It’s another grey day but so far without rain. We set out about 9:30 for our usual matutinal coffee.

The kitten in the window

In Claremont Square, the kitten we always look out for was in his favoured place at the window.

The cat in the square
Photo by Tigger

The cat gods must have been smiling on us today because, as we took a turn round Myddelton Square, we saw one of the cats that live in a house there. Discretion was needed in taking the photo as there were also humans present in the room!

Myddelton Square Gardens

We visited the deli and then, coffee in hand, made for Myddelton Square Gardens. In this dull weather, it was easy to find an unoccupied bench.

Squirrels like dried banana
Photo by Tigger

Tigger had brought some bird seed with her. The “seed” in fact contains other goodies such as nuts and slices of dried banana. The squirrels seem to like the latter but are nervous of the pigeons so that feeding them requires organising: toss bird seed to one side to distract the pigeons, then throw a slice of banana to the squirrel.

A few pigeons at first

At first, there were relatively few pigeons and feeding proceeded fairly calmly. Gradually, though, more and more pigeons arrived and things became more chaotic.

More chaotic later

Later, we thought about catching the 153 down to Beech Street and walking back. We set off down St John Street and waited for some time at a bus stop without sny buses appearing. Fortunately, Tigger spotted a not very prominent notice advising that buses were being diverted because of road works and that no buses would be calling at this stop. We therefore abandoned that plan.

Walking through the housing estate

We decided to return home by taking a long way round. We started by entering the Finsbury Housing Estate through the arches of Patrick Coman House.

A cliff of apartments

The Finsbury Estate is quite large and consists of a mixture of high-rise dwellings, like this cliff of apartments, and relatively low-rise blocks like the one below.

Relatively low-rise block

There are even some single-storey or bungalow style dwellings, like these:

Bungalow-style apartments

I have never lived in high-density housing and, to be honest, the idea makes me nervous. What about the problem of noisy neighbours or other dangers such as fire? There have recently been a number of apartment-block fires with loss of life and fire services seem unable to deal with high-rise blocks effectively.

Meeting the friendly cat

In the Finsbury Estate we encountered the friendly cat. He greeted each of us in turn and accompanied us for a while before going off on his own mysterious business.

Small park

We left the estate via this small park or garden, apparently unnamed.

Crossing Rosebery Avenue

We crossed the pleasant Rosebery Avenue, lined with mature trees.

Something strange in Wilmington Square Gardens

As we approached Wilmington Square, we saw that there was something strange in the central gardens. It looked like a tent. Who would pitch a tent in the gardens and why?

The tent in Wilmington Square

We entered the gardens and saw that the object was indeed a tent.

Old and new, bandstand and tent

There was work being done related to the tent but what the intended result would be, we were unable to discover.

The old drinking fountain

Before leaving Wilmington Square Gardens, I photographed the drinking fountain. It looks to be Victorian but is in a very bad condition and its extensive inscriptions are virtually illegible. It desperately needs repair and refurbishment or it will be lost.

Fernsbury Street

We walked up Fernsbury Street to…

Lane between gardens

…the unnamed lane that runs between gardens and leads to Lloyd Square.

Great Percy Street

Via Cumberland Gardens we reached Great Percy Street, that strangely broad yet quiet residential street.

Cruikshank Street

From Great Percy Street we entered Holford Street that leads here, to Cruikshank Street, where we are nearly home.

We did not carry out the walk we had intended but we can try again another day. As it was, we had a good ramble and returned home looking forward to lunch!

Today was another rainy and cool day.

Puddles

We went out early to fetch coffee from the deli, for reasons I’ll explain shortly.

A rainy day in Claremont Square

Although Tigger was not scheduled to work today, her team was having a team lunch and so she of course went in for that. Hence our early start to fit in coffee before she had to set off.

Tigger let me know when the lunch finished and I went off to meet her. Our chosen rendezvous was again the Citizen M hotel.

Aboard the 153

Here I am, aboard the 153, heading towards the City.

Façade, Citizen M Hotel

The traffic was heavy and there were delays but I eventually arrived.

Inside the Citizen M

Tigger had ordered a coffee for me to be prepared when I arrived. They even brought it to our table.

Sculpture, Old Port of London Authority Building

After a coffee and catch-up, we decided to walk to Liverpool Street, as the rain was holding off. We of course photographed s few things along the way, such as this sculpture on the building that was once the offices of the Port of London Authority and is now a private club and hotel.

Every year, the City of London celebrates an event called Sculpture in the City. It takes a while for all the sculptures to be installed but some are already in place and we were able to see some of these.

I must say that I was underwhelmed by the artworks that I have seen so far. Apart from the remark, however, I will not obtrude my own opinions but simple show the works that we saw.

Latent Space
Jack Ekwes

Cosmos
Eva Rothschild

Harlequin Four
Mark Handforth

In Loving Memory
Oliver Bragg

It’s probably necessary to explain in this case that the work of art consists, not in the benches that exist already, but in the brass plaques affixed to them. This one reads:

In loving memory of
a loving memory

Silent Agitator
Ruth Ewan

Burial
Alice Channer

Perhaps we will manage to see some or all of the others in due course.

