London Marathon was today...

It took me nearly 2 hours to get to what should have been a 39 minute walk from the Tate Britain to the Modern. I got trapped by the London Marathon and couldn't cross over and out from the viewers on the Thames side of the race. Had to backtrack a considerable trek - probably 3k. I DID see the guy who must have won 2 hours earlier before I did the Britain. My pace was considerably slow and more contemplative! And where some of them are downing water, I have "A Proper Job", a Cornish ale.

Hoped to see more at the Tate Britain, but also, no Auerbach.  Still, worth the visit - I'd never been before. The hoards of crowds were there to see the Van Gogh, which I passed on having invested all my allowance on the Maggie Smith play. Plus, I don't care for his work, except for his Iris's and those are stunning to my eye. So the gallery was practically empty!

After my pint here, and this well deserved sit down,  I'm heading back to the Modern for the rest of the afternoon. And for a book about Austrian painter Oskar Kokoschka, which caught my eye and is cheaper here than on Amazon. I have some scotch to taste and buy, which might mean a walk back to Soho tomorrow, and I can then turn my attention back across the pond. The office have not, as promised,  sent me my new contract, so I don't and won't know until Tues night if it's in my CBC email, if I'm due in there on Weds. morning or not.

Soho and Chinatown, just north of Trafalgar Square, were packed yesterday, where as everywhere else was dead quiet. Seems the locals retreat from their blue suits and nice shoes, to the comforts of home. Which are likely, not downtown. Very pricey here... a flat can set you back a few million (gasp). There are more people sleeping rough than I've seen before... I don't know if they have safe injection sites... or maybe even with my meandering, I have not stumbled upon a more challenged part of the city.