FOOD – Sunday, September 26th

England gets a bad rap. The food scene in London is second to none. We ate in some fabulous places this past week – as we have on prior trips.

However, we ate at one unusual spot on Wednesday night – Saltoun Supper Club. This is a so called “closed-door restaurant”. This place is run by Arno out of his little flat in Brixton – second floor up some rickety steps into a small room with four tables. The kitchen is tiny. But the very intense Arno cooks up a storm for 30 GBP – twice a week. Three hours and five courses (with only a couple of food mistakes {he did not peal the fiber off the snow peas)) later we left quite satisfied with our find…..It will be hard to eat here in the future. The New York Times was coming the following evening to write up a story..…Just note we found it first.

Other great meals included Bocca di Lupo (picture is me eating partridge); Terroirs (French small plates); Zucca (best new Italian find); The Anglesea Arms (gastrobpub where I ate grouse with wild mushroom in puff pastry – unbelievably good); Barrafina (Spanish tapas); and, of course snacks at the Borough market. When we left this morning Les and I realized we did not eat Indian food – a major faux pas…

Enough of London. We are in Rodez. It is cold, but who cares, tomorrow afternoon we start walking from Espalion. The bags are ready…

London

LONDON – Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Cockfosters. That’s how you enter London. Hop on the Piccadilly line at Heathrow and immediately realize that even though English is spoken it’s not quite the same. Can’t imagine the Religious Right or their Tea party cousins allowing such blasphemy on the public transit system…. But I digress. This is about travel, not politics. I get enough of that at home.

I love London. Always have. The history, the culture, the humour, and lately the food. But its language may be the most interesting. Very literal and descriptive. Fascinating to listen to and incomprehensible when spoken over the Tube loud system…

It is a city sans Exit signs as I first discovered 32 years ago when I was got lost in an Underground station until I found the way out. That time I stayed on a sailboat on the Thames next to the Tower of London. This time we are in a great flat near Covent Garden with our friends David and Chris.

We have been here many times. This time doing a few new things. Today went to Hampton Court – Henry VIII’s small country home. Afterwards, a 7 mile walk along the Thames to Richmond. Not the way tourists usually return. But then again we ain't tourists we’re travelers – and walkers at that…

Already stopped in the British Museum, British Library, Tate Modern, National Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery. They are amazing places and best of all – free. Right up my alley..…A couple of plays seen and good food eaten…..Lots more to come

Posting pictures of obvious places. Guess them all and you need read no more. At least about London