Hot times in London

Since we left home, we've been in temperatures mostly over 100. London at 80 feels cool and lovely to  us but Londoners are all asweat as there's not a lot of air conditioning in hotels and restaurants. Our little flat at Citadines does have air conditioning and our room has a tree right outside the window, keeping the area shady.

We're steps from Trafalgar Square and surrounded by every kind of restaurant imaginable. The Sherlock Holmes pub is in the next block for fish and chips and a pint. The old Scotland Yard is right across the street...I keep thinking Mr. Benedict Cumberbatch will show up any moment. It's peak season here right now and tour buses clog the roads and crowds of tourists all wearing yellow hats, or orange t-shirts, or some such identifiable clothing slog along behind their leaders.

Here's our building right across from Scotland Yard.

And we're within steps of plenty of entertainment.

The nearest pub, aways busy.

This is a pricey neighborhood for real estate. A block from us, a townhouse is for sale for

a mere 6,250,000 pounds. The neighbors are apparently miffed with something....

They've posted this sign.

In the National Portrait Gallery, we stopped and enjoyed listening to this teacher explain to the children what a caricature is. She had a cartoon of the painting of Lord Nelson they were admiring. They were all reciting after her..."caricature, caricature". They seemed to get the concept - she went on at length about how portraiturists painted their clients in flattering poses often attributing to them heroics that might possibly have been exaggerated. 

Trafalgar Square...everyone taking selfies.

Crowded, but not everywhere. The National Portrait Gallery was busy but certain spots were empty....we were alone with the piano tuner in this gallery. 

There's a bird painted in this earring prominently featured in the composition.  Richard can see it...I was getting dangerously close, squinting away, but still couldn't make it out. The subject was a notorious beauty of the day...she certainly had creamy skin, typically British and rosy cheeks. A great contrast to my own embattled complexion. "Sorry about my neck" comes to mind...the funny and final book by Nora Ephron. 

Tonight we stroll over to St. Martin in the Fields to hear Carmina Burana.

The crypt at St. Martin...a cool place to eat. 

The statue of George Washington has a great location in Trafalgar. It's resting on American soil which was sent in big boxes along with the statue.

Sadly the British flag is hanging at half-staff because of the thirty plus people mowed down on the beach in Tunisia. Services and memorials are on-going. Such a tragedy.