100 Days of Happiness 2020 - Day 30 - Holiday Tuesday

[byslantedlight]

Today was another Very Happy Day. It started off for the second time in a row nice and early - because I was off to meet helenraven for an unexpected and bonus breakfast! And the sun was actually shining, and if it was a little chillier - well, the sun was actually shining! My path to the cafe took me alongside waterways and past ducks and swans and moorhens - just a few minutes from where I was staying in the opposite direction to the one I'd taken that first night!

And then interesting chat over coffee and pancakes (Happy Shrove Tuesday!) I have got to go and visit the Icelandic Phallological Museum... *vbg*

Back to the YHA to pack, pausing for one last picture of the bridge, and one last look back over the river...

The Bakerloo line was running again today, so it was a nice easy trip back to Paddington, where I was meeting heliophile_oxon (see? What a nice day it was!), and when I went out the first exit I came to, I was confronted by this - turned out I was right by Little Venice, so I hefted my luggage a bit higher, and went for a stroll...

Apparently it's where three canals meet - and this is Browning's Water. Robert Browning might have been partly responsible for it being known as "London's Venice". Sigmund Freud lived there for a bit - in the same building that Alan Turing was born in! Katherine Mansfield lived around there too... Not that I knew this when I was gazing at the water - I've just found it all in wiki! *g*

And then it was time to meet heliophile_oxon, to have Lebanese lunch followed by coffee and cake, and of course much chat... *g* And I was able to convince her to add a little writing into the mix... *g*

And then it was time for my train, and off I went, whizzing back past the flooded fields to Somerset...

...and home. Nipped out to the supermarket, under dramatic skies - and when I came back out again, barely an hour later, the same road was covered in snow! I even drove back through snowflakes for a while, and got quite hopeful about it being pretty tomorrow, but by the time I was home it was just rain again. Except that when I glanced out ready to lock the door - there seemed to be snow on top of the cars - although it looks a bit more like hailstones, maybe... I wish I had better windows for seeing! Anyway - we'll see what the morning brings... *vbg*

But that's the end of my four-day-weekend with added adventure and very happy meetings-up with people! Back to ordinary life again now - although with a new resolution to get out more often to see the world, near and far! *g*

One more happy for the day though - I had an email with official go-ahead for the foodsharing - yeay!

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

I discovered Little Venice last summer after years of using Paddington station. It's amazing the things which are hidden in plain sight.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

It really is amazing, isn't it - I mean, all that, just outside a different door! A bit like Narnia - well, except for the Snow Queen and the talking animals... *g*

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

Lovely photos! I'm glad you had a happy weekend in London!
How was the Youth Hostel you stayed at?

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

It was lovely! *g*

The YHA was fine really, although it had a few issues - the worst being that the lift was broken and I was on the top (fourth) floor! Still, it was good for me... *g* I think it needs refurbishment - it seemed to have the older harder mattresses still, and I've noticed that most YHAs I've stayed in over the last few years have much better mattresses. But it was much more handy as a tube line than I was imagining, and it was a nice ten minute walk to get there, and nice to have the Thames walk right there too. I'll definitely give it another go sometime! Also, a private en suite room for just me wasn't all that much more expensive than a dorm bed in the more central hostels, so that worked rather well too... *g*

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

It was lovely seeing you :-) And now I realise you had an even busier day than I thought! *g* Hooray for the official seal of approval for the food-sharing scheme. And here's to next time!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

It was unexpectedly more busy, but in a fab way! *g*

Food sharing starts on Monday at last - hurrah! And there's another weekend to come... *happy sigh* - even if I'm not going anywhere exotic. Oh yeah, and there's more stormy weather forecast for us all! Oh well - I have some typing to do anyway... *vbg*

Here's to next time!

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I'm way late commenting - it al looks and sounds amazing! Thank you for your (as always) fabulous pics, and for taking the time to share.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

No worries - replies are happy things whenever they come! *g* Thank you!

[freetraveller15.livejournal.com]

Oh yay! A lovely packed weekend! And so glad you got to meet these lovely Pros friends too.

I've always loved Little Venice, perfect spot for walking or cycling (done it many times; often starting there and ending at Camden Lock, via Regent's Canal and going past London Zoo), though over the past few years the canal area around Paddington station has become more built up. I still prefer the canal area around Wareick Ave. tube.

Fabulous photos!

[stellar_raven]

I would love to visit London someday.

Absolutely gorgeous pictures!