tea for one

i’m wrapping up my last 36 hours of being in the UK and being in London. To celebrate I took myself off to Fortnum and Mason to luxuriate in everything that is tasteful and divine. Fabulous china. (My favourite being the hand painted Herend collection – such gems) And I wandered down below through the food hall, where the best of British is set out.

I like F&M a lot more than I like Harrods, if only because it’s far from the madding (maddening) crowds. Certainly I walked up and down the spiral staircases with fellow tourists, mostly Americans, but everyone was on their best behaviour, which is more than I can say for every other tourist/shopper/casual London visitor, I encountered since arriving on Thursday. London in late June is a gloomy affair. Londoners flee for the country, and I can see why.

So finding Fortnum and Mason on this Sunday afternoon was an oasis.

So I had tea. A royal blend with two scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam.