Cats

Sunday 23 April 2017

Family Holiday March 2017 - London 20.3.2017


Another trip into London and just look at the weather!


I spent the morning at the Consular Section of the SA Embassy attempting to renew my SA passport.  Despite taking everything I could possibly think of along with me, I still need one more document - of course!  What surprised me was how they have managed to replicate Home Affairs on this side of the world. Seated in uncomfortable chairs facing in to the room, I could have been in Barrack Street in Cape Town - it was such a strange experience! All the same people, on both sides of the counter, the only difference was the temperature - it was cold. Quite bizarre!


The doors are closed at 12.45 and whoever is left in the room waits to be processed, so by 2.30pm I was out and met up with Kate & Kean who had spent the morning at the Tower of London Dungeons, a bit more fun than my morning.


After a quick bite in the freezing cold, we headed over to 20 Fenchurch Street and the Sky Garden. It started pouring on the way so the view was a bit disappointing, but it was warm.



I love this picture - who would believe that our first argument of the holiday was happening? I think Dayne was surprised that it had taken 4 days, she had predicted half an hour. We all know the buttons to push ...


Cold and wet.





Heading towards St Pauls, the rain lifted a bit.







Another national sport - complaining about something.


We had an appointment with The London Eye.


This is the first time I've done this - it was great. I would definitely recommend the trip.



This was 2 days before the awful Westminster attack and shooting. What a world we live in, hatred and violence and discrimination - the human condition. Along with tolerance and kindness. You can't live in fear though, take reasonable precautions and then get on with your life - that's my motto.




What a view!





Sunday 16 April 2017

Family Holiday March 2017 - Kew Gardens 17.3.2017


Clapham Junction - one of the busiest stations in the UK, a bit of a shock I think for new visitors. We were heading for Kew to meet up with my friend Jo - you've met her before on this blog. She's from near Durban in Kwazulu Natal and was visiting her father who lives in London, along with her sister Penny. How great is this that we're close enough to meet up at one of my favourite places - Kew Gardens.



We met up in the Orangery for lunch and after warming up we headed out into the gardens.  



One of Kew's oldest trees - a Japanese Pagoda tree planted around 1760 - still growing and flowering. Incredible.


The Hive - a new addition to Kew.  'A unique, multi-sensory experience designed to highlight the extraordinary life of bees. The Hive is a feat of British engineering standing some 17m square and set in a wildflower meadow'. It certainly is. The lights and sounds on the inside are triggered by bee activity in the hives outside.




Complementary bee tattoos!  Entirely coincidental.


Another grey day, but you just have to get on with it. We did walk around but it was really quite cold so the greenhouses are the best place on a day like this.
 

Spring is making an appearance outside, but there's lots to see inside and it's warm.



The Palm House


As always with Jo, even though we haven't seen each other since last year, we start talking as soon as we meet up and don't stop the whole day! It's lovely.





My experience is that with Kew you run out of time long before you run out of things to see, but we tried.






Then it really was time to head home. What a great day.