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Published: September 21st 2005
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St. Stephen's Clock Tower
The BELL inside the Tower is Big Ben. I submit you're likely dead.
I don't think any city in the world is its equal. Especially during a pub crawl on a glorious Sunday afternoon in the Fall!!
Today is my last full day in the Northern Hemisphere. Last day in the Western half of the world. Last day of cool weather until Australia!
Speaking of weather, Judy tells me that stores in The Woodlands are nearly sold out of water and batteries and such as the Katrina Paranoia factor kicks in. Rita has just entered the Gulf! The Buchner Theorem at work - I can't post what the BT is, but if you knew my friend Mike Buchner, you'd find it highly amusing.
I really did spend Sunday on a marvelous pub crawl. I had to start at the Grenadier in Hyde Park Corner for a variety of reasons. Well, mostly because they have justifiably famous Bloody Mary's. Judy thinks there is a small dash of vinegar in them. I think that would be strange, but, hey, they do taste different and delicious. The Grenadier may be a bit touristy, but I still love it. It was the troops mess for the Duke of Wellington.
The Grenadier
Very small place. It's haunted too. The ghost is a guy who was caught cheating and was shot in the pub. The bar has a pewter top. One of the oldest in England, they claim. Tucked back in a Mews behind the Lanesborough Hotel, you really don't stumble across this pub; you have to know it's there. And a whole lot of people obviously know it is there because it was PACKED. A mix of locals and tourists. I heard a great many interesting discussions, but alas, had to move on.
Into Kinnerton Street and the Nags Head! One of the last true freehouses in London. And one of the smallest. No mobile phones are allowed. And, of course, I called Judy to tell her I was there (she loves the place) and promptly got shooed into the street by Kevin, the landlord. Oops. But, Kevin is a lovely chap. We talked for nearly an hour. His Stella pours nicely cold. My first Cuban in London - a Monte Cristo #4 - the greatest cigar known to mankind.
Sadly leaving Kevin's fine hospitality, I walked around Belgravia and Knightsbridge to enjoy the crisp weather (to sober up).
My ghoulish side joined up with my consumerist side to send me towards Harvey Nichols. Harvey Nicks for you Ab Fab
fans. (Perhaps it was also my kinship with Patsy and Eddy that sent me there in a slightly altered state as well.)
Anyway, evidently a jilted lover walked in and gunned down his ex-girlfriend (who was working a cosmetics counter) just before closing last Monday in front of horrified customers and co-workers. Pretty shocking stuff in a country that does not worship the hand gun like we do.
Oh, that last comment reminds me of yet another cabbie conversation. This time in London. The Tabs were all atwitter over the fact that soft core porn stations are beginning to sprout up on British satellite TV. The cabbie made a good distinction that the Brits are very casual about nudity (thoughts on the Page Three Girls later) and yet are horrified over soft porn. America, on the other hand has porn as a top ten industry (according to The Economist) and yet freaks at a two second glimpse of Janet Jackson's breast.
Where was I? Oh, yes, I affirmed that all was back to normal this day though. The Sloane Rangers were out in full force spending daddy's money. Or hubby's money. Or, well you get the picture.
Dog and Duck
I think it only can seat 15 or 20 people on the ground floor. I left Harvey Nicks and headed up to Soho Square to the Dog and Duck. Another of the smallest pubs in London and historic as well. Karl Marx would go drink there after spending hours at the Reading Room in the British Museum a few blocks away. He actually wrote almost all of Das Kapital in the Dog and Duck. If you've ever tried to muddle through the VERY dense first 50 or so pages of Das Kapital, you'll now wonder if he was particularly hungover whilst writing the beginning.
Got into a discussion with the barman about cricket. I shocked him by knowing a fair amount of the recently completed Ashes Test series between England and Australia. These two cricket mad countries play for The Ashes every year. Australia had not lost since 1989 coming into the Test in England this year. Well, in one of the most absorbing Test Series in ages, England won The Ashes. Bedlam - Trafalgar Square was packed to celebrate. Interestingly, The Ashes trophy is about ten inches high - and I have no idea what kind of Ashes are stuffed in the tiny urn-shaped trophy.
Speaking of Trafalgar - check out
The Texas Legation
Officially representing The Republic of Texas to the Court of St. James. the latest work to adorn the Empty Plinth! This is a sculpture of a severely handicapped artist. No arms and one leg. Yet she is shown naked and quite pregnant. It was installed last week as Britain also unveiled a moving tribute to the heroes of The Battle of Britain about two blocks away at The Embankment.
Four massive plinths guard the edges of Trafalgar Square. And Admiral Nelson sits high atop his pedestal in the middle. For some reason unknown to me, only three plinths have permanent statues. And, no agreement can be found on whom might be placed permanently atop the fourth. So, they rotate sculptures through on 18 month cycles. This one is the strangest I've ever seen there.
After The Dog and Duck, I headed back to Hyde Park via Mayfair. Yes, I did finish up at the Shepard's Tavern where I had my little scuffle a year ago. Monty had already choked in the World Golf Match Play Championship, so there was no one for me to properly heckle. As a result, one recognized me - I'm fatter and more bald than a year ago and I was fairly quiet. Some crummy low-level
Not Such an Empty Plinth
Sigh. Admiral Nelson must be completely gobsmacked... Premiership game was on and no one really cared about it.
A quick rundown of my Saturday in Essex with the Kyles. Simply superb! As I noted earlier, four generations of Kyles were there. Both of Bill's parents turn 80 next year and his mother has the energy of my two girls combined! And she stands a good 4'8" tall and can't weigh 90 pounds.
Her name is Isa (short for Isabel) and she said something very interesting as we were discussing some traits of a certain shady individual we jointly know: "family shows." Simple. And, if my interaction with all the Kyles through the years is any indication of the truth of that comment, she is dead on. A more loving, supportive, giving group of people I've never run across. I know Scots traditionally are very family focused, but the Kyles are a joy to be around and made Saturday one of the truly special memories of this trip.
I've seen Bill and Muriel's three children grow up into very fine adults. It helps that Bill still spoils them to death after all these years. What a softy!
I got on the train back to
For Jane Held
Absolutely perfect. See, we knew what we were doing when we bought you that tiara!! Queen indeed! Liverpool Street Station in London late Saturday night with Isa's "My American son!!" ringing in my ears. I can guarantee you it helped me sleep wonderfully that night!
Let's see. Anything else for now? Probably not.
Actually, yes. One last WAY out there comment/question. Speaking of vinegar in weird places - Bloody Marys, anyone?? As I was drying off after a shower at the Park Lane, my towel smelled ever so faintly of vinegar. So faint as to be almost not there. It immediately took me back in my memory (I think). I seem to recall that my mother would add vinegar to some washes (maybe whites??) for whatever reason. Probably in the 70s and 80s. Does this seem right? The memory trigger was so strong that I have to believe there was something to it.
I'm on the ground in Singapore. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE coming down here. I have a ton to write about on that tonight or tomorrow. I am exactly 11 hours different from CDT right now. Weird. And, OMG, it is hot. Hot, hot, hot.
Also I owe some of you thoughts on my wanderings around London on International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Yes, it was Monday. And, yes, of course, I ate dinner at El Pirata that night in Mayfair.
Keep those comments coming - I love reading them!
Bye.
-g
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Julie Guebert
non-member comment
from your personal trainer
Gary, I'm wondering if you're drinking LOTS of water? hee hee. sounds like you are having fun. You write like you talk! Night Night