A drizzly London day

Today was a bit rainy but it didn’t matter as we planned to spend it in the National Gallery. We walked there, via Green Park, still looking gorgeous, with leaves just dropping down all the time as you watched. Past Buckingham Palace where they were about to change the guard and there was quite a crowd, and on to Trafalgar Square. You had to book in with a QR code - this was to control the numbers in the gallery, but in fact there wasn’t a crowd and you could have walked in, except they had set this up in case so you had to log in and do all the palaver! Anyway, we got in and we and Omnia went separate ways as it is impossible to all stay together…Amr and I for the first time almost feel we went through in proper order and not getting lost or straying into a completely new era of paintings! We had fun and took our time, and had a break in the middle. Very good, and at one stage we heard what sounded like pouring rain, and it probably was, as when we finally emerged there were lots of puddles, but by then it was almost sunny…it was lovely seeing old favourites…one is the Tax Collectors, which we always rudely send to Peter. And to quietly find some Caravaggios that we almost walked past…and to look at things in more detail.

After that we walked to Regent street, in an alley where Amr has found a favourite coffee shop, and then we wandered back to Leicester square and Covent Garden as we were going to a play at the Gielgud Theatre, and before that an early dinner at Dishoon - a fantastic Indian restaurant. Amr had researched that and found that they only take bookings before 6, so we had a reservation for 5.15, and were so thankful for that….when we arrived (and met Omnia there) there was a line right down the block waiting…we got in almost right away, and could see why there was such a queue…fantastic food, Indian as we haven’t had before, and it deserves its reputation. By the time we left the line was even longer.

Then we went on to the theatre and saw The Mirror and the Light…the stage adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s books about Thomas Cromwell…excellent and I enjoyed it immensely…not sure how it would be if you weren’t familiar with the history etc…but we loved it..although maybe not as good for Omnia as she hadn’t had those history classes or read the Mantel books.

No more cultural bookings now. We do have a Syrian restaurant booked for tomorrow though which should be great. We had found the museums delightfully not crowded, but Friday night, walking round Leicester Square and Covent Garden, even on a cold wet November day, there were lots of people, and when we went through Piccadilly Circus to get the tube home it was very packed. Already Christmas decorations are being put up, Christmas markets being set up, and all festive.Read more