In London for Jokes and Morning Prayer

YC met up with some of his friends in the south east. First on the list was Andy Angel who YC knows from St Peters College, Oxford. Andy lives in Rochester and lectures for the south east equivalent of the North East Ordination Course (who trained my father). Andy is obviously following in YC's footsteps - Monday was his day off - and so there was time for a leisurely lunch with his wife Favi washed down with red bush tea and Chilean white wine. However unlike YC, Andy had been working at the weekend with church/ordination duties. YC took great delight in telling Andy's sons - Sebastian and Jason - his in-house jokes. What do you call a one-eyed dinosaur? D'yathinkhesaurus!

In the evening, YC rendevouzed with Giles Kennedy, another pal from St Peter's for a beer at the Hole in the Wall pub, Waterloo. Afterwards they took a stroll along the river and past the Houses of Parliament. Some tourists were posing for photos in front of Big Ben - how tacky.


On Tuesday, YC met Marshall Crawford - a pal from North Shields pub days. They visited St Bartholomew The Great's church (very impressive) before taking the Dockland Light Railway through Canary Wharf to Greenwich. There they called in at The National Maritime Museum (well worth a visit - it's free and excellent). A sailing dinghy built by Dave Ovington (who sailed at Tynemouth Sailing Club) was on display. It's an Olympic class yacht known as a 49er - here it is.


On Wednesday, YC attended the church closest to St Paul's youth hostel where he was staying. It just happened to be St Paul's Cathedral. Top tip - arrive early for the 7 30 morning prayers and stand under the dome - there's no-one else about.