Richmond Riviera

After hanging out at Kew Gardens for a few hours, we decided to head a little farther west for an impromptu pub crawl in Richmond! It was only a stop or two further on the train and then a short walk to the Thames River. We were expecting people but we weren't expecting this...

The sun even brought the police out from behind the CCTV cameras!

It is hard to tell in the pictures but people were lounging around on every possible surface and many were in their bathing suits! The crowd was diverse and entertaining to say the least... some of the best people watching EVER!

We eventually found our way to The White Cross and settled into the perfect spot for enjoying a pint, the weather and the people!

It didn't take long for the show to get good... please note the yellow Miata like car floating in the middle of the river!

It's a car, it's a boat, it's a car, it's a boat... it's a something! And Chris could not resist heading out to take as many pictures as possible!!!

The steering wheel is in the middle of the car...er I mean boat?

If we were to ever move outside of the city, I think this would be our 1st purchase... we could commute to work via the river! Much easier than the tubes or buses... especially in light of the next pending strike!

While at The White Cross, we met this lovely man. I have no idea what his name is but what I can tell you is this: He served in WWII on 3 different islands around Great Britain, the worst being an island off the northern coast of Scotland (I think it was the Orkneys but not sure). During the war, our friend was part of the entertainment that played for the troops who were stationed in places that the USO (or whatever the UK's version of the USO is) could not reach. After the war he decided to move to London and become a professional drummer! He was a session drummer for recording studios and toured with various bands. His stories were fascinating... the first time. Unfortunately, our guest was getting up there in age and may have had a pint or 10 too many so he was telling us the same thing, over and over and over again! He told us where he parked his car, how he walked to the pub from where he parked his car, how the river was up over the railings which forced him to walk all the way around to the other bridge and how he loves the pub because during the week the "ancient" men come and talk about the old days! Mind you, he did not include himself in the "ancient" men crowd!! He was a dear old man and I really enjoyed chatting with him... but I must admitted that Chris and I could not look at one another out of fear we would totally lose it! In the picture above, I think he had just pointed out f(or the 5th or 6th time) the bridge he walked over!!!

How on earth do I manage to meet these people?!? Who knows for sure... but they sure do make things interesting ;-)

Come back soon for more on the fabulous, sunny London summer and our tour of Hampstead Heath!

Until then, XOXO!!