It is quite chilly today (9-10°C) and though it is not raining, the condition are cloudy and dull. It’s not a day for rambling about the streets.

The Curvaceous Tree

On our way to the deli for coffee, I stopped have a look at my friend, the Curvaceous Tree. It still has some leaves gracing its branches but it is nearly bare, showing off its twisting branches.

Cloudy skies over Amwell Street

Unsurprisingly, all the tables but one were unoccupied at the deli. Despite the chill, we sat outside to drink our coffee.

Magpie and pigeons
Photo by Tigger

We watched a magpie and a couple of pigeons squabbling over food scraps. Though the magpie is fierce enough to chase the pigeons away, they keep coming back and eventually their persistence pays off.

Aboard the 73

After coffee, we walked up to the main road and boarded a number 73, the first of today’s buses.

Busy Oxford Street

The bus deposited us in a busy Oxford Street. To judge from the crowds, Christmas shopping (perhaps boosted by “Black Friday”) is well under way.

The next bus

After being jostled by the crowds, we caught another bus, though I forget which one it was. (Tigger is the bus guru and I just follow her, trusting to her knowledge.)

Notting Hill Gate

The bus deposited us here, in Notting Hill Gate. I was glad to find that, though busy, the streets were not as crowded as Oxford Street and walking about was easier.

In Leon

As it was about lunchtime, we entered a nearby branch of Leon. We found a table easily enough, despite the upstairs dining area being closed.

Lunch in a box
Photo by Tigger

Leon has a few Vegan dishes on its menu and we both had “Vegan Morocco Me*t Balls” with rice. I can’t say it was a memorable meal but it tided us over till later.

Aboard the 27

We next caught a number 27 bus. (You may notice the blue discs on the facing seats. These indicate “priority seats” for elderly and disabled passengers. Other passengers are supposed to give them up if needed by “priority” passengers but they do not always do so. There are a lot of selfish people about.

Hammersmith Broadway Shopping Centre

We left the bus in Hammersmith Bus Station and walked through the Hammersmith Broadway Shopping Centre sited below the bus staion though we did not tarry here.

Waiting for the crossing lights

Hammersmith is not my favourite district and the shopping area was quite busy, as you can see from the number of people waiting to cross the road.

King’s Mall

We went into the shopping centre called King’s Mall. As Tigger said, it was at least a warm place to go. The ceiling was covered with a dense network of lights. Quite pretty, really, and no doubt expensive to run at today’s fuel prices.

Inside Wilko

We went into the branch of Wilko that is there, as I had a couple of purchases to make.

The Hampshire (Hog)

In King Street, we went to the bus stop opposite this large and fairly handsome pub. Today called The Hampshire, it was originally called The Hampshire Hog. A pub has been here since the 17th century but the current building dates from the Victorian era (1883).

Aboard the 110

From here we caught a single-decker number 110 bus.

Hammersnith Station

This brought us back to Hammersmith Underground Station (1868).

Caffè Nero

Thinking it was time for refreshments, we found a branch of Caffè Nero and there enjoyed a coffee break.

Christmas lamp

We crossed back through Hammersmith Broadway Shopping Centre which is decorated with these brightly illuminated lamps.

Aboard the 27

In the bus station, we boarded a number 27 bus again, though this time in the opposite direction. I didn’t know where it would take us (Tigger knew, of course) and so I was surprised to arrive at…

Paddington Railway Station

…Paddington Railway Station. From here, one can catch a 205 bus back to the Angel. Curiously, our bus app told us that there were no 205s expected. We knew this was nonsense and we were proved right by a 205 arriving a few minutes later.

Aboard the 205

The 205 carried us to the stop in Pentonville Road.

Busy Pentonville Road

The road was busy in both directions and we crossed it risking life and limb but made it safely to the other side. From there, we had an easy walk home where we have a relaxing evening in view.

Farmers’ Market

We went shopping later than usual today and so we decided to have lunch on the way.

Inside the Chapel Cafe

As Cafe Sizzles was closed (I think they must have shut down altogether – shame, as they were one of our favourite eating places), we again went to the Chapel Cafe in the market.

