"I could never love anyone as I love my sisters" (little women)

September 13, 2013

The time is flying! After a relatively good night (only two midnight episodes of Doctor Who, well, one and a quarter for Omega, while Alpha kept up to find out what happened to the Ice Warrior on the Russian submarine ...)

And then the day began: Alpha and Omega braved the rain to catch the tube at Whitechapel to head west, to South Kensington and the Natural History Museum. Their very good friend, Foxtrot, was with them for the day and after a boost of caffeine, they examined Martian meteorite samples and gold nuggets, the Medusa emerald from a Zambian mine (!), skeleton of a Dodo bird, plant samples of now extinct species (alla James Cook's expedition to Australia, 1768), and many other skeletons and fossiles ... including a piece of the moon rock ... yes, we do not settle for any less than the Vault and the Treasures!

Central hall - Natural History Museum

Following the Museum, Omega's wandering shoes led them through the pristine neighbourhoods of South Kensington and Chelsea, into the madness of Knightsbridge.

And then, some calm, some lunch, and catching up with the parents who were back in London from Liverpool ...

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 By this time, the rain had no intention of letting up -- rain. rain. rain. rain. 100% precipitation all afternoon/evening/night according to Yahoo weather!

But we continued walking, wandered through the side streets of Soho, as Alpha tried to give some historical tidbits yet failed miserably (regressing to 'Alpha's tour of Alpha's London' ... oh my! Omega was deep into Great Big Sea at that point...), Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, warm-up tea in the National Gallery, and then (epic fail for Alpha's planning skills) walk in the pouring to rain to dinner at Barrica (epic redemption for Alpha's skills, and thanks to the recommendation of M., via Malawi).

Barrica - memories of Spain and celebrating our being together
(while missing M., so so very much!!!!)

Dining/conversation bliss! Amidst the wine and the tapas (caramelised fig and manchego salad/grilled cod with tomato and something jelly/broccoli with walnuts and sweet butter/braised veal cheeks with pedro ximenez/manchego, basque sheep's cheese and other cheese... among others...), Omega listened, laughed, ate and drank together with Alpha, Foxtrot and parents who talked their way through politics, philosophy, teaching pedagogy, travel, religion/faith/tradition, the current state of higher education and academia, publishing, learning/teaching history ... and of course, how to affect change in the world?? ... and ultimately, the question of the question (ah! the beauty of these conversations with good warming red wine and deliciously prepared food after a day of walking) Dry and contented, we left into the dark rain filled to the brim with feeling so fortunate at sharing such an evening together, to relax, to celebrate and enjoy ...

 

In the 100% rain, Omega, Alpha and parents were taxied home, where conversations (always mixed with hilarious laughter and plenty of teasing!) of faith, future, living in London, family and life, continued in the warmth of the flat -- joined by friend and flatmate, Lima. 

Omega was soon sound asleep in warm blankets, thankfully not too disturbed by the constant rumbling of London trains and traffic.

In honour of the 'plans' to end up in Barcelona to walk and walk and eat and be together 

WITHOUT so much rain!: