry along the river.  The views of the city are marvellous and although the tide was out and the water so low I could probably have walked along the river (kidding!), it was just amazing to sail beneath the bridges and see the buildings along the embankments from that perspective.

the underbelly of London Bridge, thankfully not falling down that day.

The Cap’n and his crew hailed and cheered the Green Man and the Trinity Tide and even 3 Days in London got 3 cheers….what fun!!
We made exceptionally good time, those blokes sure know how to row….and before we knew it, and way too soon for me, we arrived at Bankside.

the Green man arrives at Bankside…let the festivities begin!!!

And an extra bonus….because we were so early we (the rowers not me!!) rowed almost to Waterloo Bridge and then back down again, all the while the Mummer and Green Man wassailing along the Thames.
We landed safely on the beach (Churchill would have been proud), where we were met by a group of Mummers and others.

The Mummers waiting to greet the Green Man

Quick as a flash the Green Man was gone and I didn’t even have time to say goodbye  I climbed out the boat with huge reluctance!  The embankment was lined with revellers and spectators there to see the arrival of the Green Man from the Thames, watch the Mummers and join in with the celebrations and Twelfth Night festivities.
Their costumes were just brilliant and the characters enchanting!  I said goodbye to the Trinity Tide and crew and all too soon they made their way back along the Thames to Deptford.

goodbye Trinity Tide; bon voyage and thank you

The play was in full swing by the time I found myself a good vantage point and although I could not see very well or hear much of what was going on, the bits that I did get to see and hear were uproariously funny.  At the end of the play, cakes are distributed – a bean and a pea hidden in two of them. Those who find them are hailed King and Queen for the day and crowned with ceremony.  The little cakes were duly handed out and King Bean and Queen Pea were identified, they were crowned and the whole jolly group set off with revellers and spectators trailing behind to the George Inn for the next bit of the tradition.  I ran like mad through the back streets (it’s really useful knowing my way around!) to get to the George Inn before the crowd as I really wanted to record them arriving….which they did with great noise, pomp and ceremony!! What a brilliant experience.

the Holly (Green) Man arrives at the George Inn, Southwark amidst much noise and ceremony

I can highly recommend that you put the 6 January 2015 into your diary and head on over to Bankside for next year’s festivities.  Snippets of information in this blog are from this site; do visit it, it’s brilliant.

If you would like to join me on twitter  where I post information about London I would be delighted.  I am also on facebook and if you have any photos you would like to share of your London experiences, why not join the growing community of people who love London.  Thanks for dropping by and reading this blog, I also blog about London at 3 days in London.  So if you are in London for 3 days….or perhaps more, do feel free to visit the website for some ideas on places to visit and things to do and I wish you a wonderful stay.

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Magic, mayhem, Madness, mandeville, a zip-lining Mayor and the Mo-Bot

Tower Bridge goes gold – London2012 Olympics

“It was all a very good show”……said with typical British understatement for the fact that Britain and London had managed to pull off one of the greatest shows on earth!! London2012 Olympics and then the Paralympics went off like a dream. Magic, mayhem, Madness, Mandeville, a zip-lining Mayor and the Mo-Bot; leaving us with the legacy of a summer of fun, friendliness and a whole new perspective to the usual stiff-upper lip the Brits are renowned for!!

After months of planning, hard work and a carefully crafted proposal that included what the committee considered would be the legacy of the 2012 games for London and the UK; 6th July 2005 brought the news that London had won the right to host the 2012 Olympics!   The thrilling announcement that our bid had been successful was met with a roar of approval, the crowds in Trafalgar Square went mad with jubilation, magic was in the air and London was abuzz with excitement. People chatted in the streets, in pubs, in offices and at home we watched the news over and over again, the scenes of our London Committee jumping into the air was thrilling. The first time for 64 years.

London 2012

That evening the talk was of the Olympics and Paralympics, 2012 seemed so far away.  The next morning London was shocked to the core and jerked out of her jubilation with the dreadful, terrifying and shocking events that ripped through the underground, killing and maiming so many people, by the bombings that took place.  7/7 was etched forever in the physche of London.   The Olympics left the scene, that was yesterday.

the 7/7 Memorial in Hyde Park

Slowly and surely, after many agonising months that for some stretched into years, London recovered, moved on, changed, welcomed newcomers, said goodbye to others and erected memorials in the name of the people who died on that terrible day.  The Olympic Park took shape,

the Olympic Stadium nearing completion

bridges were built, East London changed like a shape-shifter, the dissenters said it would never be a success – that it was draining the public pocket, the transport system wouldn’t cope – it was too old, too crowded, reams of papers were printed, millions of words compiled, and miles of temporary fencing installed – enough to stretch from Canary Wharf to Weymouth and Portland.

Then suddenly the Olympics were just 500 days away.  Where did the years go?  The Olympic clock was installed at Trafalgar Square, the event celebrated with a party and suddenly the excitement of what lay ahead started to seep into the very fabric of the city. And the people came from far and wide!   The clock become a feature of the square, included in millions of photos….in years to come they would be able to say…..I was there!  Tours of the Olympic Park could be booked, these tickets highly desirable and people came from all over the world to have a look.

