London for ANZAC Day

As part of our holiday in April, we went to London for ANZAC Day. We headed up to London on the 24^th on the train after a lazy start to the day at home. We arrived in London at the beginning of rush hour. Oh. My. God. And we were there with our big suitcases. Trying to get on and off the Tube was, to say the least, exciting. But we managed it.

We were staying at a lovely hotel, called the Russell Hotel. It's absolutely gorgeous, right over the road from Russell Square Park. It's a lovely old building, dating from the Victorian era, and was just amazing. Such a great place to stay.

Kathy had booked a flight on the London Eye. We turned up early, as recommended, so we ended up going around about 30 minutes earlier than we planned. Not that it mattered. We had stunning views across the Thames

and London, including Hyde Park,

the MoD buildings, London suburbs... Just fantastic! It was brilliant looking up

and down

the Thames and seeing just how big the city is. It was fun, too, picking out famous

and familiar

landmarks. It was also really cool looking at how the pods rotated around the eye. It's a pretty amazing piece of engineering.

Everyone who goes to London should do it.

After the flight we went to a nearby bar (all bar one). It took Matt ages to get served, and ages to find part of a table to sit at. We finally did get a spot to sit when a bunch of guys got up to leave. They asked us to make sure the waiter got their money. The waiter went rushing past, saw they'd left and you could see his thought process - “oh crap, they've skipped out on the bill”. I've never seen anyone look so relieved, when Matt pointed out the money sitting on the table!

After an average meal, and a nightcap in the lovely hotel bar, we had an early night – tomorrow was a big day.

Saturday. ANZAC Day.

We decided the night before not to go to the Dawn Service – the idea of having to get up at 3.30am didn't really appeal!! Instead of the Dawn Service we decided to go to the Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. We got there really early, partly because Kathy got the time wrong, partly to make sure we got a good spot. In the end, it was a good call, despite the boys from the Canberra Grammar School Choir standing right in front of us! We spent a lot of time chatting to a pair of ladies, one from NZ, one from Australia and both of whom had been living in the UK for some time. It was lovely having a chat about all sorts of things, including the VIC bushfires, and helping them hang on to their Aussie flag. The Grenadier Guards led the procession out,

which included retired service personnel

and Kathy spied some Chelsea Pensioners, and we thought it was a really good turn out.

Traffic had, of course, been stopped for a while before the procession was let out by the bandsmen. After a reading and prayers, the wreaths were laid bang on 11am, as Big Ben chimed. It was very, very emotional. The sound of the hour being chimed echoing down a quiet Whitehall is something that will stay with us for a long time.

We went straight from the Cenotaph to the Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey.

It was just brilliant. A guest organist as people arrived, and it was amazing. The Grenadier Guards also played, and the Canberra Grammar boys sang again as well. The pomp and ceremony was just amazing. We had seats near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Great Western Door. We sat facing south, and watched the sun coming through the stained glass windows. We had great views of the flying buttresses outside, too. The Grenadier Guards played the last post, which sent chills down our spines. The anthems went down a treat, and the Australian one was sooooo Strine! The sermon was done by the Australian Air Force chaplain, and it was really down to earth. You could tell he's been on active service.

As we talked to people, Matt's accent got coarser, and Kathy's pronunciation of Cardiff changed and it made us realise just how much we dampen down our accents in Wales, to try and sound less Strine – and more easily understood by people.

After the service we walked up to Chinatown for dim sum – still wearing our poppies, of course! Not a fried item touched our plates. We found a different way of having tripe, too – lots of chilli, yummy....

On our way to Chinatown were was a bunch of French teens larking about on a tube train. One used the overhead bars to hang off. He was complemented on his 'prowess' by a friend, so did it again – but leapt up to grab the bars and banged his head! It was very funny. The group calmed down at the next stop, though when a large crowd got on. We think they were freaked out a bit by the crowds.

After lunch, we did the Australian thing, and wandered around pubs. Not in Earl's Court though. There was a pub crawl group of ladies, dressed as chefs.

We went to the Angel & Crown at Trafalgar, where there has been a pub since 1720. The Lamb and Flag was built in 1623,

originally as a coffee house, and is up a little alley out of the way. This place was heavily wood panelled, and had rickety little stairs to the upper seating level. There were funny pissed guys at the Round House. Matt bought some slurm. Not real slurm, but a caffine drink in a slurm can. What did you expect – where are you going to find a worm queen, from the planet Wormulon in the 21^st century?

We walked through Covent Gardens, and came across a juggler – juggling a chainsaw while wearing only a lurex speedo. Eww.

We had a great meal at Punjab, which is apparently one of the oldest Indian restaurants in London. This is a rather overused phrase in this post, but it was FANTASTIC!!!!! One of the best meals we've had in London for ages which isn't Chinese.

On the way back to the hotel we walked past the British Museum. It was lit up, so we stopped to take a photo at the gates.

The security guard said “would you like to go in?” I beg your pardon?!? Go in?!? At 10.30pm?!? You bet we want to go in!!!!! The main gallery was open

plus only one gallery,

but hey – we didn't care. We were the only ones there – apart from the security guards. What a hidden gem. We got kicked out at 11pm, but we just didn't care. It was a fantastic end to the most fabulous day.

Next adventure - Bruges!!

April - springtime in Wales

April saw spring upon us with intent. The trees started changing, the days started to get longer, and we started getting more fine weather. Hooray.

