Audley End in Essex; London by Night and a Royal Dinner with Our Host in Paddington

Saturday, October 10, 2026

Audley End in Essex; London by Night and a Royal Dinner with Our Host in Paddington

As I always attempt to plan at least one outing out of London, on every trip, to enable us to leave the city smog behind and retreat into the pristine serenity of the countryside, this year, we decided to go to Audley End House in Essex. I had first heard about this place from my friends, Rosa and Matt Fradley, who live in Essex. Several years ago, on a visit to their home in Essex, they had shown me quite a bit of Essex, taking me to delightful villages such as Bishops Stortford and Stansted Mount Fitchet. While driving around Essex, we had driven on a small bridge where we had stopped to overlook the vast property of a place called Audley End House. They had told me then that it was a stately estate with a grand manorial home (which we could see from the bridge) that was open to the public and that sat in the midst of landscaped grounds by the famous landscaper, Lancelot “Capability” Brown. I had always kept this place in the back of my mind and thought it would be lovely to visit it someday. Well, this seemed like the ideal opportunity. It would give us a chance to get out of London, see an amazing property and also meet the Fradleys who lived close by and could easily make a short trip to see us. So that was settled then…we would travel to Essex by train, see the place and at the end of our trip, the Fradleys would join us for tea and cake. It seemed like the perfect plan.

Breakfast and Taking the Train to Essex:

We did not stop to eat breakfast at our fiend’s place today as we did want to get a head start—we had a long journey to Essex and wanted to make the most of the day. Hene, we merely showered, dressed and left the house, intending to pick up a breakfast to go from Liverpool Street Station. To save time today, we took the Tube from Paddington Station to Liverpool Steet Station and using the Information counters, found the fastest and most economical way (off-peak day return tickets) to get to Audley End (the station you alight at if you wish to visit the property). As expected, after we picked up our return tickets, we picked up croissants and coffee from the station, found our platform (our train would be leaving in about 8 minutes) and we were off. It was a lovely, very pleasant journey by train. As we left the city and the suburbs of London behind, we passed by expansive green and fallow fields, fruit orchards, quaint villages and the like. It was a very good start to our day out. It took us exactly an hour to get to Audley End Station, a very cute, toy-like red and white station from where we called for an Uber that took us to the House. We had a very nice Eastern European female driver who told us that she often drops visitors to the house in exactly the same journey as the one we were taking.

What’s So Special about Audley End? Who Owned It and When?

Audey End was one of the greatest houses of Jacobean England. It was built on the foundations of Walden Abby, a Benedictine Monastery established in the 13th century. When the Dissolution of the Monasteries occurred in 538, under Jenry VIII, he granted Walden to his chancellor, Thomas, Lourd Audley, who converted the monastic buildings into a house.

Between 1604 and 1614, Audley’s grandson, Thomas Howard, first Earl of Suffolk and Lord Treasurer to James I, rebuilt the house to accommodate the King, who visited in 1614. Charles II (who reigned from 1660-85) agreed to buy Audley End from the Third Earl in 1667, as a ready-made palace; but by then it was already old-fashioned and William III (ruled 1689-1702) returned it to the Howard Family in 1701. There followed 40 years of retrenchment, as successive earls sought to reduce the house to a manageable size. This got rid of the grand courtyard, one of the largest in England at the time.

Elizabeth, Countess of Portsmouth, bought the house in 1751, after inheriting part of the estate. She began remodelling the house and gardens, bequeathing it in 1762 to her nephew, Sir John Griffin Whitewell, who then took the surname Griffin (which explains the logo of the house—the griffin—seen on the ceiling in the Robert Adam Rooms). Griffin became Lord Howard de Walden in 1784 and First Baron Braybrooke in 1788. He commissioned Lancelot “Capability” Browne to sweep away the remains of the formal landscape and Robert Adam to add a stack of galleries behind the Hall to create a fashioned suite of reception rooms (that are known as the Adam Rooms).

In 1820, Richard Neville, later Third Lord Braybrooke, moved into Audley End. He sought to recover the Jacobean character of the House, bringing the principal reception rooms back to the first floor. It is substantially his taste that prevails in the house today.

During the Second World War, Audley End served as the training headquarters of the Polish section of the Special Operations Executive. They House was purchased for the nation from the 9th Lord Braybrooke in 1948.

Visiting Audley End House:

The estate itself is managed by English Heritage, a venerable organization that protects and preserves significant properties in the UK. You have to go through a beautiful Tudor Brick gatehouse to enter the property. Once we passed it, there was a small kiosk with a girl waiting to greet visitors. She gave us a leaflet and told us to head to the Dairy to buy our tickets. There was a guided tour beginning really soon and we thought we might be able to catch it. As we walked closer to the Manor, we were able to appreciate its beautiful architectural features. We were informed that a tour of the outhouses were just beginning and so hurried out to join it.

A Tour of the Outhouses by a Dairy Maid:

For the next hour, we were treated to a guided tour from a docent costumed as a dairy maid (who happened to be from the dairy capital of the USA, Wisconsin!). She took us through the dairy, the laundry (wet and dry), the kitchen and the pantry where we were astonished at the size of the entire housekeeping operation. It was fascinating indeed to learn about the way laundry was done in the Wet Laundry—the various steps—and to see the huge wash tubs, the contraptions that were used to hang up the linens on lines to dry, etc. In the Dry Laundry, we were shown the fireplaces at which really heavy, coal-filled irons were used to press the dried laundry (not much different from the kind of irons I remember the Indian dhobis using when pressing our clothes).

We then moved on to the Dairy where we saw the way in which milk cream was churned to create butter. There were many wooden butter presses around. There were also huge pottery urns used to store the milk and keep it cool before it could be consumed or turned into cream and butter. All of it was fascinating.

We then moved into the humongous kitchens that were actually a series of rooms that included a hearth, a fireplace, winding contraptions on which meat could be hung for even manual roasting and spinning. We saw the pantry and I loved the way it was still filled with glass bottles and jars with fruit and vegetable preserves neatly lined inside. There were also bowls and utensils of every sort that were used for storing food grains, etc. It introduced us to the massive operation it was to feed all the members of the estate—not just the aristocrats themselves but also their huge staff who kept the home in top condition. Anyone who watched ‘Downton Abbey’, and became fascinated by the series, would have an idea of what feeding the estate involved.

Touring the House:

As for the home, it is humongous and as we sauntered from one room to the next, I seriously wondered when it would end—it was so tiring! The tour guides in every room were amazing. As they spun out the complicated history of the estate that spans a lengthy period of five centuries from the Tudors to the Edwardians, we were left aghast. Each room was opulently appointed as it was a royal residence and, on many an occasion, had hosted the reigning monarch. There were the usual rooms we associate with such estates in the UK—a massive hall with a carved wooden screen, in which the portraits of the main players in the game were on the walls (among them, Lord Audley who was a lawyer that helped draft some of the most important historical documents of the Tudor period—I guess he made most of his money in this way, like all lawyers, even today).

