April 11 & 12: Bethnal Green

We finally stopped moving today. We had a lie in, did some laundry, took a longish walk to the British Museum, where we went to lunch. Friday was the hottest day of the year so far, reaching 21 degrees Centigrade late afternoon, with blue skies. We took shelter in the Crypt of St Martin’s in the Fields, which is a unique coffee shop and always a cool, quiet haven, despite being on Trafalgar Square. That would have already been a splendid day. And then we went to Gareth’s…

As it does, London embraced the fine Spring Friday evening with gusto. London Fields (the park south of Gareth’s house) was tessellated with picnickers. The playground was buzzing with squealing, giggling toddlers. The park-side bars, pubs were rocking, fairy-lights pulsing on the patios, happy music playing on loud. Every dog was being walked. Every jogger was jogging. The grass is still green (not yet dried out or worn through). The trees are starting to flower. Despite the human noise, the birds are belting out their love-songs. It was the city at its best.

At Gareth’s, we sat on the porch, watching the world go by, drinking fizz. Then, we moved to the kitchen table (and a rosé prosecco), while Gareth rustled up a zingy pasta puttenesca… By midnight, we were boogying in the kitchen, deejaying track requests from our phone playlists (heavy on the Yacht Rock). We finally left to stroll home around 1:45am. The streets were relatively quiet by then, though the buses were still running, and still busy and more than a few doner huts were still doing an brisk trade. We briefly shared the road home with an urban fox. I can’t think of a time in the last year where I have turned out my light out after 3am. It was so much fun.

We were surprisingly robust this morning. We swapped hotels, (fortunately, only a short trundle of our wheelie bags away). We’re still in Bethnal Green. It’s another lovely day. We went to explore Victoria Park, which occupies almost 90 acres edged on the West by the Regents Canal. It was opened in 1845 and includes a bandstand, a “Chinese pagoda” (see photo in Album: “London Week 3: APR 5 – 12”), a boating lake, striking avenues of mature trees and fanciful groves of flowering cherry, apple and pear trees. It is a 5km stroll all the way around, crisscrossed with paths, greens, playing fields and music from informal performers stationed around many-a-corner. It was a truly pleasant way to spend a sunny afternoon.

We joined Gareth again this evening, for dinner at a charming Mexican taberna midway between us and him. Carey and I decided on a pint of beer, which we hugged gently all evening. Gareth was on the Coca Cola. We turned in early today, all feeling rather ginger after yesterday’s “big night in”. Despite our reserve, we had a great meal, excellent conversation and set plans for a goodbye dinner on Tuesday evening.