London 2012 Olympic Park overview

The days crept by, now it was just months, the dissenters cried foul, the protagonists rebuffed and yet inexorably the days just crept by…and suddenly….100 days to go!!  The Olympic rings were up at St Pancras Station ready to welcome visitors from abroad on the Eurostar, the Olympic Park neared completion, many of the venues already completed; ahead of schedule despite reports of doom and gloom, the Olympic rings launched on the Thames carried on a barge, Olympic rings  were hoisted and secured onto Tower Bridge,

The Olympic Rings on Tower Bridge

and now the buzz on the street was the Torch Relay, not long to go!!!  Bubblegum Pink signs appeared on the underground, above ground;

with a colour like that…you simply could not go astray

go here, go there and @GAOTG, venues arose as if by magic in Central London and some of our favourite ‘places to go’ were suddenly out-of-bounds…..London will never cope!!

the Olympic Rings at St Pancras

Volunteers practised for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the practise run a #BestKeptSecret, Games Makers volunteers trained, the torch designed and 800 created, loved by some, by others not. The costs crept up £9billion all told, word on the street was that the Opening and Closing ceremonies alone would cost £80million, 50 pence coins to commemorate the Games taking place went into circulation, the main sponsors came under fire for not paying tax, their validity questioned; whoever heard of McDonald’s and Coca-Cola sponsoring an event that required peak health and fitness?  G4S fell down at the finishing post #epicfail – the Home Secretary came under fire – the already stretched Army roped in to provide security, and surface-to-air missiles installed on roof tops – controversy reigned…London would never cope!

An ancient ritual in Athens.  Greece, home of the Olympics.  A Princess. A Football legend.  Land’s End.
The Olympic flame, kindled from the rays of the sun flies in on a British Airways plane named The Firefly.  Then Saturday to Land’s End for the start of an 8,000 mile relay! The Torch has landed.

And it’s off – carried in turn by 800 nominated and carefully selected torch-bearers, from one end of our fair land to the other, travelling through 1,019 cities, towns and villages, the Torch relay galvanised Great Britain and the crowds grew and grew as the torch travelled round the country, people lined the streets come rain or shine, heroes and outstanding personalities as well as very ordinary people carried the flame; held high with pride and joy, a human chain that reached the length and breadth of Britain, each Bearer keeping their torch as a memento.  None too soon and the first torch appeared on eBay – up for sale!!  Commercialism is alive and well.

Parties were held, fireworks blasted off, events and extravagances, and at each stop the crowds just grew and grew, the relay had promised that the torch would pass within a few miles of every person in this country; South, East, West and North….we all had the opportunity to step out and cheer, supporting the runners as they took their place in history; the greatest show on earth.  We all had a chance to watch it go by.

Olympic Torch Relay at Kew Gardens

All too soon and yet not soon enough,  the Torch arrived in London, flying in by helicopter, upstream and up over our beautiful Tower Bridge, and in competition with the roar of the helicopters the crowds cheered and roared!  Hooray!!!!  The torch has arrived! Staying the night in the Tower of London from whence it set off the next day to travel through all 33 Boroughs of London.  I managed to see it at Kew Gardens, up close and personal and then again at Millenium Bridge – outstandingly exciting.

Millenium Bridge

Wenlock and Mandeville appeared as if by magic, not there yesterday, suddenly here today, these controversial characters dotted the city, at famous landmarks, along the South Bank, Albert Embankment, in famous gardens and in quiet corners;  @MOLPresents another London attraction!  Locals and visitors got into the swing of things and started to ‘Stroll’  on Blue, Green, Pink, Purple, Red and Yellows trails to #findWenlock & #findMandeville,

Tourist Mandeville – I Love London – me too!!!

The Olympic Clock – one of many attractions in the city to celebrate the momentous occasion.  The days and hours flew by and as the clock counted down crowds would gather each night in Trafalgar Square as the day drew in and evening hour approached 9, then in the space of a millisecond, with a loud cheer and applause the numbers slipped over…..** days, ** hours, ** minutes and ** seconds to go…..

the Olympic Clock at Trafalgar Square

Twitter, facebook and youtube alight with excitement or dissent, millions of photos uploaded to the net, the London Eye blazed bright for a while lit up by the tweets of the nation, the colours pulsed capturing the mood on the street. News spread with the flash of a fire #socialmedia changed the face of the Olympics.

At last the time had arrived and on the 27th July, aboard the Yarmouth Belle, astounded at the crowds already lining the banks of the river at 6.30am on a wet and chilly morning, I followed the Olympic Flame as it travelled on it’s penultimate journey, burning brightly in a cauldron on the Royal Barge Gloriana along the Thames from Hampton Court Palace to Richmond and thence to London Pool.   And from Hampton Court to City Hall, on boats, grassy banks, in buildings, house-boats, lining the locks and bridges, the people of London with flags, brollies and bunting held high cheered and waved as the flame went by.

the crowds waiting patiently to cheer on the Olympic Torch on the Royal Barge Gloriana

At Richmond I disembarked and ran like crazy to the station for the train to central London, I wanted one more glimpse of the torch as it arrived at Tower Bridge, we had the #HomeAdvantage.

Again the torch was greeted by huge crowds, like a moth to a flame ( ) the people came, the space around City Hall on Bankside and the walkways of Tower Bridge filled up rapidly as word spread….hooray! the flame is here………and now it was time…..let the Games begin. Inspire a Generation.

The Royal Barge Gloriana arriving at Tower Bridge with the Olympic Flame

And later that night, along with billions of people round the world, we settled in front of our tellies – the best seat in the house! – desperately envious of the 80,000 people who had managed to get tickets for the #OpeningCeremony.  With music, magic, mayhem and Madness the ceremony began.   In turn we were amused, astounded, thrilled and surprised as the wonderful, amazing #OpeningCeremony got under way. Gently and slowly the pace built up as our pulses increased, green fields gave way to the Industrial Revolution, gold rings rose into the sky, the Queen parachuted in with James Bond; shaken and stirred as were we.  What a spectacle!  We had it all, laughter, music, scenes from history, a nod to the Victorians, scenes from the 60′s, the Tor, the Minis, the dancers and drummers, the pace quickened and a loud cheer greeted the parade; the first of the Athletes as they entered the stadium.

Great Britain….Athletes Parade at the Opening Ceremony (and this was as close as I got )

Greece as the guardian of the Games proudly in front.  Then from A-Z  the teams from 204 countries marched by, the Athletes excited and jubilant, the flag bearers carrying their country’s flag with pride.  We watched with curiosity as the parade went by – what were those copper petals carried on the arm of a pretty young girl?  #BestKeptSecret   And the crowd just cheered and cheered.

Speeches followed, then the flags of Greece, Great Britain and the Olympic flag were carried in and raised as the crowds just cheered and cheered.  And then the moment we had all been waiting for, a moment suspended in time….finally we saw the flame again; now on it’s final leg, with speed along the Thames, burning brightly in it’s golden torch, a luminescent speedboat steered by one of the most recognisable faces in the world sped beneath Tower Bridge leaving behind a wake of bright light as fireworks exploded above the bridge……. a fitting display for a very important flame.

With a flourish it arrived at the Olympic Park, handed over to a legend of sport, then carried high on the roar of the crowd it arrived in the Stadium, carried round in relay by 7 young athletes and finally, as the world held their collective breath, the next generation stepped up and the first flicking flames leapt high lighting the amazing, the brilliant, magnificent London2012 Olympic cauldron, 204 copper petals rose slowly towards the heavens, ablaze!  You could almost feel the gasp;  what an amazing cauldron.

The London2012 Olympic Cauldron

Fireworks lit up the sky, explosions of colour shooting high! Let the Games begin!

To say that I found the Olympics totally inspiring would be an understatement…I spent most of my free time glued to the TV, and bounding high on a wave of euphoria when finally the days arrived when we too could atend the events I had been lucky enough to secure: Fencing at the Excel Arena and Synchronised Swimming at the Aquatics Centre….in yes!!! wait for it!!!! In the Olympic Park no less!!! OMG!!!

me at the Olympic Park for the Synchronised Swimming

The events were brilliant – @TeamGB shone and shone and shone, GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE our wonderful atheletes put on their best show and we went from strength to strength.  I was bursting with patriotic pride.  Never mind that I had never heard of 90% of those athletes, I saw them now and they were brilliant.  Tears flowed….some theirs, plenty of mine!!! Kept Kleenex in business. LOL

Claire Balding came into her own, a brilliant presenter….we marvelled at the magnificent Mo Farah….the Mo-Bot was born.  I gasped and cried as I watched a horse dance in the Equestrian event, screamed at the TV and jumped up and down like a lynatic, an audience of one but no less excited, thrilled and blown away….yes!!! GOLD at Eton-Dorney.   The Mayor Boris Johnson got stuck on a zip-wire at Victoria Park and Bert Le Clos captured the heart of the nation when his beautiful boy won the swimming event.  We watched records broken, hearts broken, and barriers came down.  GOLD here, SILVER there and BRONZE  everywhere…..and then in the closing event  Mo Farah secured a final GOLD and a place forever in sporting history.

OMG, my heart.

Our excursion to Excel Arena was way exciting, and despite being way at the back and not having a clue as to what was going on, just being there was sheer magic.   The Games Makers were brilliant, guiding, shepherding and answering.  Army chaps smiled and said hello, not quite going as far as a high-five but close enough.

me and Cémanthe holding one of the Olympic torches at Excel Arena

And so those magical days of the #London2012 Olympics went on, thrilling, exciting, fun and fascinating.  A summer like no other and never to be forgotten.  And all too soon the last day arrived, @TeamGB were 3rd in the league of medals….whoo hooo!!!  Way, way better than anyone ever expected…carried through by the sheer determination of the athletes and the joy and pride of the spectators.   The #ClosingCeremony was no less exciting and just as crazy as the #OpeningCeremony albeit tinged with sadness….the time had come to say goodbye.

But fear not……the #Paralympics were on their way……..

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London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony

The Olympic Rings at St Pancras Station

After all the hype and hurrumph about the London 2012 Olympics last month’s opening ceremony was absolute genius.  Danny Boyle is to be commended for capturing the spirit of Britain’s past; her quirky characters, her obscure humour, her rebellious nature, her natural reserve  and cleverly incorporating it into one evening of extravagant, quirky and totally amazing scenes all gathered together into one.