This room done (and we spent the most time here as the guide gave us a very comprehensive idea of the history of the House at this point), we took an ornate curved staircase to get us to the top floor. This staircase was itself intriguing as it was designed and created by John Vanbrugh. Everyone knows that Vanbrugh was one of the most prominent dramatists of the Political Restoration period and made concrete contribution to Restoration Drama (drama created when the theaters re-opened in 1660 after Charles II came out of exile in France and returned to claim back the throne of England so that the Monarchy was restored after the reign of Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans from 1642-1660). Well, Vanbrugh had never taken one architectural course in his life and yet he was capable of creating these exquisite architectural features in stately homes. He is also responsible for the design of Castle Howard in York (another fantastic building that is jaw-droppingly gorgeous). How??? I simply cannot fathom what special sort of talent it takes to be gifted in such a diverse range of fields!

In the next room, we went through a long gallery lined not with oil portraits as is the convention, but with glass vitrines filled with taxidermized animals and birds. There is also a parlor where the monarch met nobility, a gorgeous dining room with a pendant ceiling, multiple bedrooms, at least two libraries, a water closet (the first of its kind in the UK) and even a coal scullery.

But, for me, being such a massive fan of 18th century architect and interior designer Robert Adam, I was fully taken by the superlative Adam Rooms where the Jasperware style of plasterwork, popularized by Josiah Wedgwood in his pottery factory up north in Stoke-on-Trent, is given fullest reign. In lovely shades of pastel pink and green, the symbol of the members of the family, the griffon, is worked into the plasterwork on walls and ceiling. I was enthralled.

Stopping for a Bite with Our Friends, the Fradleys:

When we were almost through with touring the house, we were ready for some sustenance. It had been amazing but we were hungry (having had very light breakfasts and no lunch), So by the time we made telephonic contact with Rosa to coordinate meeting her and her family, we were ready for some food. It was almost tea time and they looked forward to tea and cake—but we wanted something more savory. We were browsing in the gift shop from where I bought a book on the house and gardens (so that I could read more about the history of the house at my leisure, once I returned home to Bombay)

.

So, despite the fact that the house was so breathtaking, the best part of the outing for us was meeting our friends, Rosa and Matt Fradley, who live nearby and joined us there in the afternoon with their teenaged sons, Daniel and Jacob, and their dog, Charlotte. What a happy group we made as we sat outside overlooking the vast green stretch of parkland and were treated by them to hot chocolate, delicious cheese scones with butter and onion relish and cake.

Touring the Gardens:

Later, Rosa led us on a terrific walk through the Kitchen Garden and the sprawling acreage punctuated by follies in the form of bridges and temples and well-established oak and maple trees whose foliage was beginning to turn copper and gold as we bent under their boughs. We loved the many follies in the shape of Greek temples and curvaceous bridges (all classical features of English estates). There were also espaliered apple and pear trees in the kitchen gardens and many of them actually had miniature apples on then—which, I understand are still used in the kitchens of the cafeteria today.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time together with the Fradleys including the long walk back to the parking lot, right across Capability Brown’s landscaped parkland as the house receded into the distance and allowed us to take many pictures of a piece of English countryside that is unique and amazing.

Once in their car, we realized that we had about 8 minutes before our train drew into the station. We made it by the skin of our teeth because Matt knew the way well and was a skillful driver. It brought an end to our wonderful day together—certainly one of the highlights of this trip for us!

Seeing London By Night:

An hour later, we were back at Liverpool Street Station where our day trip had begun. Twilight was already falling gently upon the East End and we decided to have something to eat—a sort of pre-dinner snack as we had told our friend, Bande Hasan that we would have dinner at home with him today. Hence, I suggested we go into Gregg’s so that we could taste their famous Sausage Rolls—these are pork sausages wrapped in puff pastry. Apparently, they are a very popular lunch box addition and millions of them are sold all over the UK every day. We got a sausage roll each, which we munched on the bus that took us right across London from the East End to the West. We were able to see the main landmarks (from the Bank of England and Mansion House) to Farringdon and Fleet Street and then through Piccadilly Circus and Green Park. We thoroughly enjoyed this part of our day as we had a chance to see London By Night.

Indian Dinner with Our Host in Paddington:

And since we reached home at a decent hour (it had just gone 9.00 pm), we were able to join our friend for dinner. He gets really delicious food from the Indian sub-continent delivered to his home each week from a famous restaurant called ‘Royal Nawab’ and indeed, we had lamb seekh kebabs with mint chutney and parathas for starters, Chicken Biryani and Lamb Rogan Josh (a really delicious thick curry) with salad for our mains. For dessert, there was kheer (really delicious) and Sainsbury’s Tiramisu which I always buy when I am in the UK and with a little bit eaten each evening, I am a happy camper. So indeed, it as a meal fit for royalty and we ate well.

And on that happy note, another lovely day in London came to an end. We had such a splendid day that I am really so glad we planned to have a day out. We could not have chosen better.

Until tomorrow, cheerio…

London, UK: Stroll Around Covent Garden; Visiting the Transport Museum; Lunch at ‘Bill’s’; Visit to National Portrait Gallery; Visiting the ‘Renoir and Love’ Exhibition at the National Gallery; Dinner in Chelsea with Close Friends

Friday, October 9, 2026

London, UK

Stroll Around Covent Garden; Visiting the Transport Museum; Lunch at ‘Bill’s’; Visit to National Portrait Gallery; Visiting the ‘Renoir and Love’ Exhibition at the National Gallery; Dinner in Chelsea with Close Friends

We had another fabulous day in London. Waking in our friend’s home in Paddington, we washed, showered, got dressed for the day, had lovely toasted Marks and Spencer croissants with cappuccinos at breakfast with our friend. Then, at a much earlier hour than yesterday, we set out to go and make the most of another day in London. The weather was mild and pleasant but, unlike yesterday, there was the threat of light rain and we hoped for the best.

Off to Covent Garden:

We realized pretty quickly that while the Tube can be fastest, if you are not in a hurry and really want to see as much of London as possible, the buses are your best bet. Once you know which buses serve your area, you can use them and then make connections as you go along. Thankfully, I have still preserved copies of Bus Maps for London that I have had since I lived in the city myself (2008-2009 and then for many long 3-6 month stints over the years), so I can use them quite effectively to find out which connections I can make. Of course, I do admit that bus routes change, never ones are added, regular ones are removed…but, for the most part, they still help enourously.

So, yes, the buses we boarded today took us to Oxford Street and (after a connection) to Regent Street and then on to Shaftesbury Street and from Trafalgar Square to Covent Garden along the Strand. Once there, we strolled around the different streets. It was heaving as tourists are still enjoying the city in the autumn. After we’d enjoyed the atmosphere of John Nash’s wonderful architectural gems in the area, we popped into the Royal Oper House to see what was on and if there was a still a chance we could get cut-price tickets on the day of the opera itself (as I used to get when I lived in London). But a guard there told me that those days had passed and, after Covid, that practice has stopped. Now it is only possible to get day tickets if other patrons have returned their tickets to the box office.

