Columbia Road.

It’s a very late start today - justified by our previous days’ schedules and because it’s Simon and Lloyd’s weekend and they want a lie-in! 

We take them to the wonderful Turkish Cafe which has become our go-to destination near the hotel - though as I’m feeling delicate, I just have a healthy juice ( spinach, ginger, apple and banana) foregoing any baklavas or lokum. 

Simon is taking us to Colombia Road Flower Market - via Brick Lane. This whole area is new to us, and whilst we chose the Aldgate area as we could get a decent hotel at a ‘reasonable’ cost (I really object to paying £400 plus a night),  it’s also great to explore a different part of London. 

I’m going to leave Brick Lane until tomorrow, but Colombia Road is absolutely wonderful! It’s good to just be wandering around an area rather that heading for a ‘destination’ - though I must admit I’d rather not be struggling with my walking quite as much as this! At least I have my stick! 

There are photo-opportunities everywhere - people, stall holders, flowers - and I don’t even start on the lines of quirky independent shops lining the road. And there’s even a delightful little  pub to sit and drink for a while. 

We have a meal booked at  Bubala - apparently meaning ‘Darling’ in Yiddish - a Middle Eastern vegetarian/vegan restaurant. We decide to go for the ‘Bubala Knows Best’ menu for the table which includes all their mezze style dishes. It is absolutely fabulous - such wonderful tastes. Even though I’m feeling less than well, I do try little tasters of everything - possibly a mistake, but irresistible. And by the time the final six dishes come to the table, everyone is struggling! 

This evening’s entertainment is at The Barbican - the LSO performing Carmina Burana and Shostakovich 3.  I’ve been really looking forward to this - especially the Orff with two choirs singling alongside the orchestra, but by now my pain’s so bad I just have to go back to the hotel and leave the others to their concert. 

I know many of you feel I try to do too much - and you may well be right. I’m used to London trips being pretty full-on affairs, and usually I manage, but I must admit this time there have been several times when I’ve been struggling. Still, I’d rather struggle than give up …….

So today there is a set of portraits from the flower market - so many interesting faces!  The main’s an ice cream seller, his white coat pink from the sun shining through his parasol.