Arriving at the station

After that, I was quite relieved to reach Liverpool Station where we would catch our 153 bus back to the Angel.

Tigger is on holiday all of next week. How will we use the extra time to ourselves? I’m sure we’ll think of something! 🙂

The weather has finally broken and the tropical sunshine has given way to rain. The temperature has also abated somewhat. Tigger went in to the office today (Thursday) and sent me a text suggesting we meet in Motel One in the Minories for tea. I like that hotel and was happy to agree.

Aboard the number 153

Accordingly, I went to the stop in St John Street and caught a trusty 153 bus. Happily, few people choose this as their route into the City and the bus is usually not crowded.

All Hallows, London Wall

To complete my journey, I needed to change to a number 100 bus. A convenient place to do this is at All Hallows Church in London Wall as both buses call at that stop. This is not a very good photo of the church but it’s all I had time for before my bus arrived. As the name suggests, this street follows part of the old city walls, sections of which, dating back to the Romans, are still extant.

Tigger was first at the rendezvous and found the hotel closed. When I joined her there, we decided to go to another of our favourite locations, the Citizen M hotel opposite the Tower of London. This required a few minutes’ walk. Fortunately the rain held off.

Crutched Friars

On the way we passed this sculpture, incorporated into a building on the corner of two streets, Rangoon Street and Crutched Friars. In medieval times there was an important priory here that has left traces of itself in place names in the area. The monks were known as “Crutched Friars”, not because they hobbled about on crutches but because each carried a staff topped with a cross, the Norman word for which came to be mispronounced as “crutch” (croix in modern French).

Railway Bridge

We passed under this bridge that carries trains of the Docklands Light Railway, turning left into the smaller tunnel you can see near the end.

Savage Gardens

This leads to a small street with the curious name of Savage Gardens. Whether there were once wild gardens here or gardens named after someone called Savage, I do not know. Perhaps I can find out.

Trees in Savage Gardens

Though this is a narrow street, a line of trees has been planted down the middle, perhaps to harmonise with the name of Savage Gardens.

Sculpture on old PLA building

In Trinity Square stands a large columned building that was once the offices of the Port of London Authority but is today a private club and hotel. This sculpture hints at the seafaring interests of its old owners.

Lounge, Citizen M

We reached the hotel and found it open. The ground floor forms a large lobby or lounge, divided into sections by chain-mail curtains. These are transparent and so create an intimate feeling in each section while allowing a view of the whole. There were very few people and the staff were very welcoming. There is at one end a cafe-style counter where you can buy drinks and snacks. We bought coffee and settled down on one of the comfortable settees.

Walls with nicknacks

The decor is slightly old-fashioned but I like it. The walls are covered with shelves loaded with nicknacks, anything from books and toys to objets d’art and military uniforms. There are also TV-style screens showing imaginary scenes. Altogether a place that is both interesting but, for me at least, restful at the same time.

Luxurious toilets

I paid a visit to the toilets (down two flights of stairs, 24 steps, in the basement, but you can take the lift, if necessary). They are as luxurious as you would expect in such an establishment. (In case you think I have avoided showing the urinals out of coyness, I will say that I didn’t avoid them: they don’t exist. You must use the cubicles as is only civilised in my opinion.)

The Tower and a piece of London Wall

At last there was no help for it and we needs must go out into the rain. Owing to Covid, you enter the hotel at the front but exit at the rear. This exit is handy for the bus stop and provides views of the Tower of London and sections of the old (Roman) town wall.

Waiting for the bus

Fortunately (as it was now raining), our bus stop was under the railway bridge and we were sheltered while waiting.

Liverpool Street Station

The first bus took us to Liverpool Street Station where we would catch the 153 back to the Angel. We had a long wait for our bus but, again, we could at least wait under cover.

The Banana Tree

When we reached the Angel, we decided that as today is Tigger’s last workday this week, it would be appropriate to go to the Banana Tree for dinner rather than tomorrow. It was quite busy but they found us a quiet corner, so all was well. Bon appétit!

Bon appétit!
Photo by Tigger

Unusually for a Wednesday, Tigger doesn’t have to go in to work but, on the other hand, she had an appointment in deepest Clerkenwell at the uncivilised hour of 8:20 am. Glutton for punishment that I am, I went with her.

Aboard a number 30 bus

Accordingly, we set off on a number 30 bus, here running down the lower reaches of Pentonville Road.

St Pancras Church
Photo by Tigger

We left the bus in Euston Road near the Grade I listed Church of St Pancras, built 1819-22 though refurbished in the 1950s.

Shops in Woburn Walk

Our way took us along the picturesque Woburn Walk with its Georgian (1822) shops, still in much their original form. Note the gratings covering the basement area, presumably to allow prospective shoppers to approach the window and see the goods on show.

