Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red

A very interesting and moving day out in London today. We went to see the Poppies at the Tower of London in August when it was only 1/4 complete, but we wanted to see it again as it nears its climax on 11th November.

We'd heard that there were crowds of people and indeed there were, but not too many to make it a challenge to see. The difference from August was staggering and it is difficult to convey the scene or its impact on your senses and feelings. There are 888,246 Servicemen commemorated here, a number about which you have little concept until you see it laid out in front. But these were only those killed in action, there must have been at least the same number who came back either physically or mentally destroyed too.

My grandfather was on the Western Front in 1917, so I learned at his funeral. Like most, he never spoke of his time. I understand he was gassed but survived and was sent home where he lived until he was 87.

It was an impressive sight in the daylight but we wanted to see what it was like in the evening. We hoped to be there when the roll call was being made but didn't know where or when that would be, but we went back anyway and it was then that I captured this shot.

In between visits we walked most of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk from St James's Park, through Green Park to Hyde Park and finally Kensington Park before catching the tube back to Tower Bridge.

The whole walk is over 7 miles, we did 6 1/2. It was a most enjoyable stroll around parts of London we knew about but had not explored. There was so much to see and read about we could have taken a whole day rather than the three hours.

We ended up at Muriel's Cafe adjacent to the South Kensington tube station for refereshments and the most expensive scone in the world at £4.50. We shared one. It came with piles of clotted cream but it was no cheaper if you had it without clotted cream so it was a no brainer really. Plenty of jam too, a whole jar was of Mrs Darlington's Extra Jam was brought to the table. Even I couldn't eat a whole jar and I wasn't allowed to take the jar with me (although at £4.50 a pop, I thought we should have been entitled to take it).

And what was the scone like? Good to middling. In fact it wasn't that bad.It had been microwaved to warm it up which destroys any crispness but it was large (thank goodness), had lots of fruit and a good taste. Score 36/44.