Our man at Bexhill on Sea
(He has been spending two weeks in Brixton)
Gosh, isn't London an amazing place? They have more wild life in their back gardens than you would find on the whole of the South Downs ... thanks in no small part to bi-weekly refuse collections, perhaps. Foxes; squirrels and I think I caught a glimpse of a giraffe.
Whilst up in the mighty metrollops I made full use of my shiny new bus pass . . . what a wonderful country this is when elderly persons are allowed to wander around the country free of charge instead of being a nuisance to their relatives. I tootled across to Dulwich. They have a much vaunted PICTURE Gallery (nothing as common as an art gallery) and I was mightily impressed. The bus trip (No 12 from the Elephant for your info) was an education in itself. I sat at the back and was sure I was the only passenger with a ticket ... and I hadn't paid for that! Young folk hopped on and off without an Oyster Card amongst them.
From the Elephant and all through Peckham is one long Souk. The shops no longer trust to the very tempting plate glass windows but are open to the street with shutters as security. All manner of exotic fruit and veg., amazing fish shops and more national costumes than you'll find in my Waverley's Childrens' Encyclopaedia.
The PICTURE Gallery was a different Kettle of Turbot altogether. Leafy suburb; posh tea room (Cappuccino and carrot cake nearly seven quid!!), groups of well-heeled ladies - the more mature having come out quite well on their businessmen husbands'Life Policies, and a younger set who take coffee while foreign nationals sweep, wipe and keep an eye on the kids. I'll tell you how posh Dulwich is. They have a 'Samson and Delilah'by Sir Anthony v. Dyke and Delilah isn't cutting the hair herself -she has a bloke to do it for her . . . that's how posh Dulwich is.