Huzzah

Greetings from Jolly Old England-

So, I didn't mention that my first meal on this trip was also fish and chips in the hotel. It was pretty tasty, but I had forgotten from previous experience that the English like their fish and chips with...mushy peas. Oy. The only thing I can say is, they were a lovely green. I'm not a big pea fan anyway, but maybe they should call it something like 'creme de pois'. I still wouldn't eat it, but it would sound fancy. Like caviar. It's called caviar, because not many people would actually eat 'fish eggs'. I know I wouldn't.

'Cheeky Monkey'

Back on track, at my friends', we had a nice Indian meal. Oh. Yum. Chicken tikka masala, heaven, naan bread with CHEESE, yummy, and sag aloo, potatoes and spinach, mmm. We watched some telly and then I took the train back to London.

On Sunday, I went to the Imperial War Museum. I try to go to different museums when I'm in London, and this is near Waterloo station (Lambeth North or Elephant Walk tube stations). It is free, like so many museums in London. I think I have only paid for the Sherlock Holmes Museum, near Marleybone, on Baker Street and the London City Museum, near the Barbican (both excellent). Anyway, they ask for donations, and have some fees for special exhibits. I was really surprised at how impressed I was. Not really a battlefield historian. This was so much more. There was an exhibit on 'The Children's War' which is about the London-area evacuees to the countryside or to Canada or elsewhere during the Second World War. Parts of it are a  hands on exhibit. They also have a trench from the First World War which you can walk through, and that was not a fun experience for 5 minutes, I honestly can't imagine spending days or months. Just great exhibits all around. They have an exhibit on spies and stuff. that was interesting. I did pay to see the 'Animals' War' exhibit, which showed  how animals have been used in campaigns, from horses to dogs carrier pigeons, etc. That was well worth it's money. I was there over 3 hours and probably could have stayed longer, but I needed to head to Bracknell for an English Sunday dinner and EastEnders!

My mate Bob was going to treat me with a chocolate fountain, unfortunately, it didn't turn out quite how we had expected it, but it was still a great thought. I must tell the story of the Bob, I worked with his wife Gay in the Bracknell office and she looked out for me. Well, we were chatting at work and she kept referring to her husband, the Fat Conductor. So, of course, you get a picture in your head (larger man, with a big walrus mustache). One day, I was to meet Bob to get a ticket for Wales. I was looking for him at the station, and finally he came up to me and we met. I made the mistake of saying, 'you're not a fat conductor'. He didn't know that was his nickname. Oops. Ah, it turned out all right. I do like that about England. If you get upset, you're 'on the strop' or 'getting stroppy'. One of my Bracknell co-workers called me 'a cheeky monkey'.

Anyway, it was another night of good food with my mates and then back to the hotel du snob.

Today is my last day in London, and I think I may head to Hyde Park later, maybe Harrod's, maybe eat a cheese roll :)