From Picadilly Circus to night-time photos of the Tower bridge

Having learnt yesterday’s bus travel lesson, I forsook the opportunity of taking the number 9 from Milton and instead made way way rapidly to the Park and Ride on the other side of Butt Lane. This time I made the 8:15 to Kings Cross with minutes to spare. It took an interminable walk to reach the Circle Line and travel the one stop on to Euston Square and a more gentle stroll down Gower Street to meet Mr Straus. Indeed I was so early that I was able to have a cup of tea in the hotel's breakfast room whilst Mr Straus finalised his packing andwe set off amiably together to catch a number 14 bus to Piccadilly Circus. Roadworks conspired against us, forcing us to alight at Green Bank, however, this meant that we discovered the restaurant in the Royal Academy for a preparatory conversation.

With rain spitting occasionally upon our heads, we met up with Mr Scholz and his companion and walked along to the offices of Hakkasan in Wardour Street to our first appointment of the day. This was most interesting to both parties, as demonstrated by it's duration of over an hour. With our last appointment destined to be at the Chesterfield later in the afternoon, we returned to the new found treasure, the RA restaurant for a small luncheon.

Mr Straus ran his experienced eye over the wine menu and made a point of congratulating the lady serving us, who directed him to the Manager, to deliver the compliment in person. Whilst some may say, that Mr Straus is generally eloquent, his expertise and conversation is riveting when directed to his expert area, wine. In recognition of expert appreciation, we suddenly found ourselves the recipients of a complimentary tasting of two wines, including the house wine Tracy Emin. My crab salad was exquisite; I now know where to eat well at a reasonable price when next in London. In particular it was such a positive delight to see an establishment where the service was excellent and considerate, in a city where sheer exploitation and fleecing of the London visitors is more the norm.

Our final meeting in the genteel lounge of the Chesterfield brought a relaxed close to the business of the day. We parted company with Mr Straus who made his way back to his beloved IOD for another meeting. The heaven's opened so we took a taxi to Westminster Bridge, running to the public subway to shelter from the deluge. The water floods cascaded down the stairs, attempting to make up for the drought experienced over the past months.

Mr Scholz, his companion and I took a water taxi to Tower Bridge, to walk in the returning evening sunshine past the Tower and admire the Tower Bridge. Walking on, we reached St Katherine's Docks where Thames sailing barges were moored along modern yachts. Crossing the bascule over the lock, we attempted to find food at the Dicken's Inn which was unfortunately fully booked. Instead, we dined at the Mala Indian restaurant.

Our final parting was on Tower Bridge later that evening as Mr Scholz and companion caught the number 78 bus back to their hotel for a 3am start back to Germany.

Tower bridge was now illuminated in the twilight, a good time for photography, but the access to the bank by the Tower was blocked. I suddenly found myself in the company of three third year students dressed for a masquerade, who had similarly wanted to go along the bank to reach the pier. We now had to walk all around the Tower, where we went our separate ways.

I continued down to the pier and found a good vantage point to photograph Tower Bridge, both in a single shot, and also in an attempt at a panorama in 3 separate photos. The lighting was so low that the camera was indicating an exposure of between one eighth and a fifteenth of a second. Whilst this is practically impossible to take handheld for me, I was using the small olympus camera with anti-shake and appeared to get a few clear, if slightly grainer images.
At last, I strolled to the tube station, past the street performer with his sign “What do I have to do to make you love me?” (Give me a hug!) to catch the circle line back to Kings Cross, where I caught the 10:15pm to Cambridge. A chance comment to a fellow passenger revealed another networker and speaker who I will connect with on Linkedin. Back home by 11:45pm!

Major news this evening – Radko Mladic, indited for commanding the Sebrenica Massacre and the Sarayevo Siege, arrested at last! Doctors in some hospitals having to prescribe water for elderly patients due the poor care and positive neglect they were subjected to.