I had planned my schedule around the Opening Ceremony and made absolutely sure that I was going to be at home to watch on TV.  We had been told that the best views would be via the TV, so I took them at their word, although to be sure…I would so have loved to be at the Olympic Stadium for the atmosphere….nothing beats that.  However, since we were not, I made a traditional meal of Bangers & Mash with peas (not mushy) washed down with a bottle of sparkling wine (JC leRoux – a nod to my roots) and for dessert we had…ice-cream!!

our celebratory refreshment!!! JC le Roux

I prepped and planned, and as the day sped by my level of anticipation grew!  We had decorated the house with flags and bunting; red, white & blue!

flags and bunting galore……

With mounting excitement we settled down in front of the telly at 8pm, and tuned into BBC1 to catch the build-up and I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss a second!  I had been up with the sparrows that morning, headed to Hampton Court Palace to join the Yarmouth Belle and travel behind the Olympic Torch on the final leg of the relay to London.  (another blog will follow on that escapade!!).

following behind the Royal Barge Gloriana and the Olympic Flame enroute to London

Finally and with a huge hurrah the Opening Ceremony began! I was beside myself with excitement, making my daughter laugh at my silliness. What an magical experience to watch the opening bell being rung by Bradley Wiggins,

The Olympic bell

and then the scenes of Britain played out, quirky, funny, amazing, awesome, brilliant and overall humour aplenty!!!   I mean WHO could ever forget that moment when The Queen, our Queen Elizabeth II turned around to greet Bond!!!!! Have you ever!!!  It was beyond brilliant.  Certainly my highlight.  And the fun didn’t stop for a moment.  How proud we were to watch our teams walk by, all so proud with their flags held high.  We were lucky enough to be able to cheer twice; once for South Africa

the South African Olympic Team

and again for the UK!!! Our GREAT Britain.

#TeamGB – whoo hoo!!! and didn’t they do us proud!!

Pastoral scenes, the Industrial Revolution, Isambard Brunel, Miners, gold from the mines beaten into 5 rings, Glastonbury Tor,  The NHS, GreatOrmondStreetHospital, Mary Poppins, Mr Bean, Chariots of Fire, music across the decades, Tim Berners-Lee, our national Anthem, “God Save The Queen”… for which I made my daughter stand and my sister sent a text to say (I bet your Mother is standing for the Anthem!) LOL, damn right I am – spot on!! The lights, the energy, the noise, the excitement…..the stadium a heaving kaleidoscope of colour and energy, a swell of sound that must surely have been heard in outer-space!

a kaleidoscope of colour

That unforgettable scene of David Beckham speeding along the Thames in a luminescent speedboat the flame proudly flaming up front, under the magnificent Tower Bridge accompanied by a magical explosion of fireworks, enough to dazzle the eye!!

Olympic Torch speeds along the waterways of London 2012 to the Olympic Stadium

Sir Steve Redgrave waiting at the quayside inside the Olympic Park, and so finally we knew who would carry the flame and light the cauldron…but no, another surprise in store….the flame, very fittingly was handed over to the next generation – the London2012 motto “Inspire a Generation” – nominated by the athletes of past generations - 7 young athletes , who then carried the torch triumphantly in a final relay around the stadium! Brilliant!!  The Olympic Flag and the Union Jack carried with pride and raised aloft amongst the other countries carefully placed on the Tor…inspirational!

the Olympic Flag being carried up the Tor

And then, the lighting of what is most assuredly the most magnificent of all Olympic cauldrons! 204 copper petals, one for each country, cupped and ready to accept the light!  What a wonder to behold as the stems all rose up into the night sky, a beacon seen from afar!!   Sheer inspiration!

aflame; the London2012 Olympic Cauldron

and then the piece-de-resistance…the fireworks…no Olympic Opening Ceremony would ever be complete without a magnificent explosion of fireworks!! These did not disappoint!

the London2012 Olympic fireworks

And so the Games began!!

let the games begin!!!

I had tried ever so hard to resist taking photos of the TV screen as each scene rolled out, coz as you know photos off the telly are anything but good….but eventually I caved in and although they are no good from an artistic angle, for me they symbolise what was one of the most amazing events!  And I was here….in London, in 2012….awesome!!  I also have tons of newspapers to sort out!

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living history #London2012 & the biggest sporting event in the world!!

London 2012

#London2012 and I am here!!! Thrilled to be part of what is the cremé de la cremé of sporting events, one of the most amazing events in sports.  I am living a part of history that for some folks (me included) is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  We live history every single day, some impacts on us and much doesn’t….depending on where it happens and what happens and whether or not we are involved in some way.

My personal history was written the day the company I was working for back in South Africa went into liquidation…little did I know just how much that was going to change my life; the radical shift that was pending…and I didn’t even know.   My only concern on the day was…”let me into the building I have work to do…don’t have time for this BS!!” (they did and I got on with my job ), my next concern was whether or not I would get another job….those were the days of the new South Africa where to be Old/er, White, Man/Woman was not conducive to getting a job and then the worry about the mortgage popped into my head.

