Canal Boating through Maida Vale

Bill writes: Aline's been down and semi-out with a cold the past week. So she's been thinking of things to do that would take no effort whatsoever. She suggested a canal cruise that we could walk to from our flat. To that end, we packed a picnic lunch and wandered over to Little Venice, where we had lunch by Browning's Island (named for Robert Browning, who spent the last years of his life there). We enjoyed lunch, at least until a really bad-mannered Weimaraner (you know, one of those dogs that William Wegman fetishizes for calendars and coffee-table books) wandered over, gave a longing look, and grabbed Aline's sandwich out of her hand. Bad dog! No calendar layout for you. (Maybe Wegman could pose the little monster in an orange jumpsuit for a mug shot.)

Anywho, we then got tickets and took the canal boat for a couple of hours. You start out sailing past the other canal boats:



Then down below one of our favorite restaurants, Cafe Laville:



From there you head into Regent's Park, passing the Sultan of Brunai's house and the second largest private park in London:



Then past Blowup Bridge (so named because two canal boats passing under the bridge happened to be carrying a cargo of gunpowder, and chose that unfelicitous moment to simultaneously detonate). Nonetheless, it obviously remains a romantic spot.



The tree next to it still has a crack all the way up it from the blast:



Coming out through another tunnel, you head into the next village:



And finally, past a pirate castle. How do I know? See if you can guess. The brits aren't noted for their powers of camouflage:



But they aren't terribly frightening pirates, as they mostly get together in their own little club:



After we returned, we went over to the Cafe Laville for, you guessed it, some tea. All in all, a pleasant enough day for Aline to decongest.