Sunday 8th March 2026

 

Woke around 0900. Aki cooked brunch, then cycled off to Rowing Club. I did some packing, and then wandered over to Waitrose to buy something for Sunday lunch. Aki back for lunch...confit of duck, with roast sweet potato and carrots, followed by bougasta which I'd bought from the Athenian Bakery on Seven Sisters Road, pimped up with creme fraiche, ice cream, and strawberries. Exchanged farewells on the doorstep, and I took a bus to Finsbury Park station, then a Victoria line train to Euston to catch the 1552 to Stoke. Euston was very busy. Got into Stoke on schedule, and jumped in a taxi to Bakewell Street. Mein hosts were not home...sat in my room for an hour or so, but it was cold, and failed to warm up, so I decided to venture into Newcastle to watch a film...Elvis Presley In Concert. FaceTimed Aki before heading off in the car. Parked up in Goose Street car park. Hoped to buy a bag of chips in The Dancing Octopus, but there was a queue, and service was slow. Gave up and walked to the cinema. Had a hot dog there before I went in. The movie was OK...a bit too frantic, Baz Lurhman likes a jump cut! It was a bit dizzying at times! But it was instructive nonetheless...what a voice...he was doing 2 or 3 shows a day during his Vegas residency...but his voice sounded warm and he pumped out hit after hit with seeming effortlessness! He was superhuman!