Busy Self-Service Tills

At Sainsbury’s the self-service tills were busy but, in any case, we prefer a human checkout. By using them, we are at least helping to keep someone in a job.

Aboard the 205

Later, we caught a number 205 bus and changed to a 135 in Whitechapel.

Low cloud or high fog

As we travelled through the City we could see that the tops of the taller buildings wete wrapped in fog. It must be strange to look out of the window into fog and then find the air clear at street level.

Canary Wharf

The 135 brought us to Canary Wharf in the Docklands. Though it was only around 5 pm, darkness had already fallen,

Canary Wharf Centre

We were heading for this building which combines a shopping centre with entertainments and other things.

Roof Garden

We went to the top floor and took a turn round the roof garden. Actually, we were looking for the Winter Ice ice sculptures. We didn’t find them for whatever reason. Do they put them in the fridge overnight, we wondered? 🙂

In the Shopping Centre

We went into the shopping centre where it was at least warm, looking for coffee.

A corner in Pret

We found a branch of Pret A Manger open and while Tigger bought the coffee, I found a hidden corner for us to sit in.

South Colonnade

After coffee we walked through the shopping centre to the road which here is called South Colonnade. I can’t say I like Docklands very much. The architecture is “interesting” but not impressive or beautiful. To me, the whole area has a feeling of unreality, as though you have stumbled on a film set. I was quite glad to be leaving.

Aboard the 135

We took once more to the 135 bus, though, of course, in the opposite direction.

City Road

This delivered us to the bottom end of City Road, whose tall buildings hang over you, shutting out the sky. We crossed the road to a bus stop.

Aboard the 214

Here we caught a friendly single-decker 214 bus. The bus app on our phones said the bus was 13 minutes away and yet here it was! Tigger tried to explain this to the driver, seemingly not a native English speaker, and I think he thought we were grumbling when in fact the opposite was true. How easy it is to find oneself talking at cross purposes!

Crocheted mittens

Tigger secretly crocheted a pair of mittens as a surprise present for me. Knowing that, in her absence, I spend much of the day plinking on the computer, she thought the mittens would keep my hands warm while typing. (I can show you only one because I have to hold the camera with the other hand! But you guessed, of course you did!) Anyway, yes, the mittens do keep my hands warm, so thank you, Tigger!

Although the air was cool (around 13°C) the sun was shining which made it feel warmer and more cheerful. (The sun is still our friend though I fear that, as climate change proceeds, it is destined to become our enemy.)

Sunshine in Amwell Street

As we set off down Amwell Street the low sun was dazzling but pleasant.

Outside the deli

We sat outside the deli with our coffee, enjoying the sunlit scene. (You may notice that Lloyd’s l,on the opposite corner, has been painted a new colour. The hairdresser’s that occupied it has moved out and new tenants are arriving.

Old Finsbury Town Hall

After coffee, we started walking, passing behind the handsome old Finsbury Town Hall.

Old school, 1892

We passed this fine school building, dated 1892. No longer used as a school, it has become a residential block. We noticed that the school bell is still in place (top centre, below the chimneys) and wondered whether it ever rings.

St James Clerkenwell

We went along St James’s Walk which, as the name suggests, passes the Church of St James, increasingly visible through its screen of trees as the leaves fall away.

Jerusalem Passage

We walked down Jerusalem Passage. The reason for the apparently exotic name appears when we reach the end.

Priory Church of St John

It leads to St John’s Square and the priory church of the Knights of St John. The Knights Hospitaller, as they are also known, were established in the short-lived Kingdom Jerusalem. The monastery was closed in Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries but has left many traces behind it such as these buildings.

Albemarle Way

Passing along Albemarle Way, we emerged at…

St John’s Gate

…the striking St John’s Gate built in 1504 as the entrance to Clerkenwell Priory. Today it houses the museum of the order of St John. There is also an office of the St John Ambulance which derives from the order.

Passing Alley

We next entered the narrow passage today known by the polite, if transparent, name of Passing Alley. You can imagine how the name arose in times when public toilets were unknown.