Then I had a stroke of genius….I would visit my sister in Ireland   What a great idea…. I didn’t have to ask for leave..I would be free to go on holiday for as long as I liked!    So I booked my ticket and the rest is ‘history!’…..and here I am living in what is the greatest city in the world and just about to be part of one of the most momentous events of this year…and we have had quite a few!  I bought/ordered tickets for my daughter and myself and thankfully we were awarded tickets for 2 events; one at the Olympic Stadium and one at Excel.

Oliver Golding, just before they lit the flame for his section of the relay…up close and personal

The buildup was initially slow, but over the last few months the excitement has mounted and when the Olympic Flame landed in the UK on 28th May, we really got into the swing of things as it travelled around the country, drawing ever greater crowds to watch it go by!   And yesterday it travelled through my home town!!! Hooray.

I was so excited the night before that I hardly slept!!!  I went to bed at about 1.30am; the adrenaline  racing through my body & my mind popping about all over the place.  I finally fell asleep only to wake at 5am. Unable to go back to sleep, I got up, had a cup of tea and a biscuit then dressed and ready to go by 6:48.  I kissed my daughter goodbye.   She is usually out the door well before me (I don’t do mornings) and by 7:12am I was at Kew Gardens….no-one else was there.  I thought for sure I had the wrong place.  I quickly got onto twitter (via my brand new wonderful little mobile computer (aka a phone) and saw tweets about the traffic being interrupted and that they would be handing out maps and info at Kew Station…so I whizzed over got myself a much need cup of coffee and waited.  They got there at just on 8am and map in hand I strode back up the road to the gates…..the Marshalls had just arrived and were amazed to see someone already there. LOL I was in the right place, at the right time…okay, well still a tad too early!

Kew Gardens gates…..open at 9.30am

Then while I sat and waited an old gent joined me on the bench and we chatted awhile.  I was too excited to sit still for long so made my excuses and off I went to hang around in front of the gates in the hope they may opened them sooner….they didn’t!

Finally they opened the gates……..and I was in.  By then the crowd has grown as more and more folks arrived. My friend Peter joined me and we set off, taking photos along the way to find a good spot.

Anjula Wilson – at Kew Gardens after her stint carrying the Olympic Torch in the relay

Yesterday was seriously awesome…to see the Olympic Torch from such close proximity. No barriers, no policing, just UK citizens and visitors enjoying what is a momentous occasion. To see a flame that has travelled not only across our country but from another land, with a history that goes back aeons…this is a must see. Personally, despite all the hiccups, all the negativity and all the problems we have had…I think we should be proud to hosting this amazing event. #London2012 I am so grateful that I am here to experience it.

One of the advantages of being up that early was that I got to see the river with the morning sunrise.  I have photgrpahed this particular scene hundreds of times, but this was the first time so early in the morning…..I guess I am going to ‘have to do mornings’

early morning at Twickenham Bridge

After the Torch had left, we meandered about exploring the gardens and having a look at the new David Nash exhibition and walking around the Treetop Walkway which is seriously cool. After an hour or so we headed over to Twickenham for tea and cupcakes, then strolled along the Thames pathway to Richmond and finally to the station at 5.45pm. What a brilliant day.

I have posted some photos of the Olympic torch and Kew Gardens on my facebook page.

 

Just found this new post with a brilliant photo of the Olympic Rings at Kew Gardens

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the great Olympic rip-off

I was one of the people that cheered as loud as possible when it was announced that London has won the right to host the 2012 Olympics.  How thrilling.  I even went so far as to buy tickets to 2 of the events.  The build up to the event has been tremendous and very, very exciting, a lofty aspiration and an opportunity for the UK and London to benefit from this event…..and yet….

How is this even possible?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/city-news/olympic-corporate-partners-can-avoid-943011

How is it even possible that a company; namely G4S can secure a million pound contract without any checks or vetting to ensure it could meet it’s commitments:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/14/london-2012-olympic-security-g4s

And why is a fast-food chain being allowed to dictate what food people are allowed to sell….they sold the idea that UK businesses would benefit from the games:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2172168/London-Olympics-2012-McDonalds-force-Olympics-bosses-ban-restaurants-selling-chips-unless-FISH.html

The real winners are the large overseas corporations that gained the main contracts.

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a nautical London tale

Big Ben and with minutes to go till 7pm the boats head out

Admiral of the Port Challenge Race 2012.  Just over a week ago I received and invitation from a friend of mine whom I met via Twitter to attend this historical race.  To say that I was thrilled would be an understatement…I love this history of the city and anything to do with events in the City gets me all excited…..needless to say I accepted.

Admiral of the Port Challenge Race 2012

Monday 14^th May at 7.00pm

The course will be from

The Palace of Westminster

to

the Westminster Boating Base,

a distance of 1.33 statute miles

The event is open to all Watermen’s four oared cutters in full livery regalia with canopies

carrying the coxswain and two passengers.

Trinity Tide heading out

“Our boat, which is the Trinity House Cutter “Trinity Tide”, will be the beautiful white cutter with the green canopy”.

