Saturday 30 January 2016

Just an Update

Phew, finally I feel better, and so does T, so we've taken the chance to get out as much as possible, singly or together, cycling or walking.

One day we went to the outskirts of London to where the huge Crossrail project is underway at Abbey Wood. Crossrail is going to improve London's transport system from West to East, involving many new stations.  The areas around the new stations are expected to be transformed, although methinks it will take a long time for Abbey Wood to develop anything resembling "metro chic."


But it has a lot going for it. Just up the hill from the station are the remains of medieval Lesnes Abbey, now being done up with a Heritage Lottery Grant, and then the ancient woodland begins.   Although it was wintry, walking along these muddy tracks felt like being in the countryside. 


A few miles of woodland walking later we arrived in Plumstead, another forgotten place. Most people who don't live near it have no idea which bit of London it's in, but it is basically somewhere near Woolwich.   By this time we wanted a cup of tea, and spotted this - "Tony's Cafe,"  next to a kebab shop near Plumstead Common. It looked cheerful but downmarket. 

Once inside, we found it was no longer the workman's cafe it resembled but a piece of pure hipsterville.  We had some delicious tea and clementine cake, and if it had been dinner time we'd have stayed and tried some of the interesting food but since it wasn't dinner time, we decided to come back another time and give it a try.  The owners were almost insanely enthusiastic about their work, but Plumstead also has some way to go before becoming anything resembling "chic".  


Another day we took the train out to Charlton - another area about which most people (except fans of Charlton Athletic Football Club) say "Where???" 


We walked through a preserved chalk pit which is famous for its geological strata and fossils, and gives a glimpse of what a countrified place Charlton was a hundred years ago. Then we made our way round to the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich. 

It's a fantastic museum, even if you aren't that interested in the sea.  I fell in love with the ships' figureheads - here are some of the ones on display.  How I wish ships still had these. I once interviewed a very old man who remembered the London docklands in the early 1920s when some of the ships still had them, and he said how exotic it seemed looking up at the battered figureheads and knowing they'd faced all the oceans of the world. . 


Many figureheads have stories - some exciting, some dramatic, some rather sad.  This beautiful example, from the Victorian yacht "Sunbeam," is a portrait of Constance Brassey, daughter of the boat's owner, who died in 1873 at the age of four. Her father sailed the yacht all round the world. 


I really adored a mural in the museum by the 1940s-50s artist Alan Sorrell, it's so colourful and full of life and fun.   I can only show a tiny bitt here, where a seal*  is about to have a cup of tea spilt over it.  *(oops, I mean a shark! Thanks, Tabor and Graham!)


This museum deserves a whole post to itself, which I can't give it here - but I'll just add that we went to see its current exhibition about Samuel Pepys, the famous and very frank diarist who recorded the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London and knew just about everyone worth knowing in the days of Charles II. 

One of the things that caught my eye in the show was this pair of men's gloves, which would originally have been trimmed with brightly coloured ribbons.  They were quite preposterous.  Admittedly they were wedding gloves...., 


and the "look" in those Restoration days was pretty preposterous too, as you might agree  ....


 We made our way home past the tea-clipper "Cutty Sark," overlooking the glittering river.  It has been extensively renovated after a fire and the floodlighting showed off the intricacy of the rigging. 


Another day we went to Regents Park to see the exhibition that's mostly about some of the books which belonged to the Elizabethan magician and polymath, Dr. John  Dee.    Dr. Dee  has fascinated people for years and several well known books have been written about him, including The Queen's Conjuror and Peter Ackroyd's The House of Dr. Dee. . He seems to have been prodigiously intelligent, but since he lived in an era when magic was taken for granted, he might be thought to have rather wasted his talents on things which we now know not to be true, like alchemy and the casting of spells. 

Most of the books on show in this exhibition were actually stolen from him, but that bad behaviour meant that many of them were preserved, since many years later, they were bequeathed to the Royal College of Physicians,  which is mounting this show.  The College has also got hold of some other things which relate to Dr. Dee and his magical crystal somehow gripped my imagination.  

