The Colmans do London……

So here we are – The Colmans Do London – and a great time we are having ! The trip started extremely well with lunch at Island House Hotel in Nassau in Yellowbell. Absolutely delicious and set the bar high for all to follow ! We relaxed in the room I had booked as the flight to the UK was not leaving until 10pm and also had a dinner in Mogano at The Island House.

The flight was to be endured not really enjoyed as there was quite a lot of turbulence. Then when we arrived there was a delay in disembarking as one of the passengers who boarded in Jamaica was arrested on arrival – and of course her baggage had to be found and taken off. The main highlight was the fact that ours were the first three bags to come through on the carousel – this has never happened before and was a source of delight for the rest of the day …..

We were absolutely shattered after the overnight flight and unpacked , went for the first round of fish and chips close to the hotel and then took a bath and went to bed. Recuperating after a flight like that takes a while so we have been trying to get some rest in between meeting up with family.

There was a family christening on Sunday and it was a great surprise to see lots of the family there.

Monday we met Sami and Billy – Bob’s daughter and her husband for a very special lunch at a great restaurant called the River Cafe. The meal was divine and the icing on the cake was when Bob told the owner – Ruthie Rogers – that he used to work in the building over 60 years before when it was a Duckhams Oil Factory ! She immediately went off to get one of her cookbooks and showed Bob a picture of the building back in the day .

After the meal we walked along the Thames Towpath to have a look at the rowing club where Bob was a rower in the late 1960’s and early 70’s. The doors were being replaced so the club was open – we were met by Kate – one of the members of the club and she allowed us up to the club room where there was a picture of Bob and the rest of the crew in 1969.

Of course no story about Bob Colman is complete without a building reference and he built and supplied the doors back in the day when he was a member. Of course we are not sure if they were the original doors being replaced – but if they were not being done on Monday then the club would have been all locked up. Kate must have put the word out because the next day Bob got a message from one of the team tracking him down and making contact. Synchronicity at it’s finest….

I took a train on Tuesday to Milton Keynes so that I could meet up with both of my sisters for lunch. It is over 3 years since the 3 of us were together so it was a joy to sit there all together. The meal was good but the whole point was to be together – and it was heartwarming…..

And so dear friends , we continue to eat our way through the UK – much more food to follow and tales of friendships revitalized by lots of hugging and kissing – see you next week.