Howdy,

As mentioned, last Saturday I was at the real Pub Landlord's gaff, the utterly exclusive and truly amazing Auvache Arms, for the Big Boys' Beer Festival winter ales special:

Dr Pintz doing his bit

 

Danny Warren and Richard Wood came along: thanks to Richard for the picture. Much good stuff was available and enjoyed. So, no walks last weekend. for obvious reasons!

I did manage to get out yesterday morning for my 'Looking for Clues' walk - looking at remnants of the past in the borderlands of Mile End Old Town and Bethnal Green, finishing on the southern close of the Green itself, or 'Barmy Park' as it has been known for generations.

The sadly neglected cemetery of the Synagogue

of the Amude Yesharim in Bancroft Road

This afternoon and tomorrow afternoon it's off to Westminster for 'Of Commonwealths and Kings' - tomorrow it's for another group of Italian teens courtesy of the UK Educational Development Agency. I'm supposed to speak in English, as they're over here for language practice, but I've got some Italian phrases to explain the salient points!

The trial of Charles I for treason

The walk looks at the development of parliamentary government before considering the way that successive monarchs have shaped Westminster.

Currently I've got a head full of crime - I'm working on the first of my law and order walks, this time in Bethnal Green. 'The Dark Side of the Green' is taking shape nicely, and it has quite a range of subjects, though of course we can't ignore the Twins.

At this point Ronnie hadn't put on all that weight,

so I can't say which is which, though I suspect

Ronnie is on the right - he had the more open face

If only they'd been able to carry on boxing, things might have been very different, but then 'if only' is one of the saddest phrases of our language.

Tomorrow I sign on for the last time - hopefully! I'm closing my claim for Jobseeker's Allowance and going on to the New Enterprise Allowance. With the blessing and a fair wind, this is the official launch of the good ship Charnowalks. We shall see what we shall see ...

Well, I've got to get ready to head out to what looks like might be a bit of a bright day. There be clouds, but they're quite broken. I hope St James's Park offers us a nice sky, and the beginnings of a beautiful sunset by the time we cross it.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, peeps.

Love,

Dave Charnowalks