Thursday 26 January 2012

A London Iphone Yarncrawl Excursion

I left my camera at home so decided to test out the Iphone camera to record the day's events. It started with an empty coach of the 10.08 train which is unheard of! 


I was well prepared to amuse myself.


Two stops along the line, I got some company. The journey whizzed by and soon I was in Waterloo.


I walked out of the station and through this food market to reach get to my first destination.


I Knit London shop has changed a great deal since I was able to last visit it about 2 years ago. It is all good change. It is still full of yarny goodness and I particularly liked the I Knit or Dye range but sadly there was not enough for the project I was yarn crawling for so I left empty handed knowing that they were open until 9pm if I wanted to swing by on my way home.


I was feeling peckish as I walked along the South bank so decided to pop into the Royal Festival Hall for a bite to eat. Here I had this lovely view of the river while I ate my lunch.


While crossing the Hungerford Bridged to get to the tube station, I saw 3 busses crossing Waterloo bridge. I realised why London buses are painted red. They add wonderful contrast in a very grey world. I saw a small grey shawl in John Lewis later, in Regia sock yarn, using this contrast to great effect.


The next stop was Islington where I walked though the market before arriving at my next destination.



At Loop, once again my shopping plans were foiled as they did not have enough of either of the yarns I chose for the cardigan I want to knit. I guess I will be shopping online today. This is a lovely shop to browse around in and I got lost in yarny goodness and hence there are no photos.


For the first time in a long time, I did not leave empty handed and brought this yarn back to a good home where it is destined to become a set of gloves from a pattern in the Textured Stitches book. Not that we actually really need gloves this year, the winter has been quite mild down here.


Then it was back down onto the tube. Just look at these happy faces...


My hip was complaining a bit by the time I reached John Lewis in Oxford Street so I took myself up to the 5th floor to The Place To Eat and had another rest break, sitting knitting and reading and enjoying coffee and carrot cake.



While waiting for the Saint to join me, I might have strayed into the yarn department and fondled a few balls. I almost bought yarn for the cardigan but I have my heart set on the Malabrigo yarn that it is knitted in and I want to treat myself to it as I have been a REALLY GOOD girl (not really but I can try to fool you, can't I). 

This shot is a bit blurred but if you enjoy yarn I don't think you will really care that much. This is the Noro shelf.


After the arrival of the lovely man, we caught the tube to Embankment and walked back over the Hungerford Bridge on our way to the National Theatre. I did take a 360 photo with my new app but unfortunately did not save it so I will just have to go back and do it again!


We walked passed the Royal Festival Hall again, stopping in at the restaurants and cafes along the way in an attempt to find somewhere to sup. Who knew that at 5.45pm they would all be completely full. So we continued on to the theatre.


In the foyer was a quintet playing Greek music.  A couple got up to dance entertaining the crowd who where clapping and cheering. It was great fun. If not for the hip, I would have given it a go!


Now you may be thinking we are off to the theatre but you would be wrong. We were there for this. It was fabulous and wonderfully inspiring.


We grabbed sandwiches in the station and found some seats on the train to make our way home. This is still my favourite view in the world. Yes, I know..... 



8 comments:

  1. What a lovely day, my kind of day, glad you enjoyed it xx

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  2. It looks like you had a wonderful day and I'm so envious of your adventures! What wonderful shops and sights to see :)

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    1. I was fun but it also looks like you have been having a wonderful time!

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  3. Hi, I'm following you from Langebaan in Western Cape.
    Don't know what is wrong with your hip, but if they say you need a replacement - look at AMIS technique on Web. I had one, and it was easy, mostly painless, but most of all IT CHANGED MY LIFE to be pain free. With best wishes.

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    1. Hi Sari Thank you for your lovely kind words.
      How did you find my blog?
      I love Langebaan. We used to visit friends there who where in the airforce!
      Thanks for the advice but my challenge is more a rep stress injury. Just had awesome groundbreaking treatment for it which has got me able to walk about 10 000 steps with only little niggles. The treatment does take a full year to develop as it regenerates the area so I am actually still in early days. I plan to be cycling again in the summer:)

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  4. Elseline, I am so happy for you that your problem can be resolved without surgery. Can one read up about it somewhere?
    My sister Vanessa Cross told me about your blog. I love walking Footloose with ATG-Oxford in Europe, and have also cycled with them in the Dordogne, but I need to have 2nd hip done before I can walk 20km again!

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    1. It sounds like you have had some challenges of your own that you have managed to overcome. I wish you all the best for your next one. It is so inspiring to see what you have been able to accomplish already.
      I had bone marrow injections in the area that needed to regenerate. I loved the idea that it was harvested from my body to help it heal. Not sure if there is anything written about it as I was apparently one of the early 'hip' patients here although it has been used more for tennis elbow and frozen shoulder.
      I am blown away by the way this blog has gown. It was started to share my life with family and friends in South Africa. Now I am meeting people from all over the world which I love!

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