Checking the cherry blossom tree again in the morning - so nearly there!

Aftera quick lunch near Highgate tube station, we set off along the Parkland Walk.

Of course you are never really alowed to forget you're still in an urban landscape (given the graffiti etc). I thought this might make an interesting composition of this juxtaposition.

Chie and Erika at a point on the walk with an old station.

Quite a lot of graffiti here.

...and this bit of sculpture, one of the fairies from Midsummer Nights Dream perhaps?

Erika on this little rope bridge we passed along the Parkland Walk.

Erika on arrival at her friend's birthday party, at the bowling alley in Finsbury Park.

It was a vision of hell for me - loud music, a lot of unruly kids running around, and a very grimey / urban / downmarket sort of feel. I only managed to hang around for 20 minutes or so.

For the record though Erika won the game!

I made my excuses and left the bowling alley, thinking I might find a quiet pub around Finsbury Park to hide in. It turns out the whole area is pretty unpleasant and quite rough around the edges (and in the middle) so I eventually gave up and came back home, and sabraged this bottle of Breaky Bottom. The new neck tags they've started using made this a bit more difficult than usual - this residual glue causing friction for the sabre.

Lovely blue sky though, there's a rubbish picture of a small flock of birds.

We had a slightly fancy dinner involving sea purslane.

Some still English wine I had bought earlier in the week. It wasn't that great to be honest.