In town again

Today was rather more dull than yesterday, but the forecast said it would get better. I took the train from Hampton again, but got off at Vauxhall and made my way along the Thames on the Albert Embankment, past the MI6 building and up to Lambeth Bridge, where I crossed over to the Lambeth Garden museum, housed in the deconsecrated church of St Mary-at-Lambeth. I had a good look around the 'Lost Gardens of London' exhibition, then went outside to see the garden, which contained a wide variety of very interesting plants. 

I met a young lady clearing up leaves and asked if she was a volunteer, but she told me that she was a garden trainee. She was very interested and knowledgeable about the plant collection and went into the shed to bring out a list of the plants in the garden. She promised to ask her boss about one of the shrubs, a new Schefflera from Vietnam, which I would love to have. My Blip today shows her sandwiched between said Schefflera and the tomb of Captain William Bligh! 

My ticket allowed me to climb the 132 little steps of the church tower, from which a wonderful view over and along the Thames can be seen. The sun wasn't being very cooperative and popped out only very briefly to light up the Houses of Parliament, my extra today. It quickly went back in and stayed in for the rest of the day!

I left the museum and continued along Lambeth Palace Road and into Waterloo Station, where I caught a train on the Jubilee Line along to London Bridge. A short walk took me to Borough Market, an amazing place with hundreds of stalls selling fresh food. There's been a market in the area for over a thousand years - a railway viaduct was put through the middle of it in 1862 so it can be quite noisy! A very busy place - I had a venison burger for lunch, waiting 15 minutes for it to be cooked. I then did the rounds of all the cheese stalls which are absolutely incredible! I bought three cheeses - Mimolette, Aarewasser and Stichelton. Some interesting tasting coming up!

Then a return to Waterloo via the Jubilee Line and on back to Hampton. I was surprised when my sister told me she'd had a text from our brother, who after being hospitalised in France on his way from Australia told her that they was currently enjoying a drink in a hotel in Hampton Wick, just a few miles away! We immediately set off to surprise them and spent the evening there; now they'll be able to attend our family gathering on Saturday.

Quote of the Day: 'I have often amused myself with thinking how different a place London is to different people.'– James Boswell.