Set up a busy birthday day by starting with a tour of the barristers inns of court. The inns originally started as places for students to study and live but have evolved to more complex self governing associations for barristers, I.e. Lawyers who appear in court.

We toured with Context Travel docent William Underhill who is admitted as a barrister but did not practice law. We met at Middle Temple right near the Thames River.

The dining hall of Middle Temple below.

In the background, Fountain Court chambers or the equivalnent of a law firm of barristers:

Temple Church featured in Da Vinci’s Code:

The backside of the Royal Courts of Justice, where we sat in to watch an appeal for a short while;

Above, part of Lincoln’s Inn.

Above, the gardens of Gray’s Inn, Below, the dining hall of Gray’s Inn, where we had lunch:

From there, we went to a National Gallery exhibition about the art dealer whose efforts promoted, sustained and created a buying interest in the Impressionists:

Also checked out some of my favourites:

Stopped for a drink at the Ritz before dinner:

Dinner at Cafe Murano, the more casual restaurant of Angela Harnett, a Gordon Ramsay protegee:

octopus antipasto:

sausage ragu:

mushroom garlic tortelini above:

duck below:

chocolate almond semifreddo: