We started the day with croissants and presents and despite the postal strikes quite a few cards arrived for Colin. When it’s our birthday we are allowed to choose to do what we want so Cold chose to visit the Imperial War Museum to finish up his year of visiting the WW1 and WW2 locations in France and Belgium with Chris back in April.
The museum is fascinating and although I didn’t want to accompany Colin around the Holocaust exhibition, I spend my time exploring nuclear missile casings and even found the mini submarine that had sunk the German warship the Tirpitz which we had seen the memorial to in Arctic Norway near Tromso back in March (under several feet of snow).
Despite a forecast of rain all day, it was actually sunny and lovely to kick through the Autumn leaves as we walked from Waterloo to the museum. On the way back via Waterloo rather randomly there was a complete group of women all dressed the same doing some sort of synchronised dance which was being filmed. I had no idea what it was to advertise but it was fascinating and Colin was impressed when I told him I had arranged it for his birthday!
Last treat of the day required us leaving the warmth of home (well not that warm as the heating is turned off to save money) and going out in the rain to catch the tain and then the tube to Kew gardens for Colin’s birthday meal at a French Bistro called Ma Cuisine which I had booked as it does duck and onion soup and subsequently had three sets of friends singing the praises of the place.
It lived up to it’s reputation and we had a superb meal with a nice bottle of Merlot. Onion soup for Colin and mussels for me (with Pernod flambé)with start. We both went for the duck breast with cherry sauce and a side of vegetables - cooked perfectly pink and finished up with Tarte Tatin for Colin and Crepes Suzette for me with another flaming liquor!
An excellent end to the day as we waddled back to the tube station about 20 seconds away and even the rain had gone off.
