London swings like a pendulum...

Ahh! I do like to be beside the seaside.  Blithely partaking in the sea air with those near and dear in Whitstable this past week has been a tonic for the soul.  But one really does miss the hurley burley of a bustling city so it is with some pleasure that I find myself back in old London town once more.  The colours, sounds and the life of London can hit you like a sledgehammer but it can also nurture you in a way that only a large metropolis can.  Too soon, I know I will be far away in other climes so a quick whip around the streets to take my fill is totally in order. But one can not be sated by sights and sounds alone, so what better accompaniment to the senses than a large brandy (a Courvoisier Exclusif in this instance) at Buck's in Mayfair...an old favourite club, deliciously warm and chocolatey, a hearth of sublimity that only London can provide. 

Dominating domes and...happy funerals?

You always know where you are in London when you can spy the magnificent dome St Paul's Cathedral.  A casual and often mindless wander through the lanes and alley ways of old London town can leave one totally flummoxed as to one's exact whereabouts. But once you spy the dome of St Paul's in the distance you can find your place in the world again. Sitting proudly on the 'highest' point of London, it is indeed...a bit difficult to miss! While not the tallest structure in London, it does apparently have, the highest of celestial influence.  Deep in contemplation of said celestial influence and hence, the hereafter, I was spookily but not unpleasantly surprised to find myself before...a funeral parlour...not just any funeral parlour mind you, but one purporting to be "Happy-Go-Lucky". What larks! What high jinx! Chancing upon such an establishment deserves more than just a passing reference and what better drop to consider the opportunities such an establishment offers than a reflective dram of Benedictine; that delicious liqueur distilled from herbs, roots and sugar with a Cognac base...heavenly.

Cry me a river...

Though the Thames is the bloodline of London, it is a much maligned feature.  Described at times as a sewer or drain, a cesspool of refuse or a stinky stream of despair, it is nonetheless, London's artery of some repute and does indeed, have it's charms.  I was pleasantly surprised while staying with friends this last week on the banks of the Thames in Battersea, (yes, that side of the river), when I was asked whether I would like to take an evening stroll along the river to Chelsea Bridge and across into Chelsea.  I will give anything a go, even exercise in London, and I must say, the stroll turned out to be a marvellous expedition through otherwise untapped delights of this city...I found it invigorating and recommend it to all those weary of the usual merry-go-round of London's attractions.  These river banks are alive with somewhat 'interesting' new architecture and enclaves of young city dwellers with views to the world.  What's more, at the end, one can rest the bones in a favourite old haunt in the back streets of Chelsea and enjoy, as I have, a well earned snifter of Lecompte 12 Year Calvados, a drop guaranteed to revive the spirits of foot-sore travellers everywhere.

Just a walk in the park...

Well, didn't they do well?  You really can't go past the Brits for putting on a rum bit of pomp and ceremony can you?  Bunting, flags and nutters aside, London itself is resplendent with blooms and happy smiling faces and one really must not miss the opportunity to wander through the greenery, if not just to recover from the celebrations of Friday.  In this amazing city of hustle, bustle and "...ello Governor" I have taken time out to smell the roses, claim a deckchair in Hyde Park and enjoy a quiet nip of Ardbeg Old Malt Cask, a delightfully smooth single malt whisky straight from my Asprey's hip flask.

Within a lion's roar...

What a beautiful time of year to be back in the Old Dart.  Yes, after being pickled in port for a few weeks, I felt that I really must be in London for the up-coming nuptials.  And of course, the city is positively heaving with anticipation of the day. Bunting everywhere and a buzz on the streets that is difficult not to get caught up in. I have however, found time to wander through the park and meander along the Thames to, what I think, is one of the most stunning institutes of art in the world... the Tate Modern.  Marvellous!! 
In celebration of my return, I thought it most fitting to rest the bones at a small establishment within view of the lions of Trafalgar Square  and within a lion's roar of the abbey.  A perfect place for a rousing gin and tonic, made with one of my favourites, Tanqueray Rangpur, with a wafer thin slice of lime on the side. Chin chin!!