Richard

In Halong Bay, Vietnam

Richard is no longer with us. A friend for 50 years with lots of happy times spent together in many places round our planet featured in the 15 posts accessed via the 'Richard' label-link below.  

Of course, in the early days we didn't photograph our daily doings the way we do now. Shame really, not to have captured moments like being driven around Manchester stuffed into the back of Richard's Reliant Three Wheel Van, aka Only Fools and Horses.

RIP my Friend

The Lomaxes Day in the Valleys.

First to Garwnant  Country Park for an amble,

followed by lunch at the cafe with a view.  Me thinks we will be on water rationing soon.  Water rationing in the Welsh Valleys.....unheard of!!!

After a drive over the Roman Road across Gelli-gaer common, on to visit the castle,

with a final stop at the Mountain view for an walk followed by Sidoli ice cream. The Morgan pictured was a bonus.

Friends

Toby,

Barbara,

and Richard.  All here together for Anna and Jake's wedding.

Richard's Birthday

 With the van parked in Pinner, we trained it across London to Greenwich.  Futuristic Canary Wharf station. 

 Tough looking doods. The birthday boy.

Richard invited forty of us to cruise the Thames for a couple of hours on our own boat, The Edwardian.

 All the iconic structures visited.

A bonus to see the bridge opening.

The lads had prepared a speech to honour their Dad, delivered by Toby to fits of teared laughter from the rest of us.

London's China Town.

Another trip down memory lane for Gek.

 Photo opportunity 1

Photo opportunity 2, with good friend Richard.  Return hospitality in The Valleys in the offing.

Greenwich Park

A couple of days after Andy's visit we tripped up to Town to stay with Richard.  A walk in the park on a beautifully sunny spring day cannot be beaten.

Richard's Visit - Suffolk House and the Kek Lok Si Temple

Such a handsome fellow. Afternoon tea at the Suffolk. Earl Grey anyone?

 Si, identical statues.

Moon gate over looking Georgetown.

Richard's Visit - Colonial Museum

Not unlike the Black and White I have as a model.

But the contents of the house couldn't be more different and not at all what we expected as a Colonial Museum.

The museum's artifacts are the item's collected by the owner over the last 50 years or so and are European piece's originally the property of the Euro-centric Chinese  Penang business men.

Quite an unusual and interesting mix of west and east.

Richard's Visit - Armenian Street.

To the Teochew  puppet museum, where Rich demonstrated his new found puppeteering talent, minus the Chinese, of course.

The costumes details are quite something.  Not sure how we missed this lovely place during our 5 year stay in Penang.

Next door to the Sun Yat Sen Museum with Richard planning his next move, aka Sun.

Richard's Visit - The North Coast

First to the north coast of the island.

 With a mandatory stop for coconut.

And of course, an evening up Genting hill to watch the sun set.

Margate

Love Lane.  A reminder of Georgetown.  But much more importantly, Turner first came to the seaside town aged 11, having been sent by his parents to school in Love Lane.  Walking a street Turner walked.  Magic.

But we were here to visit the Turner Contemporary Museum. It is built on the spot where a house frequented by Turner used to stand.

This window sees the view Turner saw from his studio window in the early 19th century.

Richard and I lowering the tone of the place

Blackheath

Next port of call, Ruth and Richard's place. My friend's for over 40 years. Another cool place to stay.

Whitstable

Neat composition Richard!!!!!

Wide sky's and pebble beach.

A rare fine day by all accounts. Beautiful blues in sea and sky

My first bitter shandy for god knows how long. Tasty.

Getting in was a lot easier than getting out!!!!! Nearly became a new permanent beach attraction.

Whitstable is still a working fishing port. I particularly enjoyed a pint of cockles. That is a lot of cockles!!!

Gek and Dave together with Ruth.

Pre-departure for Beijing. Picture by Richard. I do not post many pictures of Gek and me together, so here is a couple. We are about to leave for the airport. Air China flights from Beijing often arrive over UB’s airport and then decide to go back to Beijing because it is considered too dangerous to land. I saw why the other day. Viewing the airport from across the UB valley, you can see that the runway is at the side of the valley and runs on a slope up the valley’s edge towards the mountains. These factors make for a tricky landing in the best of conditions, particularly as the runway doesn’t look that long. I think we will go by train next time!!!!!!

At the great wall. Gek really struggled, having such short legs, bless her. The steps are pretty uneven and some were as high as her knee!!! An amazing photo, given that there were hundreds, if not thousands of people there with us!!

Summer Palace.

What a lovely place. Take the number 826 bus from Tianaman Square going west. Sit on it for 1 hour and this is your reward. An amazing scene straight off a Chinese Porcelain vase.

Walk down the Long Passage.

Visit some lovely gardens

and climb to yet another palace/temple. This one was the favorite of the Dowager Empress. The lady who controlled the boy Emperor.

Or, alternatively, put your feet up and read a book.