We really do love the colours of early autumn, and whilst we were enjoying a leisurely breakfast we noticed an artist had set up their easel to capture the scene. We walked over to say hello, and were so taken with the work, we were tempted to ask to buy it. Sadly Firecrest was just out of view and the artist, Melissa Scott-Miller said it was part of an exhibition for a gallery so not yet for sale.
We were so lucky with the weather this week, Sunday morning was crisp and clear, so we decided to go to morning service at Westminster Abbey, which was heavenly, then on to explore Borough Market, which was food heavenly. A real treat for the senses.
Borough Market in Southwark on the south bank of the Thames, which gave us an opportunity to see skyline from a different angle. (We had watched the reflections flotilla from where the orange barriers are)
We also got the chance to see the seaworthy replica of Sir Francis Drake’s galleon, the Golden Hind. Although his mission was to explore and circumnavigate the globe, he turned “privateer”.
“…..On 1 March 1579, now in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Ecuador, Golden Hind challenged and captured the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de la Concepción. This galleon had the largest treasure captured to that date: over 360,000 pesos (equivalent to around £480m in 2017).[7] The treasure took six days to transship and included 26 tons of silver, half a ton of gold, porcelain, jewellery, coins, and jewels.[8][9] On 26 September 1580, Francis Drake sailed his ship into Plymouth Harbour with 56 of the original crew of 80 left aboard. The ship was unloaded at Trematon Castle nearby, supervised by the Queen’s guards.[10] The final treasure also included six tons of cloves from the Spice Islands, at the time worth their weight in gold.[9] Elizabeth herself went aboard Golden Hind, which was then permanently at Deptford on the south bank of the Thames, where she had requested it be placed on permanent display as the first ‘museum ship’. There, she shrewdly asked the French ambassador to bestow a knighthood on Drake.[11] Over half of the proceeds went to the crown – her share of the treasure came to at least £160,000: “enough to pay off her entire government debt and still have £40,000 left over to invest in a new trading company for the Levant. Her return, and that of other investors, was more than £47 for every £1 invested, or 4,700%.”[8]…….”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Hind
Not a bad investment, Firecrest contains quite a few tonnes of ballast, but its not silver or gold and unlike the Golden Hind, we doubled our crew for the last leg of our journey. Family, Diana and Chris came to join us for the day, as we sailed out of Islington, much laughing was done, despite the weather turning against us.
And I was very grateful to have a helping hand through the locks at Camden
We had booked ourselves a night on the pontoons in Paddington Basin
Which just so happens to be right next door to an M&S food hall
So we enjoyed the evening together as well.
I am sure next time we come into London, we will book ourselves a few more nights here, that view is surely worth £12 a night.