At the start of the month was the local derby in the football. Cardiff City v Swansea. There is a lot of bad blood between the 2 teams, especially when the fans get a few pints in them. To try and counteract this the game was scheduled to start at 11am, which is before pub opening time. So what did some enterprising landlords do? Why, apply for a special licence to open early, of course! Oh dear. We walked in to town to do some shopping and could hear the crowds. The police helicopters were going overhead from 8am – but rude for a Sunday morning. There were police everywhere. This just brought it home to us (again) just how different rugby and football crowds are. We so much prefer the rugby crowds – lot more companionable and good natured. There's something wrong when you have to segregate fans.

Not to worry, it was a beautiful day, sunny and crisp. Magnolias are in bloom, and Bute Park was an oasis from the football crowds.

Spring Blossoms in the sunshine

The week following was National Cask Ale Week, so we did the honourable thing and went to the pub every night. Unfortunately the Halfway had their deliveries stuffed up, and so the ale didn't have time to settle properly before the week began – so the yummy beers didn't come on until later in the week. Even then it was mainly Milkwood. Sigh. I think Bob, the landlord was rather disappointed as well.

On Maunday Thursday Matt had a half day, the rat. The pub was surprisingly quiet when we got there for the Cheese and Ale evening (mmmm, cheese and ale....). Easter also saw the Blues play Toulouse in the Heinekin Cup.

Matt wearing his Cardiff shirt, before the game

Ah, French rugby supporters. They came to town early to make a weekend of it, and brought their picnic style with them. On Easter Saturday there was a group of French in Bute Park who had set up their picnic – trestle tables, piles of wine, bread, cheese....

Tres bon!

Some of the party were sitting in the sun near the cherry trees with their plates singing. It was fantastic. That day we also 'found' a little dragon, in a rugby ball shaped egg (well, he is Welsh!). In an effort to get our nephews and niece more involved in what we are doing we've set up a little blog, starring a little Welsh dragon named Owain Glwyn Dragon. Follow his adventures on http://owaingwyndragon.blogspot.com/.

So it was match day, and naturally we did a wander around our favourite match day haunts. Tair Pluen was busy, but there were equal numbers of Welsh and French. We then went to the Old Arcade, where it took Matt 15 minutes to get served!! We don't stand for that sort of malarkey, thank you! So we went to the small O'Neil's, which was comparatively quiet. We then headed to the game via the Central Markets to get something to eat. Matt got a turkey drumstick, which released his inner cave man – Grrrrr. We also tried pork scratchings, which were salty, tasty and fatty. The game was dour, and the last 20 minutes were the best part of the game. Cardiff were lucky to come away with the win.

Cardiff (in baby blue) v Toulouse

The fans, though, had a great time. The Toulouse fans put the Welsh to shame with their enthusiasm and singing. Some of them seemed to spend no time in their seats at all.

Enthusiastic Toulouse fans

Brilliant. The queue in the gents at half time were so long that for once Kathy got back to the seats before Matt did! This match was the first time we'd been to the stadium when the roof was open.

Clouds through the open roof at Millennium Stadium

On Easter Sunday we went for a walk do the Riverside Markets in the sun. There were swans on the Taff, and ducks fighting. There were the sounds of birds singing their little hearts out, so it's definitely Spring. Matt did his thing for the local political scene by signing a petition to stop the Council from putting a road in Bute Park with some permanent cafes. If it was a European style cafe, people wouldn't complain, but we know it's more likely to be the type which has deep fried everything.

Do we need to say any more?

Guess what was watching us on the way home one afternoon...

The weekend after Easter the Royal Horticultural Show was on in town. Unlike last year when Kathy bought tickets in advance, we gave it a miss this year because the queue to get in was about 30 minutes long – at the minimum!

Queues. We're from Canberra. We don't

We instead went to a memorial garden which sits behind the Town Hall, and opposite the main building at the University. It's quite a pretty garden, with memorials for both World Wars and the Falklands, but lots of graffiti. And kids sitting on the memorials drinking and smoking. And our pants are up by our armpits! As we were walking back in to town we walked past a bright yellow Lamborghini, and Matt's jaw was dragging along the ground so much he tripped over it! Right in front of the Lamborghini. It was very funny.

Our big expedition, if you could call it that, was to a pub called the Vulcan,

which is due to close soon. It sits all on its own in the middle of a car park. It used to be surrounded by other buildings, but all the other buildings have been demolished. It's a little sad – it has been a pub for most of the last century and was the oldest pub still in operation in Cardiff, but I suppose time moves on. It's now this sad little pub, with regulars surrounded by shipping memorabilia. We were talking to someone who said that is used to be pretty rough. Now it just looks sad. After that we re-tested Matt's gaydar. It's still not working right. We went in to a pub we see from the train line, called the Golden Cross. It's a gay bar. The rainbow flag and the disco ball should have given it away. The best part of the pub was a huge painted mural on one wall of the Castle, which was fantastic.

The rest of the month was spent in London, Bruges and Canterbury. But that's for another post.

Beers of the month:

• Old Speckled Hen

• Light Headed

• Cwrw Haf

• Heligan Honey

• Tom Woods Old Timber

Wine of the month:

• Grand Vin de Bordeaux Haute-Mond'esir Cotes de Bourg 2004

Food of the month:

• Lamb Lovely spring Welsh lamb.