Bull weather vane

Though not exactly claustrophobic, I do feel uncomfortable in confined spaces and was therefore glad to come out of the alley into wider streets. Here, we came upon this building with its unusual cattle-themed decoration. Its proximity to Smithfield Market perhaps explains its choice of theme.

Cow’s heads
Photo by Tigger

Cow’s head

On each façade is a vertical row of cows’ heads, all staring dolefully downwards. Why they have been chosen to decorate the building, I do not know but they are a reminder of horrors of Smithfield Market where untold numbers of animals came to be slaughtered.

Cowcross Street

Another reminder is the name of this road, Cowcross Street. No doubt hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of cows did really cross this street on the way to the bloodbath of Smithfield.

Farringdon Station

It brought us to Farringdon Station, built in 1863 as the then terminus of the Metropolitan Line of the London Underground. Today it is both a tube station and a mainline railway station.

Christmas tree

Nearby we came upon the first public Christmas tree that we have seen so far this year. There are also Christmas lights installed along the streets and today they were illuminated though the sunshine rendered them barely noticeable.

Great Delicatessen

For lunch, we visited a place where we had been once before. It is a Greek cafe and delicatessen called, without false modesty, Great Delicatessen.

Chocolate and strawberry heart

For my dessert, Tigger gave me her heart or, at least, a simulacrum thereof in chocolate and strawberry!

Spa Fields Park

Turning now for home, we passed through Spa Fields Park. Once much larger (part of it having disappeared under buildings), Spa Fields was an open area used for many purposes, including archery practice, and was the setting for the Spa Fields Riots of 1816. There was also a notorious burial ground here of which, thankfully, no trace remains.

Northampton Row

We walked through another narrow passage, this one called Row.

The pub vine

Nearing our own neighbourhood once more, we paid a visit the the famous (well, famous to us, at least) vine at the Shakespeare’s Head pub. It is beginning to look rather thin and sparse as the season edges towards winter. I am looking forward to the spring and seeing it once more full of leaves and clusters of tiny grapes.

Myddelton Square Garden

We passed through Myddelton Square whose garden was resplendent in the sunshine though its luscious green foliage, sadly, has turned to autumnal brown.

Flame-coloured tree, Claremont Square

There is still beauty to be found, though, like this young tree whose leaves have turned flame-coloured in its response to autumn.

It was raining insistently this morning when we set out for Sainsbury’s but we braved the weather to get the job done.

Chapel Market in the rain

Chapel Market was thinly attended both in terms of stalls and customers – open-air markets are vulnerable to bad weather.

Surfing the shelves in Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s wasn’t hugely busy, either, and we had soon collected all our purchases and checked out.

In Mercer’s

As usual, we called in at Mercer’s for our coffee on the way home.

Aboard the 73

Later, we caught a 73 bus. It wasn’t raining when we boarded but…

Oxford Street in the rain

…by the time we reached Oxford Street, it was pelting down again.

In John Lewis

We took refuge in John Lewis’s and ascended by the escalators to the top floor where their cafe is situated. I took this photo looking down four floors as the drop both makes me nervous and attracts me.

The queue for food

We joined the queue st the counter and selected items for lunch.

Lunch!
Photo by Tigger

We chose soup, a wrap and chips. The chips were not “proper chips” but potato composite fried. You’d think a store with JL’s reputation could do better.

The sun is shining!

When we emerged, the rain had stopped and the sun was actually shining. That had to be worth a photo! But would it last…?

Liberty’s

We had met a friend at John Lewis’s. He wanted to visit Liberty’s so thither we went.

A view from the fourth floor

We took the lift to the top, fourth, floor and worked our way down. The lifts are small and decorated with carved woodwork so it’s like going into a cupboard or wardrobe for your journey up or down.

Christmas lights and a reindeer

In some departments there were lights and sparkly decorations making it seem Christmasy.

Nothing Christmasy here

In other places, there were no lights, Christmas trees or decorations, nothing festive. Perhaps they are working their way through the store, decorating a bit at a time.

At the counter in Costa

Our friend went off and we paused a while over coffee in a branch of Costa.