Recently we had Japanese friends over, and they love beer,  so we went to several pubs and also had a tour of the Fullers Brewery in South-West London, at Chiswick.  It's a good tour which offers the chance to taste 10 different beers. I am a very light drinker so that meant about 10 sips of beer for me!  

  After, we walked along the river and it looked very strange. The weather has been so warm in England that many Spring flowers are out in peoples' gardens, and it looks and feels all wrong.  The weeping willow is usually one of the first trees to come out, and flowers are never normally seen until it is showing at least a haze of green.  


Even weirder are the roses against bare winter branches. Roses are definitely a sign of summer, and yet these are not all withered remnants of last year, as you can see.


There have been various family events too.  Today it was the twins' second birthday party, an exhausting affair for everyone, including them, although they all enjoyed it.  

 And now I have a busy couple of months coming up and am looking forward to being able to relax in the Spring.... the real Spring, I mean. Though I get worried that at the present rate, Spring will all have all taken place by the time the calendar says it should be arriving. 

70 comments:

  1. Glad that you're feeling better. Being sick is the most awful thing!

    I love that angel figurehead. The story behind it is sad though.

    I wish we were having a warmer winter than usual! It really hasn't been that bad overall, it's certainly not been spring-like though.

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  2. First things first, I am so pleased that you are both feeling better. Grey skies, and wet weather make one feel even worse.
    You must return to the cafe in Plumstead, the menu looks enticing with so many unusual dishes.
    I couldn't take my eyes off that weeping willow framed by that bright pink blossom - it looks totally unreal.

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    1. It was quite startling in real life, too! A bit bothersome really....

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  3. I love looking at different areas of London with you! Happy Birthday to the twins and yes, the weather has been weird all over the place...

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  4. You have definitely taken me to parts of London I know nothing about, other than Greenwich.

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  5. I am glad you two are feeling better.

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  6. I'm glad you're feeling better - and that long walk sounds wonderful. Roses, in the dead of winter! That's amazing. I also really like those ship figureheads.
    I've never heard of clementine cake.

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  7. Lovely colors and captures, even the construction crews are in lovely bright colors, with their equipment too! Those flowers are just gorgeous too!

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  8. I love the stoic figureheads...I guess one would have to be stoic stuck out there on the bow/prow!

    One wouldn't want to make a mistake saying that title on the mural!

    Cutty Sark Scotch is a pretty nice Scotch, too. I've not had it in years.

    Sometimes, lots of times, it's nice to find places that aren't chic.

    Are they peach blossoms? That's a lovely photo.

    I'm glad to hear that you're both fighting fit again. :)

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  9. Those spring flowers and roses look beautiful, but I know what you mean about them looking and feeling wrong. After our brief cold spell, we're back to milder temperatures now but I am waiting daily for the cold to return with a vengeance.

    The first part of your post awoke so many memories! I used to have friends in Erith, which is a couple of train stops beyond Plumstead, and went walking in Abbey Wood back then. This was in the early 1990s, and I have not been back since; I imagine it has changed quite a lot in the last 20 years.
    It was then, too, that we visited the Cutty Sark. I found that fascinating.

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    1. It had a great fire a few years ago just after a major restoration. On repairing it they really went to town and set it above a sort of pit in which there is a restaurant. It was closed when we passed but I think it would be a splendid place to have tea with the shiny metal of the ship's bottom directly above.

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  10. So glad you're feeling better and are able to produce another fascinating post. You are able to do a remarkable amount within a relatively small radius of your home - but I suspect that many would walk by without stopping to investigate. I particularly like the anxious-looking figurehead (in the middle of the lower row) who is clearly dreading the next voyage.
    Happy Birthday to the twins.

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    1. What I love about figureheads is that they seem so like people. I suppose they might have been intended to be guardian angels originally, or something like that. And I am with you about the lower middle figurehead - wouldn't have wanted that leading me across the ocean, for sure! I'd probably have meekly trailed along behind the bulldog (which I didn't post a picture of) wearing a collar that says CAVE CANEM and clearly keen to take on all the seven seas at once

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  11. As always, a lovely post, Jenny. You go to and do such interesting things. I love the idea of exploring the lesser known parts of London, and all these exhibitions are a gift! Thanks for taking us with you!

