Alexandra Palace

Alexandra Palace is at the top of Ross’s road. Ross’s street is called The Avenue – such a quintessential English name. I remember reading a series of novels years ago about the lives of a group of neighbours in a street called The Avenue.
Ally Pally, as it is called by the locals, is in parts in a sad state of disrepair. It was the place from which high definition TV was first broadcast. It has an ice rink at one end, a pub out onto a terrace at the other and burnt out, unrepaired bits in between. The views over London are amazing with rows of terraced houses laid out before you like spokes on a wheel. The park around the palace is lovely – with a big duck pond at one end near a children’s playground. It also has a huge skate park, which keeps the skaters off the path in the rest of the pack.
There was a fair at the park. E&K begged to be allowed to go, so we took them there on Saturday afternoon. The fair was rather tired and dirty but the girls didn’t notice. Ross challenged Alastair to a game of knocking over cans – it’s strange how when these two get together they’re like they’re 10 and eight again and everything is a competition. The girls had a ride on a lame roller coaster, but they thought it was fantastic, and a jump in a jumping castle.
Carlene