A SUPER SENIOR'S SEVENTY-SIXTH CELEBRATION.

We celebrated John's Birthday in high style recently when Sean  kindly allowed us the run of his Canary Wharf apartment for a couple of days.   We walked our feet off exploring that whole area, which used to be the old East (and West) India Docks.   Amazing to think that my mother's family all lived and worked around that district - then a really drab working class locality , and now so beautifully landscaped with breathtaking glass edifices which look magical as dusk falls and they glimmer in the sky.   We did however get chatting to an old Local who clearly regretted   'what they've done to my manor'  in that very London accent, as opposed to cockney, which took me straight back to my childhood.

The birthday boy takes a look around outside Sean's flat. (Spot the Dome across the water).               

 PoplarMarina (formerly East India Dock).

One meets some very strange city gents taking the air by the wine bars at the end of the working day!

Next day we bought Roamer tickets on the Thames Clippers and had a great time seeing London from the river for the first time.    We disembarked at Greenwich where we marvelled at the glorious Painted Hall, and the fantastic Chapel at the Royal Naval College, before exploring the wonders of the Maritime Museum, where the Nelson memorabilia (including the bullet-pierced coat from his final fatal battle together with gruesome bloodstained stockings) was particularly interesting.    In the late afternoon sunshine we strolled through Greenwich Park and climbed up to the Observatory, from where the views were just awesome -  in fact we could see the whole curve of the river forming the Isle of Dogs on which Canary Wharf proudly stands - though my camera wasn't quite up to showing it!

It was hugely exciting to actually travel UNDER Tower Bridge, and empathise with the poor devils who were brought to the Tower by way of the River entrance at Traitors' Gate.  After a long day we strolled back from the West Quay to the wonderful Waitrose opposite the  pointy-topped, light-flashing Canary Wharf  icon, where once again as the day before, John was able to choose everything for our evening meal (washed down with pink champagne from Sean).     John seemed to really enjoy my two-day birthday treat to him - especially the huge number of photo opportunities of which he took full advantage!

.... and his night-time picture of the superb sculpture outside the said p.t.l.f. icon.

A few days later I drove Nana over to Wales to spend a day with Kerry at her new home in Langland Bay.   The lovely spring weather continued to bless us, and Nana at 93 (and 3/4) astonished us by managing the steep walk down to (and up from!) the bay, and enjoying every minute of her trip to the seaside.