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  12. What a beautiful out and about! Thank you for taking us along
    The photos of spring springing early are so welcome to see.
    Its great to read y'all are feeling better

    Happy Birthday Twins!

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    1. Thank you! I wanted to leave a comment on your blog, by the way, but couldn't do so. I love the image of the roses. I look forward to more interesting artistic images from your blog, and meanwhile will also hope that you will find things looking up in a new place. Leaving a longterm stressful situation behind is sometimes the best way to a brighter life.

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  13. We are dealing with spring in January, too. Reminds me of the country saying, Whistling girls and crowing hens never come to any good ends. Except I cannot make spring out of season rhyme.

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  14. Hello,jenny,
    Glad to hear you are feeling better. I like to see those ship's figureheads on display.
    I imagine that there must have had many stories as you say.The new rail development would destroy many historical sights. That reminded me of the fact that we have the similar case. The train line, which is connected from Osaka to Tokyo, goes through the sight of the Japanese oldest Imperial Palace in Nara. It has been thought by visitors as an strange view. However, the line is really needed one for the local people.
    Take care, flu is going around in Japan now.

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    1. It is interesting about the rail development, TOmoko. In the central part of London there is so much archaeology because the place has been inhabited for thousands of years. Before they were allowed to build, archaeologists came in and examined the site and they have found some amazing things there! But still, many interesting little parts of central London have been destroyed, not too many luckily.

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  15. You find the neatest places for us to take a peak and see. I so enjoyed our look into the small and unknown places.

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  16. Oh Jenny, I'm loving this walk through your England. I'd love to sample the menu at Tony's Cafe and the thought of anything with such a charming name as Plumstead brings good thoughts. Yes, I'd like a visit! The museum looks fascinating. I don't think I would have thought of visiting the Maritime Museum yet the things you show certainly inspire my interest! A wonderful post and visit -- and the best news of all is that you and Tony are feeling much better!

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    1. We are glad too! And using hand sanitiser when in contact with runny nosed little kids.... :D These little areas in SE London in my view are really interesting, but so often overlooked.

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  17. What a blast from the past - lived in Abbey Wood as a child and spent many Saturdays at Plumstead Swimming Baths. All looks a bit different three decades later:-)

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    1. I think it probably has changed very little until Crossrail has woken it from its enchanted sleep. There's now a gigantic Sainsburys and some fancy apartments just north of the station which certainly weren't there last time I visited!

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  18. Those beautiful figureheads and the stories they could tell.

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  19. On a point of detail Jenny are you sure that it's a seal just about to have a cup of tea spilt over it?

    In almost all animals the male is the flamboyant one (I think I'm correct in saying that) and humans are the exception now but it does look as though that wasn't always the case!

    It's years since I was at Greenwich. I'd love to think that I'll visit the museum again but it becomes less likely the older I get and the more 'other' things I want to do.

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  20. It's wonderful that you are feeling better! Since you've been cooped up, i don't blame you at all for getting out and about as much as you can now. Hope everyone recovers from the party quickly, those children's birthday bashes can be exhausting.

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    1. One of the twins had a meltdown yesterday. He managed okay at the party. We think it might be the abnormally large amounts of chocolate he took the chance to eat. Or maybe withdrawal symptoms from chocolate! :)

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  21. Crumbs! Hipsters in Plumstead! Wait for the anti gentrification riots.

    Such a lovely tour you've given us - yet again.

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    1. I think they're all too busy buying up some of the last remotely affordable property in London to riot, Helen!

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  22. I'm exhausted after that canter over south east London!
    The Maritime Museum at Greenwich I visited in about 1975/6 and it still sticks in my mind, especially as it was empty then.
    Another good day out for you (about three for me) and a right good read it was!

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    1. Everywhere in london is chocka these days. It used to be in the winter you could have museums almost to yourself. Not now though!

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  23. Love the history and photographs, and I'm glad to hear you're feeling better.

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    1. Thanks Stephen. I am beaming VERY good wishes towards your family too!

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  24. Outdoor flowers in January! That's both beautiful and disturbing. Talk about global weirding.

    The restoration gentlemen are making quite the fashion statement! I would love to be able to see what the fancy gloves looked like when they were new.

