Yesterday we got stir-crazy and had to go out.  It was chilly! We walked the canal walk to Camden Market.  On the way we were lucky enough to see a boat going through the locks.  Very interesting.  The boat owners performed the entire process themselves.  There are no personnel operating the locks.  The man climbed a ladder up the side of the lock and operated the manual controls that open and close the gates and allow the water in.  The woman operated and steered the boat.  Impressive.  Wish I'd taken more photos. 

We made our way on along the canal to the stairs to the Camden Market.  I was unprepared for the vastness of it.  And throngs of people during the day on a Thursday.  Any and everything was for sale in the stalls...except for live animals!  I didn't dare go in any of the women's shops as the examples outside seemed all to be short skirts. 

I made a couple of short videos of the street and posted one this morning. 

Next we walked to the bus stop where we catch the bus to go downtown.  Riding the bus is fun both for watching the passing landscape and for observing the people inside the bus.  We "alighted" at Leichester Square and made our way to the National Gallery.  Ralph wanted to see the Impressionist's section and other paintings from the same time period.  The National Gallery is a maze and huge.  We got turned around several times on the way. 

I still can't get over seeing these actual paintings after having looked at them in books for years.  And there were many I had not seen.  Phenomenal.  I never dare pick up a brush again!  And a side note.  They should ban cameras from the galleries.  Picture takers are oblivious of their surroundings and, therefore, more often than not inconsiderate to those around them.  Many if not most of them don't even look at the paintings except to frame and focus the photo.  One after another they snap the painting, snap the info about the painting and go shoving on through.  Some even stand in front of the paintings and pose.  It was nearly intolerable.  I have to go back, though.  Once is not enough and also there is so much more to see.

WE tried to get seated at the charming café of the gallery but gave up and went looking for a place to sit and have a drink as we headed towards WHole Foods.  We found a nice old bar with very loud music.  Wine.  Yum.

We saw both Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus.  Many many people wherever you go.  WHole Foods was exciting.  Yes.  I found chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for my recipe.  And canned pinto beans.  Also some slippery Elm for a tea I read helps with dry mouth.  Good find.  A touch of home.

We found a little restaurant I'd noted from London for Dummies.  It was low key and beautifully decorated in a kind of old English style with dark wood and wallpaper.  Relatively inexpensive and a variety of dishes.  My sea bass with new potatoes was exactly what I needed. 

The last stop in town after Boots Pharmacy was Foyles Bookstore.  Ralph said it has the reputation for being I'm not sure which...either the biggest or the best in the world.  I can't describe how wonderful it was to be in a big bookstore like that again.  It was like going home.  Ralph bought a couple of Shakespeare plays for his class.

We made it back on the bus to Camden Town and picked up a quiche for lunch on the way.  Marks and Spencer.  Black and white cat came at my invitation and visited for a bit and then asked to go out.  We watched an episode of "Parade's End" and sipped wine.  Off to bed. 

And we've been home today.  I loaded some of my photos on the blog.  Have generally frittered away the day while Ralph writes about Wittgenstein.  He's happy.