After drinking our coffee and pottering about for a while, we decided to go out for another walk. Although I enjoyed the walk and took some photos, I was not particularly inspired by these to write a detailed post.

We walked around the Liverpool Road and Angel Central area and saw that most shops were now open and that everywhere was crowded: there were queues at many of the more popular shops where security personnel were regulating entry.

After months of lockdown and the relatively quiet streets that this induced, I found the noise and bustle unpleasant, especially as many people have thrown caution to the winds and were not making any attempt to practise social distancing.

Via St John Street we made our way up Chadwell Street into Myddelton Square. In the peace of the lovely square I felt a lot better. When Tigger suggested cutting across the Garden, I was happy to concur. This is where I took the one photograph of the outing that I like. It features a pigeon (no surprises there, then 🙂 ).

Pigeon taking a drink

The old drinking fountain in the gardens has a lower receptacle where water had collected, probably from rain. A pigeon was taking a drink from it, and we were careful not to disturb him.

Welcome to the brave new world of April 12th. Although lockdown has not ended entirely, a certain easing of the rules is allowed from today.

The weather is still cold but, for our walk at least, it was dry and the sun shone with variable brightness throughout.

Queueing at the charity shop

While I was expecting to see activity at and around the shops, I was surprised to see so many queueing at the Fara charity shop in Pentonville Road.

Queueing at Saint Espresso

Less unexpected but still surprising for the numbers involved, was the queue next door at the Saint Espresso coffee shop.

Sunshine at the Angel crossroads

Looking at this picture, you might think it was a warm spring day but, despite the sunshine, the cold had a bite to it. We vaguely wondered whether Jusaka might have reopened (despite hearing from a reliable source that they had closed down) but no, the shop was locked up and dark.

Islington Makeup Artist – open

I have photographed this makeup shop in Chadwick Street several times, noting that its Christmas decorations had remained in place well into the New Year. Today, it was open and we could see inside an assistant attending to a customer’s nails.

Angelz Dry Cleaners – open
Photo by Tigger

In the same street, other shops were also open, such was this dry cleaner’s. Strange that open shops should strike us as a novelty!

The Shakespeare’s Head – open

The Shakespeare’s Head pub was open but only for customers sitting outside, according to the rules.

The pub grape vine

Seeing the pub open made me wonder about the grape vine in its garden. Could the magic of spring has happened here also?

Buds on the vine

Yes! The vine has begun to produce buds at last! Does it sound silly to say that I felt relief to see this? I had anxiously examined the vine each time we passed and had begun to wonder whether it was dead. Seeing the buds is then a pleasure and a relief.

Myddelton Passage wall

We passed through Myddelton Passage with its famous wall decorated, you perhaps remember, with 19th-century policemen’s badge numbers, and here too were signs of new life.

New leaves on the vine

Along the wall runs an ancient vine with a thick stem and a complex network of branches. It too has woken up and now boasts clusters of new leaves.

Two gulls talking

In these trees, were two lesser black-backed gulls. They are hard to see so here is an expanded view:

Two gulls talking

We watched them, intrigued by the fact that they were calling back and forth between them, obviously holding a conversation. What were they saying? Only they know…

Agitated crow

We also met this crow who seemed very agitated. He flew from one position to another, at each one emitting three loud calls. We concluded that he (or she) was trying to locate a mate. If so, the attempts were fruitless as no answering was heard.

Chairs and tables once more

Another welcome innovation was that there were once more chairs and tables outside Myddelton’s. It was too cold to sit there today (though two customers thought otherwise) but we will no doubt do so one day soon.

Gents Barbers – open
Photo by Tigger

The barbers’ shops were open – legitimately now, and…

Pennies Vintage – open

…so was this curious shop, Pennies, that sells “vintage” articles.

George and Monkey – open

Finally, to complete the set, the George and Monkey pub was open and serving customers at tables outside.

Personally, I was happy not to sit in the cold drinking cold liquids but to make for home where we could sit in the warm and drink hot coffee!

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