Unexpected heatwave in London

It wasn't the heatwave last summer that was unexpected. Forty degrees was forecast and duly came. lovely. The unexpected part was that I was enjoying it in London. Whereas I had expected to be spending it in Milan with my best friend from university. But our flight was cancelled while Mike was actually on the train down to meet up with me in London due to an Italian aviation workers strike. Grr!

So instead of flying to Milan on the Monday we had to wait until Friday. Which gave me a few days of leisure with Mike.

We always had intended to go to the Community Festival in Finsbury Park before flying out. I enjoyed this a lot, as I always do, but this was a day for taking a more leisurely approach towards the back and leave the kids to face the heat in the crowd at the front. But that also explains why the photos are not up to much!

First of the bigger names on the bill were the Wombats

I had not much listened to Nothing But Thieves before, but I thought they were pretty impressive.

But the headliners were one of my favourite bands - Two Door Cinema Club. Nothing short of a delight.

On the first day of our enforced sojourn in London, I thought a walk down Regents Canal would be good - near water should feel cooler.

Lunch at Lebanese restaurant in St Johns Wood

Bit of culture at the National Gallery

Next day a Thameside walk from Hammersmith to Kew

Conservatory at Chiswick House

Then after Chiswick House and grounds, back to the Thames

A well earned pint

And then following day - a walk to Highgate past Alexandra Palace

Highgate Cemetery 

After the East and West cemeteries, a well deserved lunch at the Flask

Then on to Hampstead Heath and Kenwood House

Keats House

Another pub to cool off at - the Freemasons Arms in Hampstead

Finally the Guildhall in The City

With the scant remains of the Roman amphitheatre in its basement