2019 London - Day 4

With Jack out very late with Charlotte, we got a slow start to the day. Eventually, Sharon and I wandered down the street and got oatmeal and a breakfast sandwich for Jack at Starbucks.

The plan for the day was the National Galley. We caught a Piccadilly line train to Leicester Square and then walked to the museum.

All of the London museums are free. We spent a long afternoon wandering the gallery. We have been dragging Jack to museums since he was born. He is going to get an art history minor at Georgetown. At this point, I just follow in Jack and Sharon's wake feeding off their analysis and debate. Jack and I had a long discussion about a set of paintings by William Hogarth called The Marriage A-la-Mode series.

I am on a quest to see all of Caravaggio's paintings. There are sixty plus spread across the world. I think that I have probably seen as many as thirty at this point. I have been planning to build an index to the ones that I have seen, but haven't got to it yet. The National Gallery has three. Two of them were on display: The Supper at Emmaus and Boy bitten by a Lizard. The third--Salome receives the Head of John the Baptist--was not on display.

I was a little disappointed that part of the post-impressionism wing was closed. I am always looking for Von Goghs and Picassos.

After the National Gallery, I wandered around Trafalgar Square. We ended up having a light very late lunch at a pub called The Chandos. I initially balked at the choice, but Jack pointed out that we should hit pubs in London.

Taking the underground back to the apartment, Jack and I stopped and had a beer at the Tattersalls Tavern. We watched some of the second half of the Everton versus Livermore Premier League game.

Getting cleaned up for dinner, we took an Uber to Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel. This is a Michelin Two Star restaurant. It will probably be the nicest dinner of the trip...

Sharon had a Roast Marrowbone Royale [c.1720 - Smoked anchovy, snails, radish, mace & lovage] as a starter, while Jack and I split Frumenty [c.1390 - Grilled octopus, spelt, smoked sea broth & pickled dulse]. For entrees, Jack had Powdered Duck Breast [c.1850 - Braised grilled red cabbage, spiced umbles & pickled cherries], Sharon had Spiced Squab Pigeon [c.1780 - Onions, artichokes, ale malt] and I had a very good Roast Iberico Pork Chop [c.1820 - Smoked hispi cabbage, pickled onion, ice cider Robert sauce]. For desert, we split a Tipsy Cake [c.1810 - Spit roast pineapple].

The concept for the restaurant is that all of the dishes are based on historical recipes. It was a very good meal!

By the time that we walked home and got ready for bed, it was after eleven. I think that I am finally getting in rhythm with the time change. I finished the day buying a two day pass for the "Big Bus." The plan for Monday and Tuesday centers on using the hop-on hop-off bus.