a few drinks by the river

A view from the top deck of the routemaster bus today.

This would be the 'going to' picture rather than the 'coming back from'.

We'd all arranged to meet at the Barrow Boy and Banker, and I took a bus and tube to Cannon Street before walking over London Bridge to the pub. Turning into early evening Cannon Street looks something out of a near future sci-fi movie nowadays. Glittering glass and ever more white lighting all around. Like parts of the West End, there's a Day for Night substitution walking around the area.

We'd agreed to start at the Fuller's pub. Predictably rammed it took me a while to work out that I was the first of us to turn up. When the first drinking buddy turned up we made a subtle land grab to acquire a table, where we could watch for other arrivals.

Much later we decided to move on, towards the Borough Market and a selection of other equally busy 'Londoners at play' pubs, mostly of the spill out onto the pavement variety.

We joined throngs standing outside the Wheatsheaf, with its mysterious pipe-works channeling the beer from ceiling mounted storage tanks, across its yard and into the bar.

Even later we'd head back to warmth, this time to the Shard's cocktail bar. A wholly different experience where we could observe London from a hawk's height. A prime position to continue to enjoy good company.

reset to London co-ordinates

I suppose there comes a point when I need to post another straightforward London picture. The type with a bus and a taxi in it.

A sort of punctuation that the holiday type gadding around is coming to a close for a while and more normal work type things will resume.

We've actually had a few trips around different parts of London over the last few days. One day I was back on the Air Line - which I discovered others had thought was some sort of hoax, although I can vouch for its authenticity, having made four trips on it now.

I know it is supposed to be a sensible way to cross the Thames, but it is also a good tourist type trip, especially if coupled with a look around the Dome and maybe a trip along the river on one of the fast Clippers.

Suffice to say we've done all of these things over the last few days, including noticing the changes at the Dome for the Paralympics, which was all signposted and had various entry gates ready for use.

Across at Royal Docks there were more gates and systems linked with the ExCel centre, and I must admit at one point to getting confused at a roundabout that had been coned and nearly started to go around it the 'French' way.

Oops. But I do know I am back in London.

Really.

the thames they are a changin'

I was about to open my norfansarf on this topic and then it all changed. The new tube maps for London have been streamlined for content and readability. Overall, this is a good thing and has decluttered the map considerably.

The two strangest omissions though, were the River Thames and the Zones.

I gather that Mayor Boris (Chairman of TfL) has belatedly twittered to ask for the return of the wiggly blue stripe to help delineate norf and sarf of the river. I muse that the potential continued omission of the Zones will be either a way to generate revenue from fines or a Good Excuse usable by tourists who stray out of Zone 1.

My forecast is that both the River and the Zones will return.

Next question, how much spent on the revision? I bet I know where to find out.

Meantime, londonist have an even simpler version for tourists.

Southwark breakfast, Edinburgh lunch, Hampshire supper

Walking alongside the Thames in Southwark this morning at six a.m. Sunshine blended with mainly quiet streets. Another 30 minutes before most people stirred, but I would already be on my way to my meeting.

In Edinburgh.

Nine fifteen and I'm in fog waiting for a black Nissan Patrol to meet me. Then off to a hideaway house with two buzzards circling over a nearby field.

And by the evening I'm on the M3 amongst other traffic which has the decidedly Glastonbury look with bags packed untidily in the back and passengers with unusual hats and sunglasses.