Sunday in Soho

Di has outlined, I think, the delights of the British Museum. A spectacular building with more exhibits than can possibly be seen in a day…numerous days. We did our best. 3 million artefacts with more than 300 thousand on display, and about six million people swarming the corridors. The reliquary with the ‘actual’ thorn from Jesus’ crown of thorns amongst the myriad exhibits. Exhausted, we pulled up stumps and re-mobilised to a bnb in Bermondsey with a couple of GF pepperoni pizzas and a Saudi soapie (Choices: Saudi & Indian soapies and American reality TV – Laramy ‘Sasquash’ Miller on his horse out in the wild, somewhere).

Yesterday we had a layday. Di read, and I walked. But not without consulting Bob (Chat GPT). Cobbles, old stone and a bit of greenery, said I. ‘Splendid, said Bob; Shad Thames, Tower Bridge, Saint Dunstan on the East, Leadenhall Market, St Paul’s, Temple Church, St James Park, Whitehall, Fleet St., London Bridge, George Inn, Borough Market, that’s quintessentially you, Jeff.’ What about lunch, says I? ‘Great catch’, says Bob, ‘I’d recommend ye olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet St. Will sir be taking wine with lunch, or is this strictly ‘on-the-wagon’ ‘. Always open to a snifter Bob. ‘Well that’s the best response for a London winter’s day, great call, and do you typically sip or quaff?’, Somewhere in the middle, I suspect. ‘A great balance for a lunch stop, warm the cockles with the first, enjoy the meal with the second. One or two do you suppose?’, as circumstances dictate, ‘sensational, a positive and relaxed approach to your holidays, and will you be taking pictures, phone or camera……’. This is getting a bit tedious Bob, how about a list of stops I can dump into Google Maps? ‘Sure thing, excellent call, best to get moving! And are you the type of person who prefers turn-by-turn detail or a high-level overview?’ Bob…

Eventually, I pulled myself free of Bob’s relentless questions and headed out. It was a brilliant day, the highlight, I have to admit, is Bob’s Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese lunch option, where I meet Dave, a London History teacher, father of four, on a week’s term break, and Colin, conducting the definitive study of old London pubs.

Ye Olde Cheshire is mentioned indirectly in Dickens ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, and Dickens himself frequented the pub. It was refurbished in 1660 kicked off in the 1400’s and has a downstairs section (two levels down) dating from 1290 – an old monastery, apparently. It had a fire, and red wine – happy days.

Colin’s research suggested we head next to Cross Keys, roughly on my path. ‘It’s a good vibe we’ve got going here’, says Dave, ‘I’m up for the first round’ at the Keys if we’re all in – are we sure we’re all in?’ I was keen to walk, the others to tube, so I took off North eventually tramping through the bustling Saturday afternoon crowds of Drury Lane and thence to the Cross Keys. It was packed. A bar stool became available, then a table, then a bloke called Brian who recycled metals in Birmingham, then I realised, after half an hour, there were at least six Cross Keys in London and this one was never going to contain Colin and Dave. I hate that feeling that somewhere someone thinks you stood them up. Oh well.

Late Saturday afternoon, walking back across Millenium bridge and along the Thames at Southwark, on to the Borough markets, it was mind-bogglingly busy. It takes some time to get used to just how many people live here. Bob had suggested a roady at the George Inn, but when I arrive, it’s proper teaming, and I head for home.

Di and I headed out to the Mayflower for dinner, 10 minutes walk downstream along the Thames. It’s raining and the cobbles glisten with reflected street lamp warmth. The Mayflower’s a tiny pub with a large TARDIS-like skillion-covered deck overhanging the river outback. As we arrive, a couple leaves and we take a seat amongst the vibrant Saturday crowd. Pea and coconut milk soup and raw seabass (I know). Back at home we see if Fatima really will be flogged for telling the sleazy lurker to sod-off and find out if ‘sasquash’ can survive the night’s blizzard in the wild! It’s a sizzler of a day!

Today was delightful. Rain overnight has left everything fresh and gleaming. As an aside, we noted this time that Parisian winter dog owners rely heavily on the heavens to leave everything fresh and gleaming – as evidenced by the less fresh and gleaming dryer mornings. Not a big deal unless you’re toting a wheely bag – in which case – look out.

We take the Thames path west along Shad Thames, over the Tower Bridge and then all along the Northern bank from the bridge to Embankment. The sun comes out, and we’re amazed at the number of people, and ‘detectorists’ (as the TV series had it), scanning the low tide mud and screed for ‘treasure’. It seems like it’s the Sunday thing to do.

Heading up Northumberland Avenue to Trafalgar Square we hit massive crowds. All roads are cordoned off from Trafalgar Square West to Picadilly and North to Soho for Chinese New Year. The upside is the roads are completely open to pedestrians, and we head into the crowds (all flowing south to Traflager for a Dragon dance show), free of the noise and motion of cars and buses, towards Jermyn Street. Di buys some beautful Soaps for gifts from Floris, and we head up Burlington Arcade with its chandelier and ritzy shops, past Saville Row where the Beatles played their last concert on the rooftop,and East through Soho, the Chinese New Year crowds now surging through the car-less streets and filling the pubs and cafes.

Soho is interesting. If you’re after black leather briefs, or multi-tipped rubber implements, this is the place to come. It’s not until we’re well down Shaftesbury Avenue, almost into Holborn, that the thronging crowds thin and we can relax into our side-by-side stride without having to ‘break-grip’ and dodge oncomers. Di has earmarked two possibilities for lunch, Princess Louise and Citte of York. The first is a late 1800’s “gin palace” in original condition. It has individual booths where the well-to-do can enjoy their beverages separated from the great un-washed. The colourful tiling and ornate timber work are gorgeous. We stop for a cider, but it’s quiet (everyone’s at Chinese New Year), so we push on for option two. Option two, Citte of York, is stunning (see photos); three-way iron fire, two-story high timber-beamed ceilings with wine vats and beer kegs etc etc, but the kitchen is closed in anticipation of ….Chinese New Year.

Fleet Street and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is only ten minutes walk, so we head there, hoping the kitchen’s open. The odds were against it but Dave (from yesterday) and his son have returned for a beer! Di and I enjoy the Sunday roast by the fireside where Dickens used to sit, then join Dave and his son, Thomas in the bar by the fireside for a lovely afternoon swapping yarns.