Passing Carnaby Street

Afterwards, we made our way back to Oxford Street to take the bus home. On the way we passed the end of what I an tempted to call “the once-famous Carnaby Street”. Does anyone ever talk about this street now or has it sunk back into quasi oblivion?

Evening falls

By now, the sun was low in the sky, casting narrow streets into evening shadow.

Steps to the next street

The street we were following ends in a staircase up to the next street. This reminds us, if we need reminding, how uneven and hilly London is though it is only here and there that it is as noticeable as this.

The sunset from Oxford Street

We reached the bus stop in Oxford Street from where we had a view of the sunset. The rain was holding off though the ground was wet and there were huge puddles in some places where you had to be careful not to be splashed by passing traffic.

Aboard the 73

We caught a number 73 bus which carried us through the busy streets back to the Angel and home. The weekend is fast approaching its end but we still have this evening when we can relax and enjoy one one another’s company.

After yesterday’s sunshine, today’s rain is a disappointment but we will make the best of it.

Rainy Pentonville Road

We went to the bus stop in Pentonville Road from where I took the above photo. It shows you the damp conditions but not the chilly temperature (around 10°C but the damp makes it feel colder).

Aboard the 205

We boarded a 205 bus and sat upstairs. You can see how the cold has steamed up the window. The shown destination (Old Street Station) is wrong and we were heading for Paddington Station.

Entering Paddington Station

We entered the station by this alley that probably has a name but what this is I do not know. You have ti run the gauntlet of smokers who come here from the station where smoking is of course not allowed.

Not as busy as usual

The station was not as busy as it usually is. This is because there was to have been a rail strike and although this was called off at the last moment, things has not recovered from the expected hiatus.

In the Mad Bishop and Bear

We went up to the station’s top level where there resides a pub called the Mad Bishop and Bear (the Bear in honour of Paddington Bear).

Baked Squash Tagine
Photo by Tigger

We had lunch here, both choosing the vegetarian baked squash tagine.

Aboard the 23

Afterwards, we returned to Praed Street and boarded a 23 bus.

Ladbroke Grove Station

The bus deposited us here, near Ladbroke Grove Station. We started walking to our next destination.

The friendly cat

Along the way, we met a friendly cat who came to be stroked.

Portobello Market

We passed the colourful Portobello Market but did not investigate it today.

Graffik Gallery

We had come to visit the Graffik Gallery in Portiobello Road.

Downstairs in Graffik Gallery

The gallery specialises in “graffiti art” and, in addition to selling works, holds workshops. In a sense, having graffiti art in a gallery is rather like having wild animals in a zoo. The displayed works are on canvasses to be sold which, in a sense, runs contrary to the whole ethos of graffiti.

Tree absorbing railings

As we walked back, I admired this tree which, in growing m, had found itself confined by the railings and had simply flowed through them, absorbing them into itself.

Railway bridge, Ladbroke Grove

We returned to Ladbroke Grove where the railway bridge crosses it. We were looking for somewhere to have a coffee break but everywhere was crowded.

Aboard the 7

So we boarded a number 7 bus which took us on a long ride, finally terminating in…

Oxford Street

…Oxford Street. Despite the chilly and wet conditions, Oxford Street and its shops were quite busy. Has Christmas shopping started already, I wonder?

Aboard the 73

The 73 bus has a terminus here and so we went aboard for the journey back to the Angel.

Islington Green

Our outing was not quite at an end, however. We left the bus at Islington Green and walked across Upper Street to a certain venue that is something of a favourite of ours.

Queueing at Caffè Nero

I refer, of course, to Caffè Nero where we often go. After an agreeable coffee break, we walked home, finally ending our ramble.

Today is November 5th, the day on which we remember the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 when Guy Fawkes and others tried to assassinate King James I by blowing up Parliament during the state opening. Already, as I write these words, I hear the odd bang of fireworks going off. The wet conditions will perhaps (literally) put a damper on things but in any case firework parties usually go on for several days around this date. I just hope people are sensible enough to bring their cats and dogs indoors as many are frightened by the flashes and explosions of fireworks.