please, Candidus, can't we throw in Tom Jones too, AND Dylan Thomas?

I told you Candidus was one tough negotiator, Ann. Bermuda, you say? And I've never actually been to Florida, so it's not as if I'll miss it.

What say we jump ahead to the proper drink part, and I'll mull it over?

Steady on Ann. If we hang back, twirl the end of our waxed moustaches, er, those of us that have waxed moustaches I mean, we'll be rid of Charlotte Church to boot and still have an elongated pale toe in the Gulf by teatime. Zounds who left that mike on?

Stoke, what a good idea! Mine's a double.

Wavering.... wavering.... If CW's fabled Welsh Rarebit recipe was slapped on the table I don't know that I could resist. But that might be the half pint of ale talking.

Half a pint? Tsk - lightweight. To think, if we'd only made it a pint of Old Peculier we could have got you to take Katie Price. And Slough.

she's on tellie tonight being interviewed by Piers Morgan. I kid you not. Oh ye gods and little fishes - to this we are brought.

I'll try to link to some of MC's photos, this not being my strong suit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40299682@N06/

Gorgeous photos, stokebailey and MC- everything looks so lovely and summery. The churchyard in Bakewell looks creepy though!

stokebailey, I really think you and I had parallel trips (at least the London parts!). Love the photos, especially the one on the river around dusk.

Thanks, Apres_Londee. We so much lucked out on the weather. Bakewell church and yard are pretty much unswept stone, besmeared with sluttish time. We liked the quiet eeriness of it in the evening.

Jent, yes. It must be one of those GMTA kind of deals.

I've just read A Parcel of Patterns, by Jill Paton Walsh, about Eyam during its plague time. It would be good to read before a visit there, and is beautifully written.

After our walk along the south bank, where the woman played the harp to the river, we cut back up London Bridge where MC got that photo just as it was getting dark. We wanted to walk up Gracechurch Street and Cheapside to see the area Caroline Bingley sneered at Lizzy's uncle for living in, and also to walk past the Monument.

We passed beautiful Leadenhall Market and peered in, and a shop that had an outfit of Morning Dress in the window, with a price list. I was delighted to note the purple and white striped waistcoat: most spiffy. Nicely dressed bright young things queued outside a nightclub, someplace MC had heard of, cheerfully waiting to be admitted. Londoners seem young and out partying late all week.

Someday I'd love to see Leadenhall Market when it's busy and everything is open- I only walked through it on a Sunday which was nice in a way although very quiet- only tourists marching through. I bet it was neat to see at night.

So did you fit in some hard partying on your last night in London?

(listen to me, I sound like Andrew W.K.)

HI, Apres,

By our last night we were back on our best behavior, unless you count walking the streets late at night unescorted. Mayfair had the same kind of scene around its pubs on that fine night, with the people spilling out onto the sidewalks maybe a little more dressed up than in FItzrovia.

MC displayed an unexpected interest in fancy sports cars; when she called my attention to something in London it sometimes turned out to be a Lamborghini or some such, art forms admittedly in short supply where we live.

We had dinner at Brown's on St. Martin's Lane the last night, and enjoyed it very much.

I'm still quite nonplussed, given it's history, that Eyam welcomes vistors.

Normally this kind of thing takes a 1000 years to wear off.

We're not that dynamic here.

Eyam's virtues must include forgiveness.

Great pics. Especially like the London Bridge panorama with St Paul's between the towers of Cannon St.

Thank you, Candidus. That photo came out nicely, didn't it? We have it up as wallpaper on our IMac now.

My daughter appreciates the kind words.

Your response on my TR reminded me that I hadn't yet read yours. So glad I found this wonderful report!

Have to say that in 25 plus years of living in the Chicago 'burbs, I've never heard the Blue Line of the EL referred to as the light rail. Hope that doesn't come across as snarky as it's certainly not meant that way. Just caught my attention as I'd never heard it before. Glad you enjoyed your time in Chicago.

Oh, thanks CAPH. You are kind to look it over.

I am a rube! Please forgive my Chicago misinformation and pretend everything I said about England was accurate.

I have no doubt that everything you said about England <i>was</i> accurate! I feel really bad about even mentioning the light rail thing. As I said, I just hadn't ever heard it called that. But, after all, it <i>is</i> technically a light rail! My apologies for being a jerk!