(Trinity Tide is one of the few Thames Waterman Cutters that will end up taking part in the Round Canvey Island race later in the year.)

And so, Monday afternoon saw me set off, all dressed up for the Champagne reception that would follow the race, with butterflies in my tummy and delighted to be heading into London central.

When I arrived at just after 5.30pm I noticed a number of small water-craft tied up alongside Westminster Pier and headed on down to have a look around. It was really interesting to see the boats up close and there was an excited buzz of chatter and laughter as the rowers and passengers milled about either putting the bits and pieces together or just catching up.

attaching/installing the flag….no doubt there is a technical term for this

It was really interesting watching the oarsman setting up the canopy and the seating area, the different flags, the oars and all the bits and bobs (which I am sure all have professional names ) and in no time at all it was ‘all aboard’ and off they went into the middle of the river to catch the fast flowing tide and a race to the finish line.

the boats gathering and heading to the start: Westminster Bridge

I had met up with Joe and his wife Jan, and as a guest of theirs had been invited to the champagne reception after the race.  The plan was for us to see the competitors set off and then race up the stairs of Westminster Bridge, dash across the road and hail the first taxi that came along, then make a mad dash (or as fast as London traffic will allow) to the venue for the finish and the reception.

one quick photo as I dash up the stairs

So as soon at the boats got to the bridge, we ran along the pier, along the Embankment, up the stairs, hesitated briefly at the traffic lights, ignored the red signal, checked for traffic…none…and ran across the road….dashed along the sidewalk and lo and behold there was a cab…almost as if it had been waiting. We hailed madly, checked that he could go our way, jumped in breathlessly laughing and urged yer man the cabbie to race to the finish line.  It all felt very 007′ish and my heart was racing with excitement (or exertion)!!

We got to the pier (finish line) in good time to watch the boats arrive; very exciting to watch that!!!

there in the distance you can catch a glimpse of the boats. at this point I switched over to video, so no stills of the boats coming in…. (p.s. the boats in the foreground were not in the race)

Then for the champagne…hmmm yum.

champagne

I was very impressed with the food provided and a great evening was had by all.  But…..my curiosity was piqued! I wanted to know more about this race, so yesterday I sat down and did a bit of research and this is what I found:

“Admiral of the Port’s Challenge
This race was inaugurated by the Lord Mayor to mark his dual role of Admiral of the Port of London. It is contested by traditional Thames Waterman’s Cutters.
The Thames Waterman’s Cutter is 34 feet long with a beam of 4 feet, 6 inches. In keeping with the concept of traditional rowing, it has fixed seats for up to six rowers and room for a cox and passengers. It is also simply adapted to the role of Ceremonial Livery barge with extra seating for passengers under a stern canopy. In this form the Cutter closely resembles the decorated craft often seen in historical scenes of the Thames in earlier centuries.
This event is raced from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Boating Base, a distance of 1.33 statute miles. The rules require that the Cutters are rowed by four oars, must be rigged with their ceremonial canopies and flags, and must carry two passengers.
Such is the growth in popularity of Cutter racing (there are now more than 25 on the River) the race is often subject to a “staggered start”.   The Cutters are set off in waves so their crews are not only racing against those in their starting rank, but also against the clock, as the winners are the crew that record the fastest time over the course.” for more on that click here.

I also did some research on Trinity House and the reason for that is coz Joe and his team row the ‘Trinity Tide’ which belongs to Trinity House.

“Henry VIII and Pilotage
It is often stated that the origins of Trinity House date back to a charitable guild of sea Samaritans established by Archbishop Stephen Langton in the 12th Century. The first official record is the grant of a Royal Charter by Henry VIII in 1514 to a fraternity of mariners called the Guild of the Holy Trinity, .. “so that they might regulate the pilotage of ships in the King’s streams”. At the time of inception, this charitable Guild owned a great hall and almshouses, close to the Naval Dockyard at Deptford on the River Thames. In 1604 James I conferred on Trinity House rights concerning compulsory pilotage of shipping and the exclusive right to license pilots in the River Thames. Until our responsibility for District Pilotage was transferred to Port and Harbour Authorities under the 1987 Pilotage Act, we were Pilotage Authority for London and over 40 other Districts, including the major ports of Southampton and Harwich.
Today the Corporation is comprised of a fraternity of approximately 300 Brethren drawn from the Royal and Merchant Navies and leading figures in the shipping industry. Its Master since 1969 was the Duke of Edinburgh, the longest serving Master in Trinity House history. He was succeeded in 2011 by HRH The Princess Royal.” and for more about Trinity House, click here.

So there you have it, another exciting day in the life of a Londoner, and once again I am reminded of just how much there is to see and do in this marvellous city.

