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Tuesday 29 July 2014

Another day - another city

Thanks for all your lovely comments on my previous post.  Well done those eagle eyed followers who read the labels and noted that it was Exeter we went to!  The photo in my current header is the Lock Keepers Cottage on the Exe canal which I have written about having visited it in July last year and again this summer too.

Yesterday saw me heading off on the train to London where I was to meet up with a fellow blogger I'd never met but had exchanged e-mails with - Molebags whose lovely blog I enjoy  - and our mutual non bloggy friend.

We met at the station and then headed off along the South Bank which was packed with tourists and like struggling along Oxford Street or maybe even Weymouth beach!

 Here is where we were going.

The Garden Museum is housed in a disused church and has a lovely little cafe where you can eat outside in the one time graveyard which is now a lovely quiet garden.



 If you enlarge this photo by clicking on it you will see the tables where we sat with our lunch under the trees on the right - lovely and one could forget that the busy main road was just yards away.

 After lunch we crossed the river - aren't those clouds beautiful?

 Looking back you can see the Garden Museum just where the red bus is and Lambeth Palace just hidden behind the trees alongside.

 This is where we were off to - the Tate Britain - we had tickets for the Folk Art exhibition.
 
Loved this beautiful stairway all done in black and white and shiny chrome - we all wanted to float down the stairs in ballgowns like Hollywood movie stars!

I just loved the patterns it made.



The exhibition was interesting with all kinds of exhibits including paintings, needlework, wooden ships figureheads, shop and pub signs and so on and one of my favourites was this chicken made by a prisoner of war sometime about 1800 using bones from the kitchen for all the feathers - this photo doesn't do it justice you'd have to see it to realise just how clever it was.


And of course I found a piece of crazy patchwork!  This unfinished cushion cover took my eye and made me want to do some more.

I noticed these windows in the entrance hall on our way out, after having had scones and tea and a nice sit-down in the outdoor courtyard, and I thought made a delightful restrained change from stained glass...

... what do you think?

Our walk back to the station took us along the river and past the Houses of Parliament where this sign caught my eye and made me smile!  For more about Black Rod check the link here.  Back at Waterloo I had to dash for the train or wait another hour - just caught it but it was packed and standing room only for the first half hour but eventually I did find a seat and was able to relax and enjoy the journey home especially as the shadows lengthened and the sun slid slowly down in the west painting everything especially the corn fields with a beautiful apricot glow.  Yet another lovely day out - how lucky am I to be able to get out and about and to have so many friends with whom I can visit such places and how lucky to have my home to return to at the end of the day and Mr M waiting at the station to take me there..

16 comments:

  1. I've never visited the garden museum but it looks lovely and is on my list of places to visit. I have tickets for the Folk Art Exhibition the week after next - can't wait! Glad you had such a good day :-)

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  2. You do find the most interesting places to go.

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  3. I could have got this one right if you'd given me a chance!

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  4. Nice to count your blessings Jane, something we all should do more!
    Love the chicken and the staircase and the patchwork....oh and your new header too!
    Vx

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  5. What beautiful photos, you were blessed with wonderful skies. I love finding gardens in the city - little oases of calm, it makes them extra special. Glad you had a good time. CJ xx

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  6. A very enjoyable day out. Thanks for taking us along.

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  7. You have such great days out!

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  8. You really do find some wonderful places to visit thank you for sharing I had a wonderful time!

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  9. What a great day out! Thank you for the window fix - as you know I am very partial to a nice window picture and you're right, that's gorgeous, elegant and refined.

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  10. The Garden Museum is definitely on my list, it sounded delightful! Lovely to see pictures of London! That City seems to be in my blood, I was born there and however much I try to ignore the urge, I still have to go back there occasionally for a 'fix'!!!!

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  11. Another wonderful post full of beautiful pictures! Although I love stained glass windows, I must admit those windows are so wonderful. The light shining through just makes you smile!

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  12. A wonderful post Jane. I must get to the Garden Museum one day. Beautiful header too. x

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  13. It is lovely meeting up with fellow bloggers isn't it? It looks like you packed a lot into the day too. xxx

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  14. Now who's been busy - soinds like a great day.
    Thought of you yesterday as we were at Dartmouth and had lunch in the White Hart. Music summer school is on so it was buzzing.

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  15. A day in London . . . oh my, only in my wildest dreams :)
    Thanks for letting me tag along.
    Connie :)

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  16. You do such interesting things when you take a trip. Thank you for letting us share them.

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