London Highs

The Grand Staircase at St Pancras
I am presently sipping tea in an empty yet beautifully appointed house in Ealing!
Last night Nuala and I indulged in too much wine, not enough food (I had the belly pork which was lovely but oh so small a portion) and I must say a great deal of laughter.
It has been way, way too long since we caught up properly and it showed.
Nu on her last Welsh Visit
Her story of how she felt that she almost died white water rafting in Botswana had me sobbing with laughter (Much to the amusement of people sat next to us in the sun in Trafalgar Square...and the afternoon and evening pretty much carried on in a similar vein I must say.
We shared a bottle of wine in Covent Garden, took the guided tour of the new St Pancras Hotel which was delight and finished the night putting the world to rights over a lovely meal in the old booking Hall restaurant.
(where I remember buying tickets to get back to Sheffield!)
Now I don't want to sound all mushy here.... but the trip was just what I needed....lovely time!
Right....off to face the great London public on the tube

34 comments:

  1. I love London. A wee South Ken Mews House would do me just fine!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds like your trip has got off to a wonderful start, John. Hope the rest of it is as good.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A house on Russell Square would be nice - within easy reach of everything central...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I work in a Sq in Bloomsbury just around the corner from Russell Sq and short walk from St Pancras - indeed I trudge through that station in the sea of grey faced commuters twice a day. The hotel is a lovely building from the outside - I should do the tour at some point

    ReplyDelete
  5. Laughing? In public? In London? No wonder people stare!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Really glad to hear you had such a grand time, John.

    ReplyDelete
  7. With all that laughter, it's a good thing you packed some extra undies. (You did pack some, didn't you?)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Worth going to London just to ride the tube all day. I love it.

    Tube tip: Don't take a pee on the middle rail.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just what you needed...a fun time with a good friend.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Laughter is the absolute best! How nice for you, John ! We all need this on occasion for ourselves

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good friends, good times, what could be better.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'd never make it in London, for the tube alone. I don't know what the hell I'm doing in it.

    Sounds wonderful! Glad you're having fun.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous12:59 pm

    Sounds lovely John and I'll refrain from any warnings and advice.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, the interior of St Pancras looks amazing! By the way, the Gaelic name Nuala means "Fair (or white) shoulder". Nobody's sure what John means.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Just be careful. :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. You should have told me you were in town, yer bugger! How long are you here for?

    ReplyDelete
  17. The St. Pancras is grand!! Your London visit is fabulous! Laughter, wine, a wonderful friend, nothing like it! Enjoy! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  18. I am back to tell you I visited the St. Pancras website and viewed the gorgeous photos of this property. Drooling!! What a gorgeous hotel and so much history and detail in the interiors. Ooh la la!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. There is no such thing as too much wine!
    Jane x

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous1:57 pm

    Laughing with a good friend? Sounds like a great time no matter where you are.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ealing? that's my old stomping ground :-)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Last time we were in London, we stayed in Russel Square. Not a place nearly as grand as St Pancras, but suited us well enough, and i second Tom's nod to the location.

    So glad you're having a wonderful time. When i've been sat next to friends enjoying themselves, i find myself laughing with them. It does the heart good.

    megan

    ReplyDelete
  23. Glad you're having a good time. I used to commute to London some years ago and it turned me into a monster. I enjoy an occasional visit though.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I kind of teared up when I "heard" the joy in your words. Aren't good friend just the thing to bring us up from our gloomy depths of everyday life and trials?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oy! You're in London! You're supposed to be wander along like a zombie, staring at your mobile iPhone! Look up, talk and laugh and you're a tourist for certain!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'm so glad that you had such a wonderful time with your Dear Friend!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Here's to good Friends!
    m.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Sounds like the kind of trip that's capable of curing whatever ails ye. Nothing better than catching up and laughing with an old friend.

    ReplyDelete
  29. That's what friends are for!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Strange...I just ate pork belly for the first time in my life when I was away on holiday last week, John. Like you, I also got very small portions (dusted with ground cinnamon before they were cooked), but I'm glad that they weren't larger portions because, though they were delicious, they were REALLY fatty.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I just found out that the architect who designed Christchurch Cathedral - George Gilbert Scott - was the same fellow who designed St Pancras Station!

    ReplyDelete

I love all comments Except abusive ones from arseholes