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in the footsteps of Charles……

Charles Dickens lived here 1837-1839 - now the Dickens Museum

Last week Thursday; April 26th, I set off on a magical #walkabout through the streets of London to discover more about Charles Dickens (blog to follow shortly ).  We started off from the Charles Dickens Museum and the route we followed took us through some amazing areas, areas full of history where we crossed paths with the ghosts of London.  After about 5.5 hours of walking (we took a lot of diversions and stopped at loads of places), my companion and I were famished, and since this was a Dickens walk we were doing, we decided to stop off at one of my favourite pubs in the City of London; especially as the tour ended nearby and the pub was mentioned in The Pickwick Papers: When Mr. Pickwick was visited in Fleet prison by his friends Winkle, Snodgrass and Tupman, they ordered “a bottle or two of very good wine, for which a messenger was dispatched to the Horn Coffee House “

The Centre Page

Every time I visit St Paul’s Cathedral or go #walkabout in that area I always stop off at The Centre Page Pub for hot chips which I usually have as a take-away and then sit on the steps and enjoy the sunshine and hustle and bustle of folks walking by while I eat my treat.  Yesterday I decided to have the ‘Charles Dickens Posh Pie and Mash’ specifically the Steak Ale and horseradish, and we requested to eat in the Dickens Room downstairs. 

Charles Dickens Posh Pie & Buttery Mash - steak ale and horseradish

The last time we ate there I had the fish & chips which were just delicious and this meal was even better.  I do not normally eat beef, but I have to say that the meat was tender and juicy and just yummy.  So if your’e in the area and need something quality to eat in a historical setting, I can highly recommend this delightful pub; The Centre Page, 29-33 Knightrider Street,  just down the way from St Paul’s as if heading towards the Millenium Bridge and Tate Modern. Every photo in the slideshow has a link with Charles Dickens.

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History Note: The Centre Page began life as The Horn Tavern founded in 1660 after the restoration of King Charles II. The origins of the name may have come from the King’s celebrations or as there were several coaching inns around St Paul’s the sound of the coaching horn may also have given inspiration.

Nearest tube: St Paul’s on the Central line

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the day the Dragon kissed St George

St George and the Dragon

One of the bonuses of coming to live in the UK was discovering that not only did I share a birthday with Shakespeare but my birthday falls on the same day as the Patron Saint of England; St Georges day…..all those years and who knew??

In the past I have endeavoured to be in another country on my birthday but since I am London bound this year I decided to investigate ‘what’s on in the city’ and head out to participate.  To my delight I discovered that one of my favourite places in the City of London; Leadenhall Market was hosting a celebration of the day with Morris Men dancers and attempting to set a new World Record for the greatest number of people to toast St George…..how could I resist.

Leadenhall Market decked out with the English flag for St George's day

I set off relatively early and made my way along streets, not paved with gold but splattered with rain…yes you guessed…it was the wettest and coldest 23rd April in something like 26 years….why!!!!!!! LOL  Ah well this is London after all  So I arrived at the venue and meandered about taking photos and then discovered that the 12noon dancing was in fact at 1.15 pm so I decided to visit the Bank of England instead.  Maybe get a loan from yer man….Melvyn! hahahaha.  Seriously though the Bank’s museum is a brilliant place and I managed to lift the gold bar…shame you don’t get to keep it if you pick up, but there you go, win some; lose some!

The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street - The Bank of England

It’s really interesting to read about the beginnings of the banking system in the UK and how bonnie Prince Charlie bankrupted some banks by not paying back his loans… tut, tut. Thankfully our present Monarch has more bucks in the bank and seems to be quite comfortably well off.  ’what! what!’  Now it’s the Politicians who seem intent on bankrupting the country, never mind the banks.  But I digress…..

So after the museum visit I set off once again through the streets of London back to Leadenhall Market and along the way I visited the Heart of the City, the Royal Exchange, St Mary Woolnoth Church (The church’s site has been used for worship for at least 2,000 years), Pope’s head Alley, the site of Lloyd’s Coffee House 1691-1785, Mitsubishi trust House (has the most amazing sculptures above the entrance), the Crosse Keys Pub (A plaque on the front of this pub recalls that a famous coaching inn, called the Crosse Keys, stood near this site) and thence to Leadenhall Market and behold the Morris Dancers!

Heart of the City

The Royal Exchange

St Mary Woolnoth Church

Pope’s Head Alley

Site of Lloyd’s Coffee House

Mitsubishi Trust House

The Crosse Keys Pub

Roof of Leadenhall Market

Morris Men dancers

Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers. In a small number of dances for one or two men, steps are performed near and across a pair of clay tobacco pipes laid across each other on the floor.
Claims that English records, dating back to 1448, mention the morris dance are open to dispute. There is no mention of “morris” dancing earlier than the late 15th century, although early records such as Bishops’ “Visitation Articles” mention sword dancing, guising and other dancing activities as well as mumming plays.

Most entertaining and I was delighted to finally get to see a performance. Then it was time for the World Record! A toast to St George

“I see you stand like
greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start.

The game’s afoot:
Follow your spirit,
and upon this charge

Cry ‘God for Harry,
England and St George!”

Shakespeare, Henry V, Act III, scene 1.

And I believe that a new World Record was set hee hee and I was a part of it!  Loud cheers followed this lusty outburst.

Just before I left I decided to buy a red rosebeing sold by some chaps in fancy dress……one of whom was St George.  When I mentioned that it was my birthday, he said ‘go on! give us a kiss’, and so the Dragon kissed St George

St George circa 2012

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would you be interested in a prize worth £100,000?

the big egg hunt; north, south, east and west

Aiming to break a Guiness World Record – The Faberge Big Egg Hunt in London made great strides!!! And kept us entertained.
With tantalising titles like ‘Scramble for giant eggs is set to begin’ & ‘Humpty Dumpty sits on a wall’ or ‘Egg beats crime’, you could not fail to be curious when opening your newspaper of an evening in London in February.

