After lunch, we set off and, to start with, paid a visit to the deli.

The Curvaceous Tree

I stopped to admire the Curvaceous Tree which was perfectly lit for a portrait shot.

The Never-Give-Up Tree

In Inglebert Street, we saw that the Never-Give-Up Tree had grown noticeably since we last took note of it. They may have cut it down almost to the roots but it is still stubbornly putting forth branches and dressing them with leaves. Who could fail to admire its tenacity?

The sun comes out

It was cloudy when we started out but as we sat with our coffee outside the deli, the sun suddenly appeared and the temperature rose in sympathy.

Lloyd Baker Street

After coffee, we started along Lloyd Baker Street and then Wharton Street, in the direction of King’s Cross.

Acton Street

We crossed King’s Cross Road and walked up Acton Street.

Busy Clerkenwell Road

Then we progressed along a busy Clerkenwell Road and…

King’s Cross Station

…arrived at King’s Cross Station.

Pigeons in waiting

As we passed, I noticed a group of “my friends” (according to Tigger), the pigeons, waiting hopefully for these messy humans to drop food on the ground. I doubt whether they’ll have long to wait.

Crowds of people

As it happens, there were far more people than pigeons, milling about and rubbing shoulders as though the pandemic had never been heard of.

Goods Way

The area adjacent to the station that once received goods and freight has now been redeveloped as a mixed area of residential and office blocks and an arts centre. We walked up this street, which I think is called King’s Boulevard, and sat on a bench for a while.

Regent’s Canal and Granary Square

Thus we reached the Regent’s Canal and, on the other side of it, what was once a goods yards and is now called Granary Square in memory of the grain that used to arrive here and be stored in warehouses.

The new bridge

There used to be a single bridge over the canal but now, since July this year, there are two. The new one is called Esperance Bridge and if you want to know why and other details, there are plenty of references online.

Crossing Esperance Bridge

We crossed the bridge into Granary Square.

Regent’s Canal and old bridge

On the way across, I stopped to take a photo looking along the canal to the old bridge. If this has a name, I have not discovered what it is. “Old bridge” will have to do.

Proud Little Pyramid
Adam Nathaniel Furman

In the square at present (and I don’t know for how long) is an artwork apparently called Proud Little Pyramid for reasons best known to its creator, Adam Nathaniel Furman, currently Artist in Residence at King’s Cross. If you want to know more about it, you will find a typical piece of the usual inflated art-speak blah here.

Passing under St Pancras Station

We now started back, first along one of the new roads called Goods Way and then passing by the tunnel under St Pancras Station to Pancras Road.

A bus stop, hurrah!

I was glad when the bus stop came in sight. We came here to avoid the possible rush and crush at the stop at King’s Cross Station. As it was, we had to go to the back of the bus to find a seat.

Charge your phone here

Give TfL (Transport for London) its due: its buses now have charging points on the backs of the seats so you can replenish your wilting phone battery during the journey. (Just don’t forget to unplug just before you reach your stop!)

Aboard the 214

The 214 duly arrived and carried us, if not fast (the roads in the King’s Cross area are busy in Sunday), at least safely, back to the Angel and home.

We went to Sainsbury’s today as usual to do our week’s shopping. We had a relatively short shopping list this week. Why? For a reason that I will explain later.

Today’s shopping run was like every other Sunday shopping run, without any novelties to make headlines. I will therefore just show you the photos I took along the way. Nothing new there, either.

Baron Street

Another cloudy day but no rain, according to the Met Office but are they right? Time will tell…

The Farmers’ Market

The Farmers’s Market always takes place on Sundays (outside of pandemics, of course) but its appearance is nonetheless reassuring.

Sainsbury’s

The only novelty at Sainsbury’s was the complete absence of trolleys, the first time that has happened. It doesn’t surprise me hugely though as this branch is bad at opening on time and keeping stock on the shelves. Or are all Sainsbury’s branches as bad as this one? I eventually managed to find a trolley in the car park.

The Checkout

We chose a checkout where most customers ahead of us had baskets rather than trolleys. In addition, as this was a short shop for us, we were soon done.

Luggage and household goods

I hurried through the market with the cup holder. (Yes, I didn’t leave it trapped in the returned trolley as I did last week, leading to scalded hands on the way home.) I did pause briefly, however, to bring you a photo of the market.

Mercer’s for coffee

I went to Mercer’s for our coffee. They were not busy and so that job too was quickly done.

Serving through the window

I saw that they also serve customers through the window in fine weather. Should I have tried this? Well, maybe, one day.

Through the window at Mercer’s

If I had ordered at the window, I wouldn’t have been able to bring you this photo of “the world seen from Mercer’s window”. Would you have missed it? Probably not 🙂

Tigger has put the shopping away and is having a little rest. In a while we will have lunch and then venture forth again. I will no doubt have some more pictures for you then.