As I sat on the pavement, my legs straight in front of me like a baby doll, I can truthfully say that ‘interesting’ wasn’t actually the word in my mind. Indeed, for a full 30 seconds, there were no words whatsoever in my mind. What happened? Why was I sitting on the pavement? Then I remembered the cone on the pavement. The cone that had been placed there specifically to warn pedestrians of the broken paving slab. The paving slab which rose at my side like Vesuvius. Yes, I had noticed it and, yes, I had tried my best to avoid it but, have you ever had one of those moments when your mind says, ‘Feet, watch out!’ but the feet don’t get the message quickly enough? Next thing my knee cracked into the pavement. ‘There goes my patella’ I thought. Spouse tried to help me up but a young woman in a hijab rushed over.
‘Stay sitting for a few minutes’ she warned and it turned out to be exactly the right thing. After a minute or two I stood and, with relief, put my not-inconsiderable weight on my right leg without collapsing. I was fine. Shaken and embarrassed at sitting on the pavement in Piccadilly (London, not Manchester), but absolutely fine and ready to carry on with our cultural tour of the capital.
We’d been to the V and A. A wondrous place and one that I wish I had spent more time in. We concentrated on South, south-east, Eastern and Western Asia (in fact, most of Asia, really) and I felt as though I was drowning in fabrics, ceramics and metallic beauty. The colours were rich and dreamy and the workmanship so skilled, it did the heart good just being in the same room as some of these treasures.
It was, in fact, in stark contrast to our visit to the British Museum where we had viewed a disappointing exhibit, Legend, which seemed to have been aimed at 11 year olds. Hmmm. maybe I should do a bit more research next time!
I did however discover a new eatery, just for lunch – a chain restaurant Wasabi on Tottenham Court Road. Clean, well-cooked, spicy food, prepared in minutes. What’s not to like? And, of course, I had to go to my favourite restaurant in Bloomsbury; Chettinad, on Percy Street (don’t order the Thali unless a) you are very hungry, or b) you can take your leftovers with you. otherwise it will make you cry to leave that lovely food behind).
We stayed in St. Giles Hotel, Bedford Avenue, WC1. It’s not luxurious, I don’t like to ear there and some of the rooms are a bit tired but you can’t beat it for location.
