London…..Moira has landed! (And she’s eventually writing about it!)

After two smooth, uneventful flights, and a restful night in Seoul, I landed over an hour early at London Heathrow airport. It was then an easy (but long) ride on the Tube to Leicester Square station. On exiting the station, I knew that I was indeed in London! Busy people everywhere! I had a short, but enjoyable, walk to Charing Cross station, and then it was off to Hither Green station and the home of my nephews.

By now, my body clock was on 3 am (Seoul time) and I was starting to feel weary. I alighted the train at Hither Green and discovered I was on the platform that needed me to walk up and over the lines…..quite a few steps! Sigh! But…lo and behold! There was a beloved nephew waiting for me, to carry that big suitcase up and over! Hooray!

After some hugs, a much needed cup of tea and minimal chats, it was up the stairs to the loft, to the view of the city of London out of the window and to sleep!

This was actually my last ever visit to this home…..a place where I have been so kindly looked after for quite a few years now.

Yes, my nephews have sold their home (that’s not their portaloo!) They have bought a detached, bigger home with more yard, a bit further south! So on my return from the Cotswolds, I will be getting off the train at a different station.

It just so happened that my first day in London was young mr T’s last day at his old school….not just breaking up for summer but for ever! His school has a tradition that on their last day of primary school, the year 6s and their families go to the nearby park, have picnics and endlessly squirt each other with water pistols. This has gradually morphed into anyone from the school and their families joining in……so we did!

We finished the day with a very delicious bbq, joined by another couple of friends from LA. (And T had a warming shower after all that squirting!!)

Bright and early the next morning my nephews, the LA visitors, a car and a camper van set off for 3 days of a music festival in Essex. After a leisurely start to my day, I caught the train into the city of London and visited somewhere I’ve been meaning to visit for years…..The Victoria and Albert Museum.

As it was lunch time when I arrived, I headed to the very busy cafe first, to purchase a fortifying pot of tea! As I munched on my brought-from-home lunch, and drank my tea, I chatted to the ladies either side of me…the tables were very close together! One side was a mother and daughter from Sicily, so we could talk about all things Italian, but especially Sicilian. I mentioned how I loved the Inspector Montalbano books, set on Sicily. They informed me that the author, Andrea Camilleri, had just died that day, at the age of 93! The ladies on the other side of me were English ladies who visit the V & A often. We discussed their favorite exhibits, and in the end they helped me decide what I should see. (I’m not up to doing the whole V & A!!) One lady had the Glass as her favourite section, the other’s favourite was Jewellery. So Glass and Jewellery it was!I thought by consulting the above sign that it would be an easy task to find my first choice….Glass! But little did I know that level 3 is not 1 straight forward level…oh no! I went up stairs, around corners, downstairs, up stairs again, through alley ways and eventually found Glass. This means, of course, that I actually saw all of level 3, albeit some areas quickly! Glass was last! (Of course) Here is my wanderings in photos…..

And then I found the glass…..

My photos don’t reflect the beauty of this gallery well enough, but I enjoyed it all.

I then set off in search of Jewellery, which I found quite easily; but so had many, many others and it looked too squeezey to be able to see, so I gave it a miss.

By now, I had wandered around the museum for at least 3 hours and I was exhausted, so I decided to call it a day! As entry is free, I will return again, maybe first thing in the morning, and visit some more sections of this amazing museum.