Ivan's birthday do was onWednesday, at the Prospect of Whitby, Wapping!
A three hour drive, leaving at 8am, to my B&B for the night in Woodford Green found us just a little late(15minutes) for the meeting at the pub in Wapping, our second International Drinking Society meet of 2012.
Sods law, the usually late boys were there early, and took their chances to rib Ivan and me for our tardiness, especially since it was my "landlords" do.
We quickly settled into the London Pride and did the usual thing, this time sitting by ol'father, reminiscing about the good ol' day's. We even met a husband and wife from Cambridge, who had parked their boat at St Katherines and were trying out the riverside pubs. £45 a night, cheap when you think of London hotel prices. Not certain the way the winds been blowing lately, I would have fancied the trip down the east coast.
They were having a disagreement over who was the black actor who starred with Rod Steiger in The heat of the night, of course we all knew, because we always have a session of general knowledge to test our minds are still working.
Having said that I don't know how many times we've asked each other the name of Hopalong Cassidy's horse!
Anyway it was Sidney Poitier, not the horse but the black actor!
We put the world to rights by about 8pm after several pints of the "Pride" and at least a bottle each of Rioja, discussing things such as wills, pensions and equity release etc etc. We're all doing pretty well for Essex boys who were around at the right time and in the right place.
The pub food weren't bad either, but it was just that.....pub food.
I'm a bit concerned about Dave, he didn't look very well, like us all,once pretty fit. He was happy to confirm his,the fourth do of the year, would be around his 73rd birthday in October, in Petersfield.
The third meet with Brian will be much the same as usual, he tells us it's going to be lunch on a river boat....but he's said that for Christ knows how many years. We'll probably end up somewhere close to The Strand, and as usual eating in a Cypriot cafe, that for the life of me I can't remember the name of, but the food is good!
Back to Ivan's, no more alcohol, not a lot of chat, but somehow it was midnight, so to bed.
6am he's moving about, so as a guest I get up, some welcome coffee, checking out the news and watching the repeats of the rugby in South Africa, before heading off to pick up his car at the station and then to the local cafe where I buy a big breakfast as "payment" for the bed!
This sets me up nicely and deals with the fuzzy head, for the 3 hour drive home, fortunately against the traffic which is piling into the city via the North Circular at 8am.
Roll on August for the next one, maybe Brian will surprise us, I don't fancy Dartford though!
It was Topper by the way.... Hopalong's horse I mean!
Ah, the Prospect of Whitby, one of London's remaining great pubs. I took a girl there on a date once, Sat upstairs amongst a canoeing club meet. It worked for me once I mentioned how much I liked to go canoodling myself...
ReplyDeleteHas it still got its famous gallows hanging over the river?
Tried that Jeff, didn't work!!
ReplyDeleteThere is a gibbet and noosed rope Jeff, but I doubt it's anything to do with the original, other than perhaps the site. Not certain it would have held even the lightweights of the time.
It's all in the timing Fred. 10 seconds later, I'd have been slapped upside the head!
ReplyDeleteNo, that noose, it wouldn't strangle even my skinny frame as it stands, probably break under my weight. Nevertheless, it's still quite a drop to the foreshore. A sprained ankle, perhaps?
Depends how much you had drunk I think Jeff, falling down doesn't seem to have the same affect when sober!!
ReplyDelete