Our regular meeting of the International Drinking Society, this time to celebrate Brian's 72nd birthday at the end of the month, was at The Pilot Inn a Fullers pub just down from the O2 across the wasteland of North Greenwich,which is the car parking for the arena and a strip of parkland.
About 10 minutes walk from the Jubilee line.
We arrived at noon to find Brian already settled into his first cider, which is a change because he is nearly always late.We settled for London Pride and I can say that for the five hours we were there, it was near as damn it a perfect pint..or was it 6! A very good garden at the rear too.
Food wasn't bad, and the German barmaid was very nice on the eyes and had a great smile for us old'uns!!
Brian decided that rather than catch the train back into central London we should take the river taxi, The Thames Clipper, from the pierhead just away from the arena.
Just a few of us on board, as it starts here, our destination the Embankment, by the time we arrived at the Embankment jetty the boat was chocker block.
I have to say,apart from the occasional office riverboat disco trip at night, this was the first time I had ever seen the river from this angle in all the years I worked in the Big City.
Obviously substantial changes have taken place over recent years, with the building or conversions of many riverside dwellings.
I wonder what the rent would be, as I'm quite tempted when we consider our relocating to have a serious look for something by the river.It was a new experience and something I will have to take Pauline down to see, just in case a primer is needed!
On arriving at the Embankment we decided to have just another pint,which ended up as three and fell into a pub in the Charing Cross arches called The Ship and Shovel, I can't remember ever having been in the pub, it is on two sides of the street with the cellar linking the two sides below. On the north side is a large traditional London Victorian pub whilst across the way the snug bars and alcoves this is where we found room to drink the Badger Breweries wares in relative peace, whilst most of the office workers were out on the pavements
So another enjoyable afternoon and evening spent in the company of old long term friends and off back to Woodford Green to spend the night at Ivan's place. Sleep was eased into by a couple of glasses of red whilst sitting in the garden,which backs on to Epping Forest, listening to the little owl and star gazeing.
The spoiler had to come this morning, after having a good full English in the Turkish cafe around the corner,I set off up the M11 only to ground to a halt at the top where it meets the A14 for the regular accident spot.
90 odd minutes later, on my way for a relatively trouble free easy ride home.
Off to Clattercote at 5:30 in the morning to meet up with Graham Marsden and a good few of the ex Fishing Magic contributors for friendly fish-in after another full English in the Brasenose Arms Cropredy at 7:30 and sausage and chips and a beer or two after the "match" at 7pm.
Must go now and sort my tackle and bait out.
Barbel Challenge
I'll update on this tomorrow evening or Sunday.
The Lower Severn didn't show any barbel for the team,they are currently trying out their luck on the Loddon, the first of their "southern rivers"
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