The wedding was wonderful, a lovely ceremony (a civil celebrant, then a female rabbi with added elements of Iranian culture). Needless to say Tiffany and Amir made a stunning couple in a stunning setting, The Belvedere Lodge in Richmond Park with it’s panorama of London. We crept away after the wedding ‘breakfast’ but here’s a few photos from the day.

The day after, we had time to do a little shopping for our trip North and have lunch at Hallys which serves the most delicious burger with sweet potato wedges. After, we window shopped in South Kensington and had afternoon tea in the Daylesford Farm Shop . We also had a table booked in the evening at Nanban in Brixton, the brainchild of a Masterchef winner. Staff wonderful, decor quirky, great atmosphere, food a bit disappointing.

Unsurpringly, we were a little full after that day and had trouble sleeping. There was a reasonably early start on Tuesday to collect the hire car from Hammersmith and drive almost 5 hours to my Mum. Paulo kindly dropped us off and helped us lug in the suitcases, bags, cool bag, carriers and a cardboard box which Susie had previously left with Paulo and Dominic. I did ask the guy at Sixt if we could upgrade to a Ford transit, but quickly added that I was joking (he half believed me I think). The drive out along the A4/M4 to the M25 was surprisingly easy and after a couple of comfort and sandwich stops we were here.

Today we caught the park and ride service into Durham, carried out some essential bank business, called into Bells for fish and chips (because you have to when you’re in Durham) and had time to check out the new exhibits in the Oriental Museum. There was a small section of jade objects including the most stunning bowl, carved and polished to an almost Lalique opaqueness. The Oriental is becoming our Northern pilgrimage….another day of food and shopping beckons tomorrow..