Tube fire chaos

Very tired today and still busy.

My return home was terribly delayed as South Ken Station was cordoned by the police and shut. There were police, fire brigade and ambulance vehicles around. People were told to go to the nearest station, that is Gloucester Road. For me, with a bad leg it was not a welcome option so I went for a coffee at an unknown to me venue. The coffee was not cheap and not great, but at least I was sheltered from ferocious rain and could explore the place a bit. Unfortunately, when I returned to the station it was still closed and I had no choice but walk like one Doctor Foster in a nursery rhyme....

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Let me add the pictures now in chronological order:

That was taken from under the tree in pouring rain when I was crossing Ealing Common to catch the tube to South Kensington.

 Having got off the train I heard carol singing, first time this year! These ladies were performing for rushing commuters:

 It wasn't raining when I emerged and I couldn't forgo taking a picture of this scene. However, I had to dash to work to assist my colleague at the little Octavia shop in Bute Street, right in the heart of the 'French colony' in London!

Passing by colourful Janet's Bar I had no slightest idea that I would be sitting there later in the day...

 The first book I noticed was a cookery book which can be inspirational for patriotic Poles before the coming up Independence Day (please refer to my yesterday post).:-)

Then there was a Cinderella-size shoe with an impressive fish embellishing it:

 I am still not sure if that was a Barbie's handbag or a pendant. Help me if you please!!!;-)

An inquisitive senior citizen discovered this book for me when searching for a good read in French:

This prompted me to look at other old volumes on the bookcase:

 When it was time for me to leave the shop, I had to put on a rain proof poncho sitting on the bottom of my backpack for well over a fortnight. It came in handy.

What bad luck! The station was closed due to a small fire underground that had been put out ten minutes before as I learnt from the policeman.

Well, going to Gloucester Road Station wasn't a particularly appealing option in such a dreadful weather to which my knee joint seems to be 'allergic'. Hence I stopped for a coffee at the place I photographed in the morning. I could only get black coffee with hot milk, not an espresso, a pretty black haired girl behind the counter told me. I didn't mind, as long as it was hot. I just wanted to sit down and rest there having found a sit in the corner immediately beside a working heater! It turned out the coffee came with a choice of either a flapjack or two cornflakes biscuits which was just as well at 3.50 the deal! Indecisive, I asked the girl which bickie to go for and she recommended the cornflakes ones as they had some chocolate. It was a good choice and I'd like to stress that I didn't put any sugar in my beverage satisfied with the sweet snack!

After the coffee stop and checking that the station was still non-operational, I headed for Gloucester Road Station. I haven't walked that way for a good while and was tempted to cross the road and look at Christie's, but I resisted and took an artistic picture of a butcher's window:

There was another window and then I went past the hotel I stayed in one summer.

Royal Society of Sculptors was next on my route:

Nearer to the station the streets were getting busier. I