Off to Visit the Transport Museum:

I was under the impression that I had never visited the London Transport Museum before (Certainly Llew had never seen it); but when I looked up my blog, I found that I had visited it in 2010. Gosh! I have only the vaguest memory of it and the reason it has been almost erased from my mind is because it seems not to have made any kind of impression on me. So, believing that I was going there for the first time, Llew and I entered the Museum which is tucked into a corner of Covent Garden’s Square precincts.

This time, it certainly made a better impression on me. I loved the entrance which had huge maps of underground networks from other parts of the world (including Paris and New Delhi). Once inside, we took the elevator to the top and slowly made our way down. The museum is quite interesting and certainly would keep children enthralled. There were loads of kids with their parents when we arrived there. So here are some of the items in a really vast museum that caught my fancy:

1. We saw the oldest form of transportation—long before motors. This was a sort of palanquin that was hand lifted by two carriers to transport people across London. Seemed very cruel to me!

2. You could actually mount an old omnibus (such as plied in Edwardian times—early 20th century—and take pictures inside). Most of the old vehicles were out of bounds to visitors.

3. We saw omnibuses that were pulled by horses. It brought back to me the Victorian use of horses for everything including transport.

4. Tube trains of the 1960s—you could see what they looked like inside (not much different from now).

5. Wonderful black and white pictures of London through the ages with buses plying through them. Again, not much has changed in the basic layout of the city (which I love).

6. A vast hall with many old red buses through the years—different models of double-deckers from the old Routemasters to the present.

7. Commuter Trains that plied outside of London into the suburbs with maps everywhere to show you which routes they took. As someone who loves geography, I found these fascinating.

8. A whole gallery devoted to Posters, through the years, advertising various train/bus routes outside of London. These were reflective of the various art movements through the 20th century such as Art Deco and Art Nouveau. I found this part of the museum the best. It’s amazing how many fabulous series of advertising posters were designed and created and put into public use, through the decades.

9. The Shop. It’s quite wonderful what you can buy here. Very unique gift items. For example, you can buy cushions for your home made with the fabric that covers the seats of the Tube trains—through the years including the current pattern! You can buy copies of the posters used to advertise the transport service. I bought one that I have always loved and always thought of as very clever: It says “The Tate Gallery By Tube”. And it depicts the London Tube map created through various colors of tubes of paint—each tube line in the appropriate color of paint! With this treasure rolled up under my arm, we left the museum and went out in search of lunch.

Off to ‘Bill’s’ For Lunch:

‘Bill’s’ is one of my favorite chain of British eateries. Once upon a time, there used to be many more of them (there was one on Kingsway, for instance, but it closed down recently). The one at Covent Garden (tucked away in a picturesque corner but really hard to find) is still open. ‘Bill’s’ chain was introduced to me by my English friend, Rosa (whom we would be meeting again soon) in Essex. I had opted then for the Fish Pie and had loved it so much that every time I am in the UK, I have at least one meal in Bill’s and I always go for the Fish Pie.

By this time, when we arrived here, we found that they had a special weekly Friday deal—all day. They had unlimited pancakes for just 5 pounds per person, if you also ordered a drink (it did not have to be an alcoholic drink). Well…this was too good of a deal to pass up (we would simply return to ‘Bill’s’ again, if we had the chance, I thought) and so we chose the pancakes.

There was quite an extensive collection of pancake options and we decided to get one savory type and one sweet—a meal and a dessert—that we would then share between the two of us. So, I chose the Pancakes with Streaky Bacon and Maple Syrup (a very American convention—mixing sweet and savory flavors on the same plate) and Llew chose the Pancakes with the Mixed Berries Compote. Both were really good. We got three thick pancakes each and there was butter and enough bacon and compote on both. Honestly, if you thought you could eat more than they put on your plate, you’d be mistaken. They are so filling that you cannot eat any more than served. I had pear cider and Llew had red wine to go with our meal and I have to say that it was a delicious, most satisfying and super economical meal. Where in London could you get a meal like this for 5 pounds??? So, no, I did not get my Fish Pie after all, but I hoped there’d still be time to get it. The funny part was that we had a guy who looked just like Stanley Tucci sitting right besides us. We took his picture and sent it to so many friends who were all completely fooled!

Off to Trafalgar Square:

Having strolled a little bit more (it had started drizzling), we hurried to find a bus stop and a bus that would take us to Trafalgar Square—we found several that sailed down The Strand. Once at Trafalgar Square, we found that we had time before we could enter the National Gallery to make use of the tickets, we had purchased for a special exhibition on Renoir (our tickets were for 5.oo pm).

With about an hour to kill, we went into the next-door National Portrait Gallery. I return here every year to see the new portraits that have been added in the past year. And so among the ones that caught my attention this year were a family portrait of Elton John and his husband, David Furnish, with their two teenaged sons and two dogs; Amy Winehouse; Judi Dench; Darcy Bussel; a self-portrait of the late David Hockney and his friend (lover?); Princess Diana; the royal family in the 1950s and then in the 2000s, etc. So, on the whole, it was a good idea to pop in there to kill some time.

There were huge crowds on the Square. We also got to see the controversial new Fourth Plint sculpture currently on by the American sculptor, Tschelabala Self entitled ‘Lady in Blue’. I have to say that the sculpture has met with very negative response Most people see it as ugly. I did not find it exceptionally appealing either. There was also a big crowd because the American football NFL matches were on and there were attempts to attract a British audience.

Viewing the “Renoir and Love’ Exhibition at the National Gallery:

And so, just before 5.00 pm, we entered the National Gallery and went through the main shop on the ground floor before we made our way upstairs to the Renoir Exhibition for which we had purchased tickets online from Bombay. Well, I knew we would love this one: what’s not to love about a huge bunch of paintings by Renoir, all exemplifying the highest achievements of the Impressionist Movement? There were so many that I have seen before, on several occasions, at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris or in the National Gallery itself. There was the famous ‘Luncheon of the Boating Party’ that came from Washington DC where we had seen it, a few years ago. It was just wonderful to see how enchantingly Renoir presented his 19th century world in the softest of blurred lines, the subtlest shades of primary colors, the hazy outlines of items far away in the distance, etc. There was a striking self-portrait of the artist, a bunch of portraits of his closest family members and then so many presentations of places that he had frequented in Paris and its outskirts. There were also loads of paintings of family members of his close friends who posed for him (eg, Madame Monet, Monet’s children, etc.). It was all truly lovely and we enjoyed every second in this space.

Dinner with Our Friends in Chelsea:

And finally, with the time being well past 6.00 pm, we left, took the Tube to Sloane Square and then walked through Chelsea along Sloane Street to get to the flat of our friends, Michael and Cynthia, at Cadogan Gardens. It is always a great pleasure to see them (I consider them my family in London for I look upon Cynthia as my sister). Of course, they did make us feel very welcome and settled us down with drinks (red wine for Llew and a gin and tonic for me). Later, we adjourned to their dining table where we enjoyed one of their simple but very delicious home-cooked meals: we had a tuna pie with a mashed potato topping, with a side of steamed carrots and broccoli and for dessert, Michael had made an Apricot Crumble which we ate with French Vanilla Ice-cream. Throughout the meal, we chatted about so many things: our latest news, their health, their son Edward and his family; my family members in Bombay and the US; our mutual friends; the quiet pace of their retired lives, etc. Truly, I wish I could have had much more time with them, but with so much to do and so many people to see, I am so glad that we had at least one uninterrupted evening with them over a really lovely meal.

