I was thinking what San Stefanos might be like today as winter closes in.
Maybe a touch chilly there, but I suspect fresh and clean from the sea breezes.
I was up at 04:00 this morning,
- it's cold and dark outside, and an hour later after the "wake-you-up-shower", I was sitting at my desk busy and sorting my staff out.
Nice office and sitting in my shirt sleeves, a few coffee's later after lunch and lots of banter, I was on the M4 driving home to walk the dogs.
Damn cold breeze and the air was very damp.
Sitting here (in outer west London), at home this afternoon, it's a mix between a few odd rays of a very low sun, escaping between thick clouds,
to warm you briefly through the glass windows of the car or house, & looking up, I could see the clouds gathering as some were dark and heavy looking.
The garden is damp, the air is damp, wood is turning green with a winter growth and the weather holds no welcome for a seat outside, on the patio - I don't like the UK winter!
It's cold here - it must be very cold in the north and Scotland, and probably even damper!
I always associate San Stefanos with sun and warmth, both from the weather and the locals.
Here in Greater London it's remarkably busy, everyone rushing around, but few make eye contact, let alone speak, like the way New York was.
My neighbourhood has changed a lot over the last 15 years, the population has changed. My local British Legion is now a mosque, as is the attached scout hut.
The Doctors Clinic a mile away is also gone and is another mosque, but for Somalians' mainly.
Everywhere, (except for a minority) the houses are rented, not owner-occupied.
The Polish and other Eastern Europeans have little insular area's locally, where they have congregated, moved out the previous Asians and British.
They don't mix like the old WWII polish, who integrated so well, just a few seem to do so. Polish shops everywhere, and lots of little Arabic and halal fast food outlets.
There is a lot of work here around Heathrow Airport, for those who are happy to take lower wages, and take jobs the Brits don't want, (they'd rather live on benefits!!).
Apart from some good neighbours you could actually almost be alone here - makes you think!
That's why we put so much value on our circle of friends and keep up contact, often having to travel.
We will move when I retire in less than two years, someone will buy us out and rent the house to the itinerates, but we will be outside the M25 circle, & won't care.
We will move to one of several areas we identified as ideal for our needs.
Small town, not too much crime, decent local population, good facilities, NHS etc... & not too far from the grand-children.
I expect we will continue visiting San Stefanos (until we pop our clogs, or until we simply can't), and probably more often.
Meanwhile I am sitting here tonight, thinking of the next holiday to San Stefanos....... waiting out the damp, cold winter........
Luckily - - we'll be in Dubai in December, soaking up some sun and heat, and planning the next holiday....
It's now a quarter past ten in the evening, in around twenty minutes the next episode of Corfu a tale of two Islands will be on - I feel good already!!
Topic: UK WINTER 2012 - to - Spring 2013 - Thoughts!! (Read 13300 times)