It took a lot of organizing but we finally got Paul and Poppy to UK with great help from Helen and Jim. Paul has always been an Anglophile but had never visited England so this was a first. It was cold and we travelled a lot-- Cambridge to London! London to Cambridge! But we had so much fun!
We visited Wimpole Estate, a National Trust Property near Cambridge. Our dear friend Susie took us there where we met Matthew, Chantel, Beatrice and Polly, Sophie, Jonathan, and JoJo. And what fun we had. It was a beautiful day.
Jumping on haystacks!
Polly in a tree!
I love this photo of me with Matthew's and Chantal's darling daughters, Polly and Beatrice!
Later, we walked around Cambridge and ended up at Jamie Oliver's restaurant for a nice dinner. Nice photo of Jonathan, Sophie, and Kevin with Matthew in the mirror!
I love this photo of me with Matthew's and Chantal's darling daughters, Polly and Beatrice!
Jamies is inside of an old library, a beautiful space.
We walked around Cambridge. Paul had never met Matthew so it was really wonderful to get them together. Our Helen adored Matthew. He was the Durham Cathedral artist in 1985-86. We all lived in Trevelyan College. At that time Sophie was his girlfriend and Helen was influenced by these two extremely attractive and successful working artists.
One day Helen and Lucy and Sophie and JoJo met us at the Tower.
We watched the Beefeaters!
And learned about all the animals that have been in and still are in the Tower!
The missing animals are remembered by wonderful sculptures of them.
The big black ravens are still around--important for the Monarchy!
It was windy and cold at the Tower as you can see in this portrait of JoJo and Sophie. Francis does not like having his photo taken.
A good time was had!
We had dinner with Sophie, Jonathan, and JoJo. Here is FPG tinkling the ivories at their lovely home on Larcom Street in London.
That wonderful vacuum cleaner with Sophie's great legs that Matthew painted many years ago!
We enjoyed rides on the London Tube!
We had a great meal in the Sherlock Holmes pub in London. (We were there with Helen and Jake on the night in April 1999 when a Nail Bomb went off at the Admiral Duncan pub on Old Compton Street. We heard the bomb and the sirens. Later, Helen and I walked down Old Compton to see the damage. Three people died that night.)
The beautiful and talented poet Jane Yeh was there--sorry I didn't get a better photo of her.
We walked around London, up and down Carnaby Street.
Yea, Becky Ga!
Lunch in Covent Garden
We enjoyed a great production of Matilda
Ice cream at Garfunkels, a restaurant that Helen and I liked. especially when we were homesick, as they have good hamburgers and ice cream!
We toured London on the Hop On Hop Off bus and had a picnic in this park
Scooter rides around Cambridge.
Kevin took us by the Hawks Club--his old sporting club. The GDBO on the welcome mat stands for God Damn Bloody Oxford! Kevin once took Terence Bredin, an Oxonian, here for lunch who had a big laugh at the welcome mat.
Francis enjoyed this skateboard park!
And a sweet shop!
Francis, Kevin, and Paul enjoyed the tour of Wembley Stadium arranged by Jim Drury.
Then the biggest treat of all! Jim's mother gave her much-prized ticket to the very last West Ham game played at the old stadium. The entire Drury family have enjoyed these games for many years so it was really special for FPG to attend with them. And he impressed them with his soccer knowledge.
We spent our last day with the Drury family on Benn Street. Lucy danced for us!
Francis and Lucy had fun together!
Even going out on scooters together.
Helen and Paul had some good conversation.
Jim was proud of Lucy's portrait by Paul!
Helen fixed a delicious dinner for us.
Kevin and I returned to Cambridge and Helen took Paul and Francis to airport early the next morning. We all have lovely memories of our time together. (I even snuck in a tour of a Vogue exhibition during the Wembley stadium tour!)
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