Soon, it was time for us to leave—at about 9.00 pm and they told us exactly which buses we could take to get home. It was really very easy indeed and after making a change at Park Lane (outside Hyde Park and opposite the Dorchester Hotel), we arrived at Sussex Gardens and found our way, one block away to our building.

As I said, the day began with promise and we fulfilled all of our plans for it.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

London, UK: Our First Happening Day in my Favorite City: Crossing Wobbly (Millennium) Bridge; Walk Along the South Bank; Frida Kahlo at the Tate Modern; Pie and Mash Dinner at M. Manse; “Oliver The Musical” in the West End

Thursday, October 8, 2026

London, UK

Our First Happening Day in my Favorite City: Crossing Wobbly (Millennium) Bridge; Walk Along the South Bank; Frida Kahlo at the Tate Modern; Pie and Mash Dinner at M. Manse; “Oliver The Musical” in the West End

When Llew and I awoke this morning, we were in a British Airways aircraft, only a few hundred miles from London. It was nearing landing time (7.30 am) and, as we were awoken up with a filling snack, we felt ready to take on the challenge of going from Heathrow airport to our friend Bande Hasan’s place in Paddington.

Once outside the airport precincts, we followed the signs to the Uber stand and called for one. It arrived quite smoothly and took us to Paddington where we arrived at the ‘Devonshire’, our friend’s building at 9.30 am. He greeted us in the lobby of his building and, with the help of his doorman, we were able to take our cases up to his second floor flat. There, in one of his bedrooms, we stashed them away and settled down to steaming cups of cappuccino and a long catch-up chat as we were seeing him after one whole year.

But as we’d been on the red eye flight and did not have much shut eye, we were pleased to excuse ourselves, after a while, to take a short nap. But we set our phone alarms to 12 noon and after quick showers, we set out to salvage at least half our day.

On the Tube to St. Paul’s and Exploring the South Bank:

We left our friend’s flat and walked to Paddington Tube station from where we both replenished our oyster cards by filling it with a Travel card valid for unlimited travels on buses and Tube trains within zones 1 and 2 for a whole week. Once we had those in our possession, we took the Tube to get off at St. Paul’s Station. I have to say that it was super exciting to ride the Tube trains again; to figure out the direction in which we needed to move; to look at the passing ads in the sunken escalator wells; to arrive at the platform and then to board those familiar red, white and blue trains. It’s amazing how quickly someone who knows the drill gets back into the groove again and soon it feels as if you never left! We took the District line and arrived (after making a change) at our destination—St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Our First Glimpses of London on a Glorious Day:

vLondon sunned itself under benign blue skies as we took our first tentative steps into the city. St. Paul’s stood before us in all its magnificence. Once we got our bearings, we found our way to Wobbly Bridge as our destination was The Tate Modern Gallery where we had tickets for 2.30 pm to see the special exhibition on Frida Kahlo called “The Making of an Icon”. But even before we arrived there, just the act of walking along Millennium Bridge (which I generally think of as Wobbly Bridge—thanks to my former neighbor Tim who had once christening it so), was a real thrill. I stopped frequently to take pictures (but, of course!) as the Thames glistened below us and the far reaches of the city’s landmarks just waited to be recognized and picked out: the Shard, London Bridge, Tower Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, etc. We took our time walking over it, joined by hundreds of other people, all enjoying the exhilaration of a glorious autumn day in London. And yes, when we did get to the Tate (Modern), all we had to do was go through bag inspection at the entrance and then ride up to the upper floor where the special exhibition was being held. We showed our tickets at the entrance and in we went.

Visiting the Frida Kahlo Exhibition at the Tate Modern:

Frida Kahlo is one of those artists who has such a distinctive style that you simply cannot mistake any one of her paintings for someone else’s. She exemplifies the country from which she hailed, Mexico, with such a strong identity, thanks to her choice of colors (strong, vibrant), her use of motifs inspired by the clothing of her land (some of her own outfits are also on display), her religion (Roman Catholicism), the customs of her people (observation of the Day of the Dead, for instance, on November 2) and her travels. Like Rembrandt, she spent her artistic life undertaking many self-portraits and I think it is these works that help us piece together the person she was and into which she evolved. Of course, her marriage to the equally talented Diego Rivera, had a huge impact on her work as were the relationships she had with well-known figures such as the Russian Trotsky. Her canvases are characterized by a burst of color as well as a crowding of patterns and motifs as to make every single one of them seem very busy. But this is deliberate as they are reflections of her very busy mind and the number of impressions and sensations that she attempted to capture in each one of them. Yes, it is a fascinating exhibition and a wonderful retrospective of her work and Llew and I liked it very much indeed. It was worth every penny we paid for our tickets (purchased online) as while the rest of the Tate’s permanent collection is free, there is a ticket for special exhibitions.

Our exertions called for a coffee and the two of us went down to the café overlooking the river outside to have a café latte each before we decided to take a lovely long and leisurely walk along the South Bank towards Southwark.

A Walk Along the Souith Bank:

London’s South Bank from the Tate to Southwark Bridge provides a lot of interesting sights for the visitor. First, of course, there is the Tate itself. I did not have the time to take a look at any items in the permanent collection, but I intended to return again at my leisure. Next, you pass right by Shakespeare’s Globe Theater which give you the opportunity to take a look at their current season’s programs and find out if you are interested in attending any of the shows and booking tickets. We took a few pictures and walked right past.

The next spot you pass are the ruins of the former Cathedral where the Bishops of Winchester were once base. It is now in such a ruined state that only one wall with the frame of what used to be a stained glass window is seen. However, the floor of the Cathedral has been turned into an attractive garden. We went past it and arrived at the Clink Prison which is the site of an actual prison in Elizabeth times. It has been turned into a site of tourist interest but somehow the thought of seeing torture instruments is too gruesome to me—so I have never visited it. On we went till we reached a dry dock where ‘The Golden Hind’ can be seen. This is the ship that Sir Francis Drake used to circumnavigate the world in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It is amazing to us how well all these items are preserved and how much can be seen in a single, short walk.

If you go a little ahead, still along the South Embankment, you arrive at the famous Borough Market. This is the place that has soared in popularity as the years have passed by. When I lived in London, it only came to life on Saturdays when vendors would bring their produce from all over the counties close by to be sold—pies, cheese, olives, pickles, bread, preserves, vinegars, chocolates, pastries, etc. Well, with the tourist demand being so great and London’s tourist population having increased, I understand that there is now a market every day of the week—although not as thriving as the Saturday ones. So, yes, we could see trading going on. In the far section, there is fresh produce (Fruits, vegetables, wine, cheese). There are also usually generous ‘tasters’ (samplers) doled out, depending on when you arrive—most are given early in the day. We did not look for them or eat any as it was the end of the day and most vendors were packing up for the day.

We also had other plans: we wanted to eat a very traditional British dinner and it was there that we were next headed.

Pie and Mash Dinner at M. Manse:

In the days when this part of London (Southwark and the area close to Bermondsey) was inhabited mainly by a class of Londoners known as the Cockneys, the staple food of the region was Pie and Mash. There were several pie shops all over this area and since a pie and mash meal was very inexpensive and very nutritious, it was the food of the poor. There is only one place now in this part of London that is still a pie shop—M. Manse on Tower Bridge Road. And it was there that we wished to sample the food of a past century.

We hopped into a bus that took us fairly close to the venue and then walked a couple of blocks before we saw M. Manse across the street. There was a lovely lady inside who took our order—there isn’t much variety here. The menu is up on a board and the most popular items continues to be the Pie and Mash. Pie is always a beef mince pie and the mash is mashed potato. This is livened up with the addition of what is called Licour—it is a thick, pale green sauce that gets its flavor from Parsley. The lady who served us our platters told us to douse the whole thing with chill vinegar which was on the table—and a good thing she told us too. It was extremely bland and very tasteless without it. I don’t think we could have found it palatable without this condiment. For the more gastronomically adventurous, there were also Jellied Eels and Stewed Eels—this too is old-fashioned Cockney food and I had once tried Jellied Eels in a similar Pie Shop in Greenwich. However, I remember not liking them at all—too slimy in texture for my liking. What would have appealed to me were the old-fashioned Steamed Puddings—you don’t seem them very often these days (Jam Pudding, Lemon Curd Pudding and Syrup Pudding and Spotted Dick). Perhaps on another visit, I shall only order a pudding. Oh and there is Bread Pudding on the menu too. Another time…

The shop dates from 1892—the late Victorian Age. Its interior décor has not changed or been updated since then—which is what makes it historic and charming. The lady informed us that Dickens once lived very close by and was very familiar with the Cockney folk who then became characters in his novels. She also informed us that in Oliver Twist, Fagin’s den was probably in one of the lanes close-by and that Bill Sykes was murdered under the arches of London Bridge which was very close by.

I found all this literary history fascinating and such a coincidence! Because, by happy accident, we happened to have tickets that very evening for ‘Oliver: The Musical’ at the West End (at the John Gielgud Theater). So, just imagine, we’d be seeing the enactment of the murder of Bill Sykes in only a couple of hours! How coincidental was that!? Anyway, after we’d taken a bunch of pictures to immortalize our visit, we left. I had received information about this place from You Tube influencers—so I have little doubt that a lot of tourists come pouring in these days to eat these foods (not just the local people alone).

Bus and Tube to Our Theater Show:

Well, replete with our novel meal, we hopped into the bus that went across Tower Bridge and arrived on the opposite bank. From there (Tower Bridge Tube Station), we took a Tube to The Strand for our Theater show, ‘Oliver: The Musica’ which was on Shaftesbury Avenue. We got off at Piccadilly and walked, in the midst of hundreds of tourists, for night had fallen and the darkness brought more droves of tourists for a night on the town. Our show began at 7.30 pm at the John Gielgud Theater and we were well in time for it.

I cannot even begin to describe how much we enjoyed the show. For one thing, we were right in the first row! Can you even believe it? I mean, we could not possibly have had better seats! For another, the show was simply superb—such amazing acting, dancing, choreography, music, singing. We knew so many of the songs and felt greatly tempted to sing along: “Food, Glorious Food”; “You’ve Gotta Pick a Pocket or Two”; “Consider Yourself”; “I’ll Do Anything”; “Om Pah-pah”, etc. We just loved every minute of it. During the interval, we had chocolate ice-cream cups (another die-hard British theater tradition that we honor and love) and got up to stretch our legs.

One of the interesting things we noticed was that the conductor, who was standing in the pit just a few feet in front of us, was only pretending to conduct an orchestra There were no musicians in the Pit! The entire soundtrack had been recorded earlier and he was just pretending that there were live musicians down there! This was a first-time thing for both Llew and me and we were very surprised. But this strange phenomenon apart, we really loved every bit of the show and felt very glad that we had made a good choice.

On the Buses Back to Paddington:

We thought we’d take the Tube back and then we felt that we would see nothing, If we took a bus, we’d see London by night—the lights, the sound, the excitement. So, we jumped into a bus that sailed along Shaftesbury Avenue and went all the way to Marble Arch from where we crossed the street and took a connecting bus that went also Edgeware Road and all the way to Sussex Gardens where we got off and walked one block to our building. We had the keys and were able to let ourselves in—it was past 11.00 pm.

What amazing first day we’d had in London! And I can assure you, that based on the way I had planned it, very single one of them would be just as happening and just as much fun.

Until tomorrow, cheerio…

Fairfield, Connecticut: Attempting to attend a Thanksgiving Mass at St. Anthony’s Church; Meeting our New Realtor; Taking ‘Before’ Pictures of our Southport Home; Finishing the last Bits and Bobs of our Packing; Driving to JFK Airport and Leaving the USA

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Fairfield, Connecticut:

Attempting to attend a Thanksgiving Mass at St. Anthony’s Church; Meeting our New Realtor; Taking ‘Before’ Pictures of our Southport Home; Finishing the last Bits and Bobs of our Packing; Driving to JFK Airport and Leaving the USA

And so the day finally dawned when we’d be airborne again, winging away from the USA to the UK—fortunately, at the very end of the day. Our flight was at 6.00 pm (which left us the whole day to tie up loose ends).

Proposed Mass at St. Anthony’s Church:

I, a daily Mass-goer, could not believe that I had not yet visited my former parish church of St. Anthony of Padua at Fairfield. This was partly due to the fact that I was teaching online most mornings (hence, no chance to go for Morning Mass) and because we were on Long Island on Sunday at the home of our friends, John and Doreen. And so, I made a valiant attempt to get to the 7.30 am Mass this morning. As we no longer had a car, I resolved to walk there and to stop at the Gas station on my way back to pick up some breakfast and coffee for Llew and me, on my way back.

I really enjoyed the walk to the church—it was another lovely, perfect autumn morning, with a crisp nip in the air. It reminded me very much of the times when I used to leave for work in New York on such mornings in September and October, warmly clad in wool blazers and cashmere sweaters and with panty hose to keep me toasty. Well, today, too, I dressed comfortably and stopped en route to take some pictures of the rising sun across the Tide Mill River.

However, when I got to the church, I had a nasty shock. There was no morning Mass. It would appear that only Sunday Masses are now said at St. Anthony’s. I was disappointed but I walked around the property for old times’ sake and then walked to the gas station. There, I picked up muffins and coffees for Llew and me and walked back home.

Meeting our New Realtor:

After we’d munched on our breakfast and enjoyed our coffees, we got ready to across the fence to our own former home as we had a meeting scheduled with our new realtor from William-Raveis, Betsy Banks. She turned out to a very nice person (and someone I vaguely remember having met before although I cannot place her). I used the opportunity while there, to take a few pictures of our home. They would serve as the ‘Before’ pictures and would enable us to take ‘After’ ones after the entire ground floor of our home has been renovated.

Rawley’s for Hot Dog Lunches:

As it was close to lunch time, we decided to stroll across to Rawley’s, the famous Fairfield hot dog place where we ordered the hot dogs with The Works (ketchup, mustard, relish, sauerkraut) with Cokes. And, of course, since I’d already had a chocolate blizzard yesterday, I passed on another. It was simply time for us to go back home. Llew went across to meet our friend Tommy at the True Value hardware store, just a few steps down and when he was done, we set off for home.

Yes, I am happy to state that all our stuff fit into our suitcases without any difficulty and that weight-wise too, we were in good shape with at least a few kilograms left in each bag for us to stuff with a few buys in the UK. Since we had reserved Prime Time Shuttle seats on a van that would come and pick us up at 1.30 pm, we just had enough time to ring the bell of our lovely neighbors, Ken and Pui, to say Thanks and goodbye to them for so kindly permitting us to use the mother-in-law apartment attached to their property. Sadly, Ken was working in the city today and so we missed him—but we did have a chance to give Pui a last hug and to cuddle our favorite pooch, Gus for the last time before our departure.

Off to the Airport on the Shuttle:

And, much before schedule, the Shuttle did arrive but the driver acknowledged that he was early and told us that he would wait. When we ensured that we had taken care of all the last-minute items that one needs to worry about before leaving (emptying fridge, throwing away garbage, taking away all chargers--the most commonly left items in hotel rooms), we took a last photograph together in front of our home, entered the shuttle (there was one other couple inside) and were off. We were really relieved that we had returned our car yesterday and resolved to take the shuttle because that eliminated the hassle of filling gas en route to the airport and then returning our car at the airport before taking the monorail to our terminal.

It was a very pleasant ride to the airport. I felt sad that we were leaving the US (especially as we’d had such a good time and because the weather had been so perfect). But we were leaving with superb memories and most of the items on our To-Do List ticked off. The only thing we had to leave out was a visit to New Jersey to see our friends there. Hopefully, we will do that next year.

After making one stop in beautiful Greenwich (to pick up another passenger), we arrived at JFK Airport at just the right time for our departure , i.e. at 3.00 pm (our flight would leave at 6.00 pm). We went through all formalities, relieved to find that there was no issue with the weight of our bags. However, there was an issue with our seats. Even though we had booked our seats months ago, we found that we were bumped off the flight because British Airways had overbooked. They were downgrading us to Economy but we would have none of it. Llew asked to speak to the manager and after an assertive conversation with her, we were reinstated into our rightful seats. After clearing Immigration, we then made our way to the duty free shops where we browsed for a little bit before getting to our gate. Both of us made a few last-minute calls while waiting for our flight to be announced. It was on time and we had a very pleasant boarding experience.

A Very Pleasant Flight Across the Atlantic:

Both Llew and I were excited as he embarked on the third and final leg of his travels on this trip (while for me it would be the second leg). We’d be spending six days together in London and for me it is always a joy to be in London (my favorite city in the world).

The flight, being the red eye, was very pleasant indeed. We both finished watching ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ which we had both started on other flights. It is a childrens’ film but definitely appeals to adults as well. Dinner was served after the drinks trolley passed by. I had a glass of sparkling white wine while Llew had red wine. Dinner was a Beef Pie with a sweet potato topping and ratatouille. There was also a green salad with a bread roll and cheesecake for dessert. Indeed, a very satisfying and quite delicious meal too. Both of us managed to gain some shut eye on the flight and looked forward to what the morrow, our first day in London, would bring.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

Fairfield, Connecticut A Lovely Long Walk in Southport, Chocolate Blizzards at Dairy Queen, Leaving our Winter Wardrobe Behind, Returning our Rental Car to Budget, Dinner with our Friends, The Deans

October 6, 2026

Fairfield, Connecticut

A Lovely Long Walk in Southport, Chocolate Blizzards at Dairy Queen, Leaving our Winter Wardrobe Behind, Returning our Rental Car to Budget, Dinner with our Friends, The Deans

Today was a day for doing all the things on my To-Do List that we have not got down to doing. So, after breakfast of Bagels and cream cheese (which we are trying to finish so that we clear out our fridge), I awaited the arrival of my friend Bonnie. And, on the appointed hour, there was her car.

An Amazingly Long Walk in Southport:

Bonnie and I had been walking companions for years. Every morning we took a different route and used the time to catch up on everything happening in our lives. This year, I could not believe that I had not even found the time for a daily morning walk. I have to say that this was partly because I was waking up very early in the morning to teach my private tutorial students in India as I was aware that I could continue with their sessions as long as I was in the US. Once I was in Europe, it would become impossible as the time difference would need me to teach in the afternoon (a time when I’d be up and about painting the city…) Hence, I did not lose the opportunity to teach them from the US.

Bonnie and I set off down Pequot Avenue. It was a lovely brisk Fall day, The weather was simply perfect for a walk that would bring us exercise but also the opportunity to do some photography. Both of us were dressed warmly and with my phone-camera in my pocket was all set.

It was great to walk through Southport Village when most of the shops were still closed. It is a very quiet, very peaceful place that seems not to have changed in a couple of centuries. Of course, businesses come and go, but the essential layout and character of the place have remained unchanged. Past the Post Office, we arrived at the Congregation Church and then past Trinity Church, we were at Pequot Library. At this point, we decided to go right and into neighboring Westport as that would elongate our walk just a little bit. I have walked this route countless times, over the years; Bonnie, not so often—so there was an element of novelty in it for her.

Just past the highway, there are pretty creeks where we saw our first glimpses of wild life. But, by the time, we entered Westport proper and were passing by the Audobon Property, what should we see but a really magnificent deer and that too quite close at hand. He was a stag as the magnificent pair of antlers upon him proclaimed. Naturally, I whipped out my camera and we took some really lovely shots of him. Then, we continued on until Southport Beach came into view. At this point, we saw a really spectacular egret—it was huge! Yes, egrets are common sea birds in these parts but this one was really special because of its size. And then, on we went until we actually came to Lond Island Sound and Southport’s beautiful beach. There we saw more flocks of aquatic birds—any number of noisy seagulls and smaller birds that I could not identify. They offered photo opportunities that I seized right away.

Just as we were walking along the beach promenade, I saw this massive collection of seashells that I believe I had never noticed before. There were just thousands of them all clustered together on the rocks. Of course, I had to stop to pick up several that I stuffed into the pockets of my down jacket and my hat! It was a truly unexpected sight, and I am sure I will enjoy displaying them at home in Bombay while also taking back a bit of my Southport Beach memories with me. There were also a number of mussel shells and some oyster shells and some golden iridescent ones and Bonie actually picked up a couple of whelks too. So, it really was a most rewarding haul.

Along Pequot Avenue we then progressed heading back toward home when we passed by an evergreen tree whose pinecones were strewn all around. So, of course, I had to stop there and get some really pretty pinecones too. I had already picked up quite a few cones from the pine trees in my own front garden—but these were of a different shape and form and I was keen to have them too. So, they became part of my Fall décor at home.

And finally, after a walk that took more than two hours, we arrived at Bonnie’s car, parked in the driveway of our home. We took a few parting pictures and she left, I told her that I would see her soon as I was finishing my packing and needed to leave some of our winter clothes (I leave a whole wardrobe in her basement) for our next arrival in these parts. This saves us the botheration of carrying warm clothes between Bombay and the US.

Dairy Queen for Blizzards:

When I returned home, I found that Llew had made good headway with our packing and with clearing up the fridge, closet, etc. We continued with the task at hand and worked steadily on our packing. I put aside the clothes I needed to leave at Bonnie’s and in a short time, we were there. We organized our clothes quite well in the large plastic storage units that I left at her place and also took away the silverware that we had left at her’s together with the wooden cabinet-drawer that contained them. With these things taken away, we’d have to find out if we had the weight allowance to accommodate them in our suitcases.

En route, as it was lunch time, we decided to stop at Dairy Queen on the Post Road to pick up our favorite Chocolate Blizzards—these would serve as lunch. And with that, some more items were ticked off our To-Eat List!

Back home, we actually had the time for a short nap—after absolute ages. We then woke up with the realization that we needed to return our rental car to the Budget place before 6.00 pm. We were there, pretty much on the button and handed the keys over to Faiyaz with the suggestion that he reviews the car to make sure everything was in order. He did so and we said Bye to him and were off.

Dinner at the Deans:

All that was left to end our day on a joyous note was to get to the home of our friends, the Deans—Jim and Virginia—in north Fairfield. Our friend Art had volunteered to drive us up to the Deans. He and Bonnie were then headed to a talk at Fairfield University and so could not also join us for dinner. He arrived in his car at the Budget parking lot and picked us up from there.

The evening passed by in a blur of happy friendship, interesting conversation and terrific food and drink. Virginia is a very dear friend and such a warm and lovely person that it is always a pleasure to spend time with her. In her sprawling and very interesting kitchen, we clustered around to have drinks and a couple of nibbles as Virginia continued to work on our meal. She had cooked everything herself and we were most impressed with her efforts.

Soon it was time to sit at the table where we were joined by Jim and a friend of theirs, who is also a neighbor. We enjoyed Virginia’s roast chicken, her Orzo with Broccoli and a green salad. The dessert was just stunning: a huge Coconut Vanilla Cake (Ina Garten’s recipe) that really stole the show. Yes, it was a really fun meal—sadly, a number of the friends we have in common that she had invited were unable to make it (for one reason or the other). So, it turned out to be a very intimate meal with people who are most generous and truly enjoy entertaining.

We were more than happy to call an Uber to get us home, but Jimmy insisted on dropping us off. And indeed, since they are familiar with the roads, the late hour (and the possibility of deer on the road) did not deter his speed. We were literally in our driveway within ten minutes!

And so our second-last day came to an end. It had been fruitful and we managed to do all the things we needed to accomplish—thus making our ten-day stay in the US most productive.

And on that happy note, we fell asleep, hoping to make the most of our last day in CT (on the morrow).

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

Fairfield, Connecticut Getting a Colonoscopy, Spending a Day in New York City with a Dear Friend, Central Park Jaunt, Visit with my Ophthalmologist, Dinner with Our English Friends:

Monday, October 5, 2026

Fairfield, Connecticut and Manhattan, New York.

Getting a Colonoscopy, Spending a Day in New York City with a Dear Friend, Central Park Jaunt, Visit with my Ophthalmologist, Dinner with Our English Friends

I am grateful to say that all went well with Llew’s colonoscopy. After we’d washed and showered, we lost no time getting into the car. I drove him to Fairfield Circle for his procedure, dropped him off at the clinic and said Goodbye to him. When I next heard from him, I would return to pick him up, I was told it would take approximately 90 minutes.

Breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien:

I had an immediate plan then to have breakfast as the Harborview Market in Bridgeport which was only a five minute drive from the clinic. I love their almond croissants and I could easily see myself begin my day with one of them and a large coffee. But alas, when I reached there, they informed me that the croissants are only make at the weekends. I was disappointed and could well have eaten another one of their breakfasts—but it was an almond croissant I was after and I had the brainwave then to drove to Westport, Connecticut, where I had seen a branch of le Pain Quotidien had been opened. This is one of my favorite chain of European coffee shops and while I had one very close to my office at NYU, I used to go there quite frequently for one of their treats.

So breakfast was exactly as I imagined it to be: an almond croissant and a Belgian hot chocolate which I savored in a place that was empty. I was barely there for about half an hour when I got a call telling me that Llew was ready to be picked up. And so back I got into my car and fifteen minutes later, I was at the clinic, bringing him safely back home to relax and rest and take it very easy.

In, on the other, hand, had only one last doctor’s appointment on my plate—towards the end of the day (a visit to my ophthalmologist in Manhattan). Hence, I decided that I would take the train again into New York City. I left the car (in case Llew needed to use it during the day) and walked down Pequot Avenue to Southport Station. I felt exhilarated that I would be spending another entire day in Manhattan—until I would get back in time for us to return our rented car to the Budget place in Fairfield and find our way to our friends, the Thomsons’, for dinner. I had made plans with my friend, Susan Petralia, to meet her on the Upper West Side, where she had just moved.

On the Train to Manhattan and Meeting Susan:

I enjoyed the train ride and could not believe as I sat in the train that I had done this ride twice a week for over thirty years! And yet, it never got old! A whole ten days after we’d arrived in Connecticut, there was more color on the trees and the beauty of the drive made it very pleasant to merely look outside the window at the passing scenes as they brought back memories of so many happy years in these parts. How lucky, I thought, that we are still able to return here every year!

Once in the city, I hopped into the Subway and got off at Lincoln Center as my friend Susan’s apartment was right across the road from there. It was not long before I found her building and was sailing up in the elevator to her flat on the 34th Floor. Needless to say, we had a most affectionate reunion as I was seeing her after five years. She had moved down to Florida at the same time that I had moved to Bombay. Hence, ever though I have returned every year to New York, I never had the chance to meet her. Her husband’s new job in New York had brought them both to the city and they were absolutely delighted that they were in an apartment.

It was a cozy and compact but very lovely apartment that I would have given my right arm for—a few years ago when I had dreamed about living in the city after retiring and downsizing. Of course that did not happen, but I can live now vicariously through the lives of my friends who have realized different dreams too. Susan’s apartment offers astonishing views and after we’d had a coffee and a nibble (we’d had bagels with cream cheese and orange juice for breakfast—so I was ready for some sustenance) consisting of pizza and little dainty pastries, she took me up to her rooftop terrace. And I have to say that the views from there were just spectacular. We could see all the way to the Hudson and to the Bridges across it on one side and, over on the other side, guess what, we could see Lady Liberty herself, poised beautifully between two other skyscrapers. Meanwhile, just below us was Lincoln Center and Alice Tully Hall and the Julliard School and all the Performing Arts buildings that are icons in Manhattan. What a cool place in which to live!

A Walk Around the Neighborhood and Across Central Park:

It was not long before we decided to go outside because the weather was so perfect. It really was an extraordinarily gorgeous day in Manhattan and it made full sense to out and enjoy it. Accordingly, Susan, who kept referring to the area as a ‘neighborhood’ because she is so enchanted by it, pointed out the places at which they have already eaten and made favorite spots. And when we had entered a hardware store as I wanted to buy a bottle brush (which I found) and a shoe store (as she wanted to point out certain pairs that would look stylish but also work well for feet ridden with plantar fasciitis, we decided to make our way towards the Park.

And so, that was where we headed. In fact, we passed right by the ill-famed Dakota Building (the one in front of which Beatle John Lenon was shot). Naturally, we took pictures there before crossing Central Park West and entering the Park. This led us straight to what is called “Strawberry Fields”, the spot at which a memorial has been set up for Lenon. It has a large mosaic circle set into the ground with the word, “Imagine” inserted into it. Of course, there is always someone with a guitar at this spot singing Beatles’ songs—and I thought how marvelous to have left a musical legacy that transcends decades and generations. After taking a few pictures, we moved on.

For the next hour, we sauntered through Central Park, stopping every so often at the various landmarks that make up this grand and gorgeous space. We saw the Boating Pond, the Bethesda Fountain (which is currently under renovation), Shakespeare Walk (where Shakespeare in the Park is held each summer), etc. I took a lot of pictures of the various sculptures in the garden, each commemorating a different aspect of America’s history. Finally, when we reached the far end of the park, i.e. the East Side, we sat on a bench and ended our lovely day, promising that we could continue to chat regularly on the phone and stay in touch. I hugged and kissed Susan goodbye and crossed the street to get to my Ophthalmologist.

A Visit with my Ophthalmologist:

I have been under the care of Dr. Daniel Rossberger for the past four years. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with a compromised retina as I have an epithelial membrane on my retina—a natural result of ageing. Careful annual monitoring of the condition is recommended—which is why I make sure I see Dr, Rossberger each year He described my condition as stable and unchanged after scans, retinal dilation and the injection of a liquid dye to ensure that there is no bleeding. After about an hour, I was done and having made another appointment for next year, I was on my way back home.

Back on the Train to Southport:

I took the subway back to Grand Central Terminal and from there took the first train back to Connecticut. Llew was waiting for me at Southport Station and he picked me up and took me directly to our friends, the Thomsons—Diana and Jonathan—with whom we were having dinner. We arrived at their place in about fifteen minutes but had trouble finding a parking spot as well as their actual unit. However, they were very gracious about our late arrival (we did warn them that we would be later than expected) and sat down with drinks. Over a gin and tonic for me and wine for Llew, we had a companionable chat before it was time for dinner to be laid out on the table and the meal to be served.

It was a delicious meal as Diana is a superb chef. Every time we get to her place she tries out something wonderful for us. One time, it was bobotie—an African stew that was quite hearty. This time it was Hungarian Goulash, served with crusty bread and buttered cabbage. For dessert, there was ice-cream which we really did enjoy. It was a really lovely evening with a couple who told us about the imminent wedding of their son to an Indian girl in San Francisco. They were really quite thrilled with their new daughter-in-law and are looking forward to meeting her parents soon.

And on that happy note, our second last day in the USA came to an end. Llew was, fortunately, none the worse for his medical procedure, which left him feeling quite well and I had a bonus day in the city with a very dear friend, great weather, a glorious day in Central Park and a good overall bill of eye health from my doctor.

We drove home and decided to do nothing tomorrow except finish up our packing, weighing and getting ourselves ready for our departure.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…

Fairfield Connecticut and Stratford, Connecticut Preparing for a Colonoscopy; Shopping; Meeting a Friend for Tea in Stratford

Sunday, October 4, 2026:

Fairfield Connecticut and Stratford, Connecticut

Preparing for a Colonoscopy; Shopping; Meeting a Friend for Tea in Stratford

We awoke today on Long Island in the home of our friends, Doreen and John, in Syosset as we had spent the night with them after our bountiful diner at their place last night. And because we lazed and had a lie-in, an equally bountiful breakfast was awaiting us when we went down to the kitchen table. Doreen, John and Llew were chatting away by the time I joined them.

Breakfast with the Bellomos:

Breakfast was a vast buffet all laid out and kept ready for us. Homemade warm muffins just out of the oven; granola, sausages, cheese, preserves, coffee. It was a breakfast fit for a king and we ate well. But not wanting to linger too long as it was D-Day for Llew (the prep day before his colonoscopy tomorrow), he was keen for us to get going as we had medications to purchase from the CVS Pharmacy in Westport where his doctor had called the prescription in.

Off to Southport, Connecticut, with One Stop in Greenwich:

Again, with me behind the wheel and absolutely enjoying the sensation of driving on the Long Island highways, we made our way home. We made one swift stop in Greenwich, Connecticut, to pick up something I had left behind at our friend Swapna’s house yesterday after breakfast with her. Well, we did not stay long—a visit on horseback and off we went again.

En route, we stopped at the CVS in Westport from where Llew picked up the medications he needed as well as a large carton of apple juice (from Stop and Shop) as he would be on a strict clear liquid diet for the next 24 hours. As anyone who has had a colonoscopy knows, the medication involves very strong laxatives and so he needed to stay put at home for the rest of the day. I did not feel the need for lunch as my breakfast had been so substantial and Llew could not eat anything anyway. And so, I left him at home and went out to do some more shopping at TJ Maxx, Home Goods and Marshall where I love browsing for items that serendipity might throw up. I did pick up two red crystal glasses and was very pleased with them. They will look stunning during Christmas.

Tea with a Former Colleague from Fairfield University:

I had enough time then to drive u to Stratford to the home of my friend, Elizabeth Petrino who used to be my colleague at Fairfield University and became a close friend as the years went by. She had hoped to be able to meet us for dinner but when I explained how tight our schedule was, she settled for tea at her place with just me as Llew was out of commission for the day.

It was a lovely reunion as I had a chance to meet her, her husband Tom and hers son David, an engineering student at Fairfield University. Of course, when Liz and I meet, we simply chat our heads off as she is always so full of the exciting academic and research projects in which she is involved. David and Tom joined us at the dining table that was groaning with a variety of items that made a meal in itself: there was a magnificent raspberry strudel from a local farm stand, plus focaccia bread and cheese and cookies and pickles (that she was so keen I taste as they were also from the farm stand). Well, of course, everything was delectable and I could not resist eating all that was put before me.

But then, it was time to say goodbye (hopefully, until next year), to wish them all well and to promise to stay in touch via phone calls. So off I went in my car and in about twenty minutes, I was back home again. Llew had fared quite well in my absence as he continued to take his medication and drink his apple juice. I did not need to eat any dinner as I had eaten quite enough food all day, thank you!

We’d have an early-morning start with Llew’s colonoscopy scheduled for 8 am tomorrow—and so we made an early night of it as we ended another fruitful day.

Until tomorrow, see ya’…