Flow gently sweet Thames - out to the wide seas beyond this sceptred isle. Mercurial moonlight dances on the water's surface as we look out from Putney Wharf following Hull City's smash and grab performance at Fulham's Craven Cottage ground. A sparkling airliner north west of the moon makes its way to Heathrow. We won 1-0 with a late penalty from our Uruguayan striker - Abel Hernandez and all was well with the world.
We walked back through Bishop's Park and over Putney Bridge to where the trusty Seat Ibiza was parked on Deodar Road. For a while at least, life always seems finer after a Hull City victory - especially away from home. It was a grand day out.
We had had lunch at a great little Italian place called "Giuliano's Deli-Cafe" in Putney. Pasta of the day was £6.95 but there were eight different homemade pastas to choose from. We could have two half portions and one of mine was blackened with squid ink. It was all very delicious in a nice homely way
After the game, we trundled around The South Circular Road towards Brixton and then on to Camberwell where The Delightful Daughter welcomed us. The Geological Boyfriend came along later and we all went out to a super Italian restaurant nearby - "Caravaggios" on Camberwell Church Street. A delicious and authentic southern Italian meal with fairly priced house wines and then on to "The Joiners' Arms" on Denmark Hill for two or three beers.
A drunken young man kept complimenting us on our lovely eyes - especially The Delightful Daughter's eyes. He was full of bonhomie and we didn't mind. Luckily, The Geological Boyfriend did not feel tempted to test the hardness of a rock on this affable fellow's bonce. As we left, I was irked to see huddles of young adults in the murky alleyway next to the pub, smoking cigarettes. How I despise that sad and stinking habit and how pleased I am that I have now been a non-smoker for twenty eight years.
And then back to The Cheap Hotel. Last time we were at the rear of it. This time at the front and you could hear the endless traffic passing below on Peckham Road, including ambulance sirens on their way to and from King's College Hospital. Fortunately, the Italian wine and the Worthington's beer allowed me through The Gateway of Sleep before many minutes had dissolved into that moonlit night and I dreamt I was walking in the Derbyshire hills with Abel Hernandez and Giuliano, singing, a traditional English ballad to the tune of "Jingle Bells" - "Oh what fun it is to see Hull City win away!".
Sounds like a great time.
ReplyDeleteIt really does sound like fun. I take it you're fond of Italian food since you ate at two Italian restaurants. I'm sure your daughter was happy to see you!
ReplyDeleteWe don't normally opt for Italian Jennifer. This was all pure co-incidence.
DeleteAbstract: Basking in the reflected afterglow of a minor athletic victory at which the author was merely a spectator leads to a night of gluttony, drunkenness, and unwanted interaction with the unsavory residents of a large urban metropolis, culminating in his passing out on a bed in a seedy hotel in a noisy part of the city.
ReplyDeleteHa! Ha! I like the way you read between the lines Bob. Very droll... but as far from the truth as Canton, Georgia is from Cantone, Switzerland.
DeleteSounds like a splendid weekend away to me = I am no good at reading between the lines, so take it all at face value. You must be addicted to Italian food methinks - I am but sadly the farmer is less so.
ReplyDeleteWe wouldn't normally opt for Italian. I am more partial to Asian food.
DeleteThe idea of seeing The Tate and National and so much more appeals to me but the idea of having to put up with life in London means that I may never see those wonderful things again.
ReplyDeleteIt is a crazy place isn't it Graham? But within it there are urban villages and quiet retreats. Even so I would miss the countryside and solitary walks if I lived there.
DeleteYou had a very fun day. Isn't it grand to be retired?
ReplyDeleteYes. When you have your health Red.
DeleteFrom the looks of it you had a wonderful weekend...and that's way it should always be.
ReplyDeleteI'm still watching the tennis....the Open closes on Sunday.
I'm not a fan of Murray, but I was cheering him on to win last night because I'm a much lesser fan of Bernard Tomic...Tomic the Tank Engine. I can't stand Tomic, so it pleased me to see him get his butt kicked! ;)
It's distressing that Johanna Konta decided not to be an Aussie any more... but still we are happy to take your leftovers Lee.
DeleteKonta is a bit of a mixture...Hungarian parents; born in Sydney; trains in Spain where it only rains on the plains; and defected to the UK...for pinching a tennis ball!
DeleteFair's fair, I guess...a few of your lot got kicked out to here for pinching a loaf of bread - to take up residence in the penal colony. Thankfully some of them stole the recipe for bread-making, too because by the time the fleet arrived here the bread was pretty stale. :)
Actually, today, 26th January aka "Australia Day" marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of 11 Pommie ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, (neither places named that at that time, of course); and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip as he fought a strong gale to keep it aloft and flapping!
Happy Australia Day Lee! I hesitate to imagine how Aussies celebrate this day. I hope that there is no swearing nor riotous behaviour.
DeleteSquid ink? Seriously? Why?
ReplyDeleteJust to make the pasta black Hilly. I have never had it before.
DeleteHome-made pasta sounds great, but to eat Italian twice in one day would be a little too much for me. It obviously made for a good night in spite of the noise, though :-)
ReplyDeleteAt Caravaggio's I made sure that I picked something from the menu that did not involve pasta - a lovely chicken breast smothered in a creamy asparagus and tomato sauce with carrots, broccoli, baby roast potatoes and garlic bread. Yummy!
DeleteItalian overload! Sounds like a fun day, though.
ReplyDelete(And now I see your response above, about how you avoided the Italian overload.)
I couldn't have faced more pasta that night.
DeleteSounds like a grand day out (or does it count as one and a half?) Leastways, any day that involves your team winning away is always a good one.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing missing to make it a perfect weekend was a nice bit of fisticuffs with a gobby Lancastrian.
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