Xmas comes early in the UK

Fremlin Walk is an old brewery which was transformed into a lifestyle shopping centre amid controversy. People were upset that old shops were torn down to make way for the new mall.



Marks & Spencer's sells these pig candles.

And all kinds of interesting things.

Including Christmas cakes and puddings in September.

This is Gabriel's Hill.

Bank Street . . .

Click on the pic for detail.

Travels with Air Transat

The trip to London Gatwick yesterday was a bit of an ordeal. After a final walk around Toronto in the morning, I headed home to finish packing.













Got to Pearson airport by 6:30 p.m. The seats on an Airbus 310 are quite narrow and uncomfortable as it turns out. Airbus has a reputation for packing people in. I spent most of the eight-hour journey hanging off the side of the seat into the aisle due to the cramped space. Passersby apparently had no qualms about smashing into my shoulder and arm. Liberal amounts of wine and acetaminophen helped alleviate the agony of the experience.





The dinner was basically a box of rice. I counted three peas in the "traveller's format" "vegetarian biryani." There was no butter for the roll.



The airline even provides a plastic bag to use for garbage.

Stay tuned . . .

I am moving to England on a temporary work assignment. It could become longer term. Just found out on Thursday. It's been a busy few days. I'll be working just off Fleet Street.