A fluffy wedding dress

Several of the shops were displaying wedding dresses in their windows, all of them in a frothy, filmy design. Do people really wear dresses like this or are they exhibition pieces to show off the dressmaker’s art?

House with turrets

I stopped to admire this house with twin turrets. I have a long-standing, but so far unfulfilled, ambition to live in such a house and to inhabit a room in a turret. I don’t know why one turret is nicely painted green and the other left dull unless the house is perhaps a shared occupancy.

Marchmont Community Garden

As we approached the place of the appointment, we found we were early and so we made a pause in this pleasant setting, the Marchmont Community Garden. There were wooden seats and benches so we sat for a while, looking about us and enjoying the peaceful setting.

The Brunswick Shopping Centre

The appointment concluded, we walked to this fascinating place, the Bruswick Shopping Centre. It is an enclosed area filled with shops, restaurants and a cinema. Along two sides are blocks of flats built to a terraced design.

Leon

We came looking for breakfast and plumped for Leon, a chain restaurant that we have visited often before.

Order at a terminal
Photo by Tigger

Inside, I encountered a novelty, though Tigger had already seen – and used – these terminals. You touch items on the displayed menu to create your order then pay electronically. You are asked to give a name for them to call when the order is ready but in fact they didn’t use it. They used the order number instead.

Inside Leon

We chose to eat inside and as there were few customers at this time in the morning it was easy to find a table.

Coram’s Fields

We decided to walk home and set out happily, fortified by breakfast. Among the notable places we passed through was the park called Coram’s Fields, named after the philanthropist Thomas Coram (1668-1751).

The Foundling Museum

Thomas Coram is especially famous for the Foundlings Hospital that he set up in 1739 for orphans and children whose families could no longer care for them. The original building no longer exists but is memorialised in the Foundling Museum which can, of course, be visited.

Thomas Coram
Sculpted by William Macmillan

Nearby is the Grade II listed monument to Thomas Coram. The likeness was sculpted by William Macmillan in 1963.

Percy Circus

We walked through a number of streets without seeing much of interest and arrived at last on home territory in Great Percy Street. We made our way up that hilly street, going through Percy Circus Garden, though we did not tarry here today.

Cumberland Gardens

We passed along Cumberland Gardens to Lloyd Square and thence to Myddelton’s deli where we of course stopped to buy coffee.

Myddelton Square Gardens

We carried our coffee along River Street into Myddelton Square where we found a bench in a shady area of the gardens.

Panorama of the gardens

We sat there for quite some time, enjoying the sights and sounds around us. For good measure, I made a panorama view of the gardens.

Walking through Myddelton Square

We at last decided that it was time to go home and walked up through Myddelton Square homewards with lunch to look forward to.

The temperature is slated to reach a heady 29°C this afternoon. That’s enough to keep us indoors for the duration but if it cools down later, we may venture out again for an evening stroll.

As I mentioned, Tigger is at work today and so I have to amuse myself. I managed to keep myself busy this morning and after lunch it was very warm outside, too warm for walking, it seemed to me.

Sunshine in Myddelton Square

For this reason, it seemed a good idea to take a book and sit in the garden in Myddelton Square. So thither I went.

The Curvaceous Tree

I of course greeted the Curvaceous Tree in passing.

Sunlit gardens

In the gardens, I looked for a bench in the shade. I knew which one I wanted but it was occupied so I sat on another one, hoping “my” bench would become free.

Feeding the birds

I did have some bird seed with me but only in case my one-footed pigeon turned up. As it happened, someone else was feeding the birds and my services were not required 🙂

The bench became free

The bench I wanted did become free. It was in a shady part of the garden with good views all around.

Shady under the trees

There were people sitting on benches and others sitting and lying on the grass. The sensible ones were in the shady areas but one or two, were lying in the sun with their shirts off, presumably wishing to acquire skin cancer.

A visitor

This flying insect landed on my handbag and posed for photos. A bee also flew onto my trouser leg but departed before I could take a photo. Then there was the small spider: have you ever tried to remove a small spider that doesn’t want to be removed? It attaches a safety line to you and when you blow on it to dislodge it, it disappears momentarily but climbs right back up its safety line and there it is again!

It’s pleasant in the garden

I alternated reading my book and looking around me at what the people and the animals, including people’s dogs, were doing. The garden is very pleasant but the benches are hard and become uncomfortable after a while!

Dog walkers meet

These three men all came into the gardens to walk their dogs and met by chance. It was obvious that they knew one another and settled down to have a conversation, leaving their canines to amuse themselves.

As the hour of Tigger’s return was approaching, I did a circuit of the garden and left by the top gate. As I reached the road, I noticed something in a window.

Cat in the window number 1

We always look our for the two cats that live in the square but recently have seen them only rarely. Today this one was sitting at the open window where we saw them for the first time during lockdown.

Cat in the window number 2

To cap it all, as I walked through Claremont Square, I saw that cat as well. He was at a basement window, apparently trying to catch a fly. Two cats in one day: is that a record? 🙂