Sunday, December 16, 2007

Just another day in Hampstead

Ric and I had a great Hampstead day today. After sleeping in, we got up to clean the outside of the house (pulling up dead plants out of the pots, sweeping the front and back porch, a little eggs and toast for late breakfast, etc). The highlight of the day, however, was walking down to Spaniard's Inn, which is about 15-20 minutes down the road, and is one of the oldest pubs in town (dating from the early 1700's). If you read the chalkboard right inside the door, you'll find out that two famous books include Spaniard's ... one by Dickens and Bram Stoker's Dracula. And people used to hide out there when London was suffering from the plague.

We enjoyed a few glasses of Guinness and then a mulled wine. After bundling up and walking to our other favorite pub, the Holly Bush, we enjoyed another couple glasses of mulled wine, which I highly recommend. It's like warm wine with spices, something sweet, and a lemon in the glass.

As we're walking out we hear music and walk around the corner to find a neighborhood group of people singing Christmas carols. Complete with horns and trumpets. What a perfect way to end the evening, and so very English village!

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