    That ship is certainly impressive.

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    1. I think the gloves would have been dazzling, the ribbons seem to have been different colours. That whole era was nuts, fashionwise, if you ask me!

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  25. Ha! Clementine cake is something quite unusual...I had never heard of it before I saw the movie "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." We watched it again on DVD yesterday, and this clementine cake plays quite an important (though very small) role in the movie. And here you are, having clementine cake at this interesting-looking cafe!

    The weather was way too warm in December here in Florida, too. A lady at the farmer's market told us that "things that were supposed to grow weren't growing and things that weren't supposed to bloom were blooming." And while it has gotten cooler in January, we've had unseasonable amounts of rain. Usually January is a fairly dry month.

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    1. Our friends near Oveido told us about the too-warm weather. We'll be calling by and seeing them very soon and speaking as a tourist I'm just hoping that the rain stops by then and the temperatures are warm enough to swim. Guess Floridians normally enjoy cooler weather though.

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  26. Lots of interesting things today, Jenny. We also enjoyed the Maritime Museum, despite having no real interest in the sea. But we do love history! Those ship figureheads are amazing, aren't they. Whatever is the weather doing these days - so confusing. The bright green grass, blossoms and roses seem wrong in the UK in January!

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    1. Oh, yes, gives me a weird feeling, honestly does ... But Nature does seem to be pretty good at catching up and getting in sync again so I'm hoping all will be well when Spring REALLY comes!

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  27. Lovely tour. thank you.
    I was at Greenwich but somehow missed the museum. Did stand on both sides of the GMT line and saw the camera obscura ( I think it's called).
    Next time--should there be one--I'll definitely look for the museum. (Maybe my dad was not up to walking too much?)
    Plumstead Pantry menu is so unusual You wouldn't see smoked haddock, lentils, and cabbage in the US!!! Nor mussels, leek, toast!!!!!
    Thanks for sharing this bit of England with us.

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    1. Thanks, MJ! Yes, there is a lot to see in Greenwich. I don't know whether it is possible to hire wheelchairs for older folks in the museum. Greenwich, though, does seem to have many narrow roads and uneven pavements. I wish I could have recorded the guy in Plumstead Pantry talking about his food. Every dish is carefully thought out. I really am looking forward to visiting again.

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  28. What a fabulous post, Jenny. Oddly enough, I was in Greenwich/Deptford recently - I need to explore that part of London more and get out to Lesnes. Dr Dee was a fascinating chap, notwithstanding; I believe the Wellcome Collection holds some of his work. The Fuller's tour sounds great - love London Pride, though Gales Ales (I was weaned on them) haven't been the same since Fuller's took them over. Weird to see that blossum - strange weather we are having. Round our neck of the woods it seems to have been raining pretty much constantly since late November.

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    1. You don't live in that Welsh village with the unpronounceable name, do you? LOL. I feel so sorry for them, all those months of rain and then finally pipped at the post by a sunny day! Yes, it's worth visiting Lesnes Abbey but I suggest you wait till they've redone it now, as a lot of it is an admittedly rather genteel looking building site.

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  29. Really fascinating photos. In case no one commented above, that is a shark and not a seal and a very odd mural indeed! Puts our maritime museums to shame.

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  30. Hello Jenny,
    I enjoyed visiting here for the first time in one year! I love the header picture!
    The things and places you showed us are interesting as before. It’s a shame I missed a lot of interesting posts. I’d like to catch up with them one at a time.
    Well here despite forecasts that this winter would be warm, a record cold mass hit the nation and in some area a record snow fell over last weekend. Before that around the turn of the year spring-like weather brought some Japanese apricot trees into flowers, though.
    It’s weird, however, like you said in the due course of time, things will be adjusted to fit the season.

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  31. I always enjoy your trips around London. Some of the place names you mention are places I've read about in historical novels. It always seems amazing to me that I think of them as small villages and they are really parts of London. At least I think that's the case.

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  32. I'm glad that you are up and running again!
    I just love your pictures and your wonderful adventures!!! I'm north of Chicago and we are having amazing weather. We haven't gotten a lot of snow and its been dare I say, warm. The only down side to this is that we will probably be scorched this summer. The pool will at least, be warm.

