High

After yesterday’s celebrations we had more today meeting up with friends we’ve not seen for a couple of years. As we’d never been to The Shard (it’s been some 6+ years since I’ve been down) we invited then to join us for lunch at a Chinese restaurant some 33 floors up.

The views were spectacular and the food excellent. We looked down on the London Eye, St Paul’s, the Palace of Westminster in the distance, the WalkieTalkie, and round the corner HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge.

The sun slowly set, planes flew across the sky and the night lights came on.

One of the more unusual experiences was going to the Gents. The urinals were position so that you were looking out a window. see extra.

I had paused before taking my camera out in the gents. Just as I was about to get ready to take the shot someone else came in. I need not have worried. He stood at his urinal, took out his phone and took a selfie (from up behind his head) looking out. Maybe the altitude affects inhibitions?

Maintaining the toilet theme we afterwards went to the top of The Shard. Not cheap but the views were tremendous. there is a lower floor (68) which is fully enclosed and then the 72nd floor is open to the elements looking up to the tip of the building. The reinforced glass all around meant minimising reflections was a major challenge. So many photos were taken.

The toilets on the 68th floor again have glass down to the floor. So you can sit and look out. Only afterwards did I see a switch to bring down a blind!

We parted from our friends at the top of the building. We lingered on looking down on the City and, in the case of the blip, London Bridge station.

We were waiting for our niece Fiona to finish work nearby so we could meet up for a drink. She had seen an earlier tweet from me and had realised we were in the vicinity. A stroll through Borough Market, buzzing with people despite the cold, past The Golden Hind, to The Anchor pub. Her boyfriend Ric joined us and we spent a pleasant few hours catching up.