Sun's out!

Promising start

The 6:30 alarm call, got me up well in time for my day out, the sun was shining in a bright blue sky as I prepared my bacon and eggs.
Out the door by 7o'clock for what should at least be a three hour ride down to Woodford Green for my overnight accommodation.
Arrived at Ivan's place at just before 10o'clock just a tad too early, but the southern trek can never be guaranteed incident free.The only "problem" being a slight build up of traffic from the M25 into east London and the North Circular.
The journey south had seen the drive through darkening sky's and as I approached the bottom end of the M11 after Chelmsford/Harlow junction the flurries of sleet/hail and snow began!!

So we set off in the snow to start our journey into Liverpool Street for the upteenth International Drinking Society meeting, the venue of my choice, because it was my birthday meeting, a Young's pub, the Three Lords in the Minories. On arrival we found it open and trading at 11:30..niiice!.


I have to say I couldn't remember the pub, but it must have been sometime before 1973 for my last visit.
Later I found that  it had been rebuilt in 1985, but that didn't come across in the interior, the bar looked quite original.

The beers available need no introduction but as I was expecting a session I stuck to

I had already decided we were eating elsewhere, so we sat and chatted and drank until about 3o'clock, deciding that food was needed, but not until we had visited the Still and Star which had brought back some fond memories of after work drinking with the girls from our own telephone exchange, that was conveniently on our floor in the Mitre Square offices. Once again I was surprised, this little pub used to be tucked down
an alleyway, and it was now in full view across from the bus station.

We had another pint of Young's and set off down the Whitechapel Road in the driving snow, to find the curry restaurant, somewhere behind the Whitechapel Hospital.
The restaurant we found wasn't the one I had in mind, which, as I remembered later, is off the Commercial Road, so that's on the list for next time.
We decided to stay put,as a couple of the old'uns were feeling the affect of the cold, the lack of toilet facilities on the walk, and general hunger.
So we entered  a Punjabi restaurant, serving what appeared to be in the majority the local Punjabi population.
A big plus point in my mind.
The Me & You  didn't show the normal " Indian" dishes and NO ALCOHOL!!
I took over the ordering because one or two were not finding their "usual curry".
Now a warning, it may be wise or make it clear that you don't want your starters and main course to come at the same time....because they did!!
All excellent though and all freshly cooked, our drinks were lassi, and the ol'boys were happy with my choice. I'll certainly recommend it and will go back again
It worked out at less than £20 a head which I was very happy to pay, as part of my birthday celebration.
And, so ended another International Drinking Society outing.
Ivan and I wended our way back to Liverpool Street and to his home, for a shared bottle of port nightcap,watching Gloucester getting thrashed in the Heineken Cup, the last 10 minutes of Chelsea's win, and then Suits, before retiring to a just about ready for sleep.
Up at 7am for a local cafe fry up and then home by 10am after a probably faster than I should have drive on relatively empty roads.

Today it's bright blue skies up here on the Wolds, a still very chilly wind from the East, but a bit more promising for some pond fishing in the not to far future, probably down in the valley.