Our Own Marathon

Our own marathon is to downsize! BJ has taken the car to the dump this afternoon, full to the gunnels, as they say. We finished turning out my study, old course notes, job applications, magazines (Canal Boat and Waterways World mainly) and unused keyboard, printers (2) and scanner. All are to go in our "house sale". We now can walk through the garage too. There is still no room for a car. We could just get the small car in when we first moved here!

On the marathon theme - Watching some of the London Marathon today I have to admit, London looks good on the telly, doesn't it? - When the sun shines I am proud to be "A Londoner"! I am looking forward to seeing the developments for the Olympics and wonder if we will ever get Epiphany there. I would like to think so! There is a definite appeal to sailing our own boat down the Thames, past all the familiar sights.

I spent 20 of my formative years in South London, but Cornwall is my adopted home despite leaving it soon. A visit a couple of years ago, staying with a friend in Westminster gave us an opportunity to do some sightseeing.


Again I saw London in a new light - as a tourist! This is the Green, where all the TV interviews with MPs take place. you may recognise it! We were also privileged to visit the House of Lords and have personal tour from our friend. We also dined in the Peers dining room!

Another ambition was to visit the London Eye, comparatively new in comparison to most of the sights. Here is a selection of views!

At the top of the Eye, this is looking toward South London and the rim of the "bowl" that London sits in. You can just make out the 2 TV masts. The one on the left is Crystal Palace (BBC), or just "The Palace" to locals and the other is the ITV mast. My parents moved to a house very near the bottom of this when I had left home.


I think Epiphany would be rather lost in this view across to Parliament and Big Ben. She is more at home on the Kennet and Avon canal! These tourist boats buzz backwards and forwards all the time. We caught one from the Embankment to Greenwich. That takes us neatly back to the Marathon as the runners ran along the Embankment and the course includes Greenwich and the Cutty Sark (under repair and behind hoardings).