London 2016 – Day 7

Steps today: 26 576

We split up today to each do our own thing with plans to meet up at the hotel at 4PM. I was on the road by 8:30 (late for me / early for this trip because of all our late nights) and started my day with a walk through the park again. It’s such a great way to start the day!

My nephew-in-law (that sounds strange…  is that a thing? should I just say nephew?) asked me if I wouldn’t mind picking up a Chealsea FC scarf for him and I thought walking to the stadium might be a fun thing to do, and would give me an opportunity to explore a different part of the city. 

I especially enjoyed the walk down the Kensington High Street, and I think I saw Prince William! 3 police on motor bikes were stopping cars while 2 town cars drove by, obviously high-priority people being chauffeured and the profile and hair line of one of the men in the back of the first car fit William’s. Wishful thinking perhaps? Later in the day I saw this same motorcade driving down The Mall – another supporting factor that it might have been him.

After I bought the scarf, I decide to explore Battersea Park. I don’t know much about it other then it was once an area known for holding duels. It was nice, but I was melting hot by then and my interest and energy were fading. I had considered going across town to climb The Monument after that since Vesna said she could take it or leave it but I decided it was too hot. Same with my next idea of going to the Zoo – I was just done with being outside.

Crossing the bridge back was going to be gruelling; just too damned hot so instead I decided to rent a bike! It was an impromptu decision and I was a bit wobbly at first (it’s probably been about 15 years since I’ve been on a bike ride) but it was fun. The bike lanes are wide and well marked, but the intersections were a little too chaotic for me… I even walked the bike across one! ha! I biked from “Sopwith Way, Battersea Park” to “Abington Green, Westminster” which took me about 15 / 20 minutes.

From there I walked to Trafalgar Square with the intention of having a cold drink in a pub followed by a to-go sandwich for lunch (saving my calories for supper).

After lunch, I wanted to re visit the Transportation Museum in Covent Garden; I visited in 2005 and really enjoyed it! I could have sworn it was free, but no - it was 17£! Too rich for my blood. As I was leaving, I saw a poster for their café that included a cute cocktail with ice shaped like the Underground Symbol. I thought that would make a fun picture, so I went for one… but didn’t get the cute ice .

I just took a picture of the poster:

It was about 2PM by then so I set out for a long walk through Chinatown and Soho, explored Savile Row, Piccadilly again, walked down Regent and Oxford Streets…

I thought I was slowly melting to death – it was crazy hot. I went to buy an ice coffee and headed to the park to find shade!

At 4PM, I met up with Vesna and we headed out to dinner in Soho at an Indian Resto I knew from previous trips.

I went on my own in 2012 when my husband was sick and it was GREAT! When we went back in 2015, he wanted to try it and it was a HUGE disappointment. Vesna and I declared it a “Tie Breaker Meal” and I am happy to report that it was DEEEELICIOUS! I ate every last bite of my Chicken Korma with 2 Naan breads. LOVED IT! A friend of mine on Facebook commented that it looks a little like slop! Trust me, it truly did taste better than it looks!

The weather after supper was wonderful! It was cool and breezy, such a difference from the sticky, hot day. We walked our “usual path” through Leister Square again, then Piccadilly Circus and Regent Street. We stopped for a night cap and continued along Oxford… I was happy to get some more night shots!

I know they are not the best, but compared to my last phone I am not done being impressed with the relative success of these!

And just look at this beautiful / creepy moon! I think the dark clouds look like circling birds! It makes me wish I had tried to get a REAL good one with the camera.

Back at the hotel, we’re still roasting in our oven. Tomorrow is supposed to be the last day of this heat wave and I was hoping it would also mean that nighttime temps would fall a bit but the problem seems to be that we are above a heat source, not to mention the extra extra heated bathroom floor!! You know how when you take a shower the water is usually cold and you have to wait until it heats up? Well we have the reverse. It starts off hot and we have to wait for the temperature to come down before getting in. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.

My bites ate healing but they are really dark purple now! I have some new ones too: 2 more on the same leg, one on my heal and one where the sun don’t shine!!

They don’t hurt; the new ones just itch a little…  this for me is par for the course. I can’t recall off hand the last time I went on vacation and wasn’t eaten alive; I’m just too damned delicious! (and as you can tell: allergic!)