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    1. Warm pool sounds VERY good! no matter what time of year...

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  33. Glad you are able to get out and about and explore new neighbourhoods. I like the menu at Tony's Cafe. How beautiful to see the roses in bloom.
    Helen xx

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  34. Heh, I'm convinced our coldest days are still to come this winter! I'm glad you're feeling better - I love Lesnes Abbey and should really visit again soon.

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  35. I've really enjoyed your post. I visited the Maritime museum last November, I agree, it is fantastic. "Sunbeam" is my favourite figurehead. I love Greenwich. We also visited the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory.

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  36. Loved, loved your post. Especially because many of the places you mentioned have been flagged up by yours truly as possible stops in my "London, my London" column. Plumstead. Tick. Woolwich. Tick. Charlton. Tick (I can get there on my using the Greenway from the River Lea Navigation). Great that you are cycling, too! Perfect days for cycling in London at the moment as long as you're not too fussy about the weather. It's been a bit muddy lately.

    You're right. London is so huge that a lot of people would not recognise the names you mentioned in your column. As for the railway extension, I can't wait! One of my projects is to go westernmost point to easternmost point and the same for south to north.

    Loved your post. Thanks.

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  37. Good grief, is that cherry-blossom in January? Our cherry blossom tree doesn't usually blossom until May. I like the plant menu at Tony's Cafe - it sounds more mainstream somehow than vegan menu! I've never been to places like Abbey Wood and Plumstead. I suppose like most Londoners I didn't think they were worth visiting! I love all the old figureheads. As you say, it's a shame they've gone out of fashion.

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  38. Its always nice and lovely to go visit places around the city. The Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark are both interesting places to visit. Warm greetings!

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  39. Hi, Jenny! I've read about your tours and this one in Greenwich reminded me about my visit there, Yes. I agree the Maritime museum is very interesting and your photos show it well. I also liked pictures of woods and blooming trees and roses - you're right, this winter in England is enough warm, and ours is too cold :)

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  40. Yet again, an extremely interesting post. I love those figureheads, it would be so nice to see them back where they should be. I like the interesting menu, made me feel quite peckish.

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  41. How lovely to read of your doings and outings. It feels as if we have had a good chat. That is one of the great pleasures of reading people's blogs, you feel such a happy connection! I too feel un-nerved by flowers in the wrong order and wrong season. Mark my words... we shall have a snowy Easter...!!

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  42. Your posts are always so loaded, I could spend days here! Love all of it and yes, it is disturbing how climate is so unpredictable. I wear all manner of clothing - prepared for all seasons within an hours time! Thank you for this very entertaining post.

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  43. It looks like you've done some fun rambling. I am so eager for spring to arrive!

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  44. I thought I posted a comment yesterday but it vanished into the ether.

    You've done some interesting rambling. I love those roses against the barren tree.

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  45. hi glad you are feeling better best wishes ,enjoyed visiting here and loved your post and pics awesome

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  46. Dear Jenny - Nice to hear that you got over with the cold and enjoyed visiting various interesting places. I was interested in the figureheads of ships and was touched by the adorable angelic girl with the sad story. The 13th and 14th look like springtime. The pink blossoms look like Ume, or Japanese apricot. The landscape is almost the same with here though England would be warmer. The warmth is comfortable but not right at this season. Happy Birthday to the twins! Kids grow so fast.

    Yoko

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  47. Thanks for the little London tour today. The ship figureheads are fascinating and the cafe sounds like a nice surprise. There's just so much to see and do, makes me want to book a flight.

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  48. I've never been to Plumstead either.... I quite fancy the hipster cafe. Sorry you've been unwell.

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  49. It would be fun to listen to all these ship figureheads’ stories, indeed. But I am most surprised to see flowers in your area in January – that is a very early start for spring.

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  50. Lovely tour. Thank you kindly. Glad you feeling much better both of you.

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  51. Crossrail heads out to near me at Reading as well. I really want to visit Greenwich it high on my list. Treco on the Isles of Scily has some interesting figure heads from the wrecks there

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  52. I wondered where you had been. Iceland looks both beautiful and severe. I enjoyed all the pictures and appreciate you posting them.

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