The first of these titles had a fab photo that showed a group of girls sitting on an open-topped bus, amongst a group of over-sized decorated eggs with Houses of Parliament in the background…..how could you not be curious.
Then a group of beautifully decorated eggs in Potters Field with Tower Bridge behind and the by-line: Ready for the great London egg hunt! & the hunt is on. Sponsored by Fabergé and organised Mark Shand, a number of artists have designed and created 210 wonderful 2.5ft fibre-glass eggs to raise funds for Elephant Family organisation and Action for Children.

Amongst the delightful collection are characters like Humpty Dumpty, who does indeed sit on a wall at Clarence House; commissioned and signed by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, there is also a Busby, a red letter-box a Union Flag and many, many other delightful and beautifully decorated eggs.

It was hoped that 10,000 or more Londoners and visitors would join in the hunt with an aim to break the Guiness World Record for the biggest egg hunt. 30 of the eggs have since been auctioned off to raise funds and you can bid online for the others; with a starting price of £300 the value of these eggs have climbed considerably.

Along the way a couple of the eggs have been stolen and retrieved and returned to their rightful place, and between the 3rd and 9th April they will all come together at Covent Garden to amuse and amaze us.

The eggs were scattered about London, mostly in zone 1 & 2 and the hunt has taken us from Canary Wharf in the east to South Bank in City of Westminster, the City of London, St James’s Park and Green Park, through Mayfair and Covent Gardens, Trafalgar Square, Berkley Square, Grosvenor Square, & Sloane Square to Covent Garden, Neal’s Yard and Seven Dials, Carnaby Street and St Christopher’s, along side streets, into buildings and shops and fancy pants stores (think Fortnum & Mason’s and Liberty’s) and along the way some of the eggs were very cleverly hung up high and unless you are observant, you could walk right on by……I did; a number of times This usually entailed a return to the area!!!

The best fun ever, this egg hunt has taken me to places I have never visited before, into buildings I usually walk by and back to places I love…again and again. In my quest to find them all, I confess I have returned to some places a number of times! And others I have walked around till my feet fell off determined to find them all in one go!! You would be amazed at how easy it is to miss a 2.5ft egg that is displayed on a big black box that is at least 2ft high and 2ft wide…..just walk right on by!

how easy to miss this!

I have been amazed and amused by the number of people who have joined the hunt, some folks found all 209 within a week, and others are still discovering them. I have met folks from all over the world and it is amazing how many are going at this with guns blazing….the prize; a Fabergé Egg with £100,000. One lass did a 24 hour marathon to raise funds for Action for Children and found 207 of the eggs (2 were not at their posts); very impressive. I have done the hunt in stages and finding 48 on one day nearly killed me! My legs and feet were decidedly unimpressed! I managed to find 187!!! Will I find them all? Not likely!

However they will all be together in Covent Garden starting from today and then I shall get to see them all. for your pleasure and delight I have made a video of some of the eggs

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join the Fabérge Big Egg Hunt

my favourite so far #77 Blackberry Moon

Okay, so if I don’t kill myself finding these eggs, I am gonna have to #RIP my feet.

There is nothing I like more than a challenge, and boy has this easter egg hunt been a cool challenge.  There are over 209 eggs dotted about the city from Westminster to Southwark, Canary Wharf to the City of London and Bloomsbury….and I am determined to find them all.

Last weekend saw me scurrying about Westminster for 6 hours, here and there across the city, I crossed the river more times than I can recall. Some I found, and some, to my dismay I walked right passed!   Which means of course that I have to go back again. In all I found 27.

Today was no less exhausting as I travelled for miles in my quest to find some more. After 5 hours I had only tracked down 19 and next weekend will see me walking the length and breadth of Bloomsbury and Westminster to track down some more. Thankfully many are clumped together in close proximity, but that is no guarantee you will find them.  Some are so cleverly hidden as a window display that you can walk right passed and not even see them

So here are the photos.

Last weekend

Today.

I would love to describe my walk, about how last weekend was lovely and sunny and the daffodils are beginning to peek through, and today it rained and rained and I got soaked, and how I met a lovely young man from Estonia at egg #9 in Canary Wharf and how he joined me for my hunt through the City of London and how we rushed up and down the streets and jumped in the air when we found another one! About how I discovered dozens of super cool new sculptures, how this egg hunt has taken me to different parts of the city, that believe it or not I have not yet seen……but…….I am toooooo tired…..in fact I am so tired I am falling asleep at my computer. So now I am going to bath and bed, and when I recover, if I recover, I shall set out to find some more

Oh yes, and before I forget….this is meant to be a competition with the prize being a Fabérge egg worth £100,000-00 but guess who hasn’t entered?? hee hee, yes I am doing it just for the fun of it. Shame I don’t have my super duper new phone yet, then I woulda been able to scan in the code and post it to facebook (on their page). ah well.

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