The Birthday Gal & Her Escort

I hope you are tuned in to my blog and will receive these photos.  I'm not sure that my computer is
doing what it should.
Annabelle received this bouquet from her offspring yesterday and we will be enjoying it until we
head out to Harwich on Friday morn.  My picture was taken in Stateroom 8049, our former home
when we sailed on previous voyages.
London is tres hectic, many people crowded into this little isle, especially this year for the Olympics.
Quite a few of them sailed on the QM2.
Today, we went to the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and had to struggle our way
through the mob to get a peek through the outer railing.  Just when we made it, some little old lady
pushed us out of the way to steal our place.  Can't trust these little old ladies.  We've given up taking
the Underground and are using the ubiquitous taxis.  Easy on the body but murder on the pocketbook.

Barri, John and the kids are having a wonderful time and are leaving the Nell Gwynne early in the
morning.  Just the way we used to do, many years ago.  Last night we supped at a delightful Lebannese
Restaurant and had authentic dinners.  The couple opposite me here in a London Starbucks is from
Uganda, wearing their native outfits.  They are here for the Olympics, a bit early to see the sights.

I hope you are tuning into Aubrey's blog since she is alot quicker on the technology than I.  She is
excited about London and claims that she wants to live here with all of it's foreign flavor.  Ah! youth.

In case you want to contact me, I plan to conjure up my e-mail occasionally.  See you again soon, I hope.

Monday July 16, and we hailed a taxi to the Churchill Museum in the War Rooms.  The town is
beginning to hum, lots of new visitors.  The main highways now have special lanes for the
Olympic participants so they won't get delayed in the traffic while going to their events.  Occasional
rains and somewhat chilly.  Doesn't feel like july.
The Churchill Museum is excellent.  Not many oldsters like us in there who were familiar with the
great man's long career.

We returned to Nell Gwynn for lunch since we had a few items still in the fridge from Sainsburys.
I no longer keep track of my English pounds, I just shovel them out when required.  Just glad
that we are able to get about in this city.  Barri and family are up and at em early in the AM while
our pace is slow and easy.  The flowers are bright and cheery and make the day pleasant to start.
Tonight for dinner, we plan to try an Indian restaurant near Kensington Station just a 7 minute walk
from our flat.  I'm still thinking about the easy life aboard the QM2 where all our meals were
served so well and the stateroom steward took care of the housekeeping.  At Nell Gwynn, the
housekeeping seems rather sketchy.  They're getting busy with the demands of the swelling crowd,
I guess.

We're fortunate to have this Starbuck's across the street from the NG which makes their WiFi
available to all, free of charge without the requirement to buy coffee, etc.