Apr 16 - London

 Apr 16 - London

This morning we took off for a bit of a hike to Bermondsey, to an old favourite of mine, the Pie, Mash, and Eel shop.  Pie & Mash, a traditional working-class food, 

typically consists of a minced beef pie, mashed potato and a parsley sauce (made with the water that the eels were cooked in) and known as liquor, although JEM calls it ‘green gravy’! 😊  The shops (not restaurants or cafes) traditionally have white tile walls with mirrors, marble floors, tables and work tops, and sawdust on the floors.  Having Pie and Mash tends to be a ‘must-do’ for me every time I come back to London but must admit that I’ll always give the jellied eels a wide berth! 🤮

Off to Leadenhall Market this afternoon and on the way we stopped off at a couple of nearby points of interest, Postman’s Park, and the ‘The Gherkin’.  In Postman’s Park they have a display of ceramic tablets for the ‘George Frederic Watts's Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice’, a memorial to ordinary people who died while saving the lives of others.  A nice thought in remembrance, but I also love some of the terminology.  

Next, a trip to the ‘Gherkin’, a 41 storey commercial skyscraper, and JEM’s favourite London building.  And, although we couldn’t get in, it was a worthwhile visit (a not very known fact - although the shape of the Gerkin’ would suggest otherwise, there is only one ‘bent’ sheet of glass in the whole building, the one on the very top!) 

Leadenhall Market, a place I haven’t been for years.  Originally a place to sell meat, game, and poultry, and dating back from the 14th century, it’s now far more trendy and full of pubs, wine bars, and upmarket eateries, but still a Grade II listed building. It was also used in the Harry Potter movie ‘ The Philosopher’s Stone’, representing the London area near the ‘Leaky Cauldron’ and  ‘Diagon Alley’.  We gave the ‘Butter Beer’ a miss but had a couple of pints of London’s finest instead! 🍻 🥳 .  A lovely finish to a great week in the UK capital but now back to Worthing in the morning. 

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