END OF THE SUMMER

Today was another sunny “end of summer day” in our little kingdom and was a perfect reason to have a walk through Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, Westminister, then to the Borough Market by the riverside.

There was the Real Food Market in Southbank. Queen’s Walk was surprisingly uncrowded. Even the Founders Arms in Blackfriars was half empty and we enjoyed our cidres there on the riverside under the sun. Then we headed to the Borough Market for a yummy duck sandwich.

Afternoon, we went to our first “afternoon tea” in London. In Turkey we call the afternoon tea “five o’clock tea”, that’s why we reserved our table for five o’clock in Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum&Mason.

We tried two of the three afternoon tea options, the traditional and the savoury ones. We were happy to combine both and to have the chance of trying different tastes. Because of not writing a afternoon tea “quality” critic here, as a couple who has a good tea and patisserie culture, we can just say that it was nice to live the traditional English afternoon tea experience in a place like Fortnum&Mason but that’s it.  

A.GOLD

Yesterday after shopping in Judy’s Vintage Fair and then going through Brick Lane to take new street art photos popped up there, it looked like a nice idea to make a stop in A.Gold, a beautiful traditional British food shop next to the Old Spitalfields Market.

A.Gold in 42 Brushfield Street, is not just a little shop who sells old style jams, candies, treats, some kitchen accessories, good quality coffees, teas, etc, is also a place where you can enjoy a nice cup of Monmouth coffee, a cold bottle of Victorian lemonade or a freshly made sandwich.Even the sandwich’s taste was pretty basic and nothing special, glad to visit this cozy and old style shop. A.Gold is open Monday-Friday 10.00-16.00 and weekend 11.00-17.00.

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In Turkey, the people is resisting since 31 May 2013 to protect their park, democracy and human rights. Court refused Gezi Park demolition.  Yesterday, thousands went to their park with the court decision and the police attacked them with tear gas, watercannon, plastic bullets.

Resist Gezi Park! Resist Turkey!

Poster via #DirenGeziParki

PETER PAN CUP 2011

What we learned this Christmas in London: English people do not eat the turkey on Christmas Eve. London is a ghost city on Christmas Eve. There is NOOO public transport, AAANY public transport on Christmas Day in London. If you are very very lucky you can find a black cab with a extra charge of £4 for Christmas Day. Lovely.

That’s why, we woke up at six o’clock this morning and had a lovely 2 hours walk from home to Serpentine in Hyde Park for watching our first Peter Pan Cup. London was asleep, streets were empty. We saw first time Oxford Street empty, without crazy shoppers.

When we arrived to Serpentine Lido, some swimmers were warming (?) up already, a Santa was  serving treats and the spectators watching the brave men and women of The Serpentine Swimming Club. At nine o’clock we heard the call of the bagpipe and the race which is taking place every year on Christmas day morning in Hyde Park Serpentine since 1804, started.

One person was counting the seconds and the bravehearts were in a challenge in the ice cold, brown (certanly not cristal clear) waters of Serpentine at Hyde Park.

The pink bodies getting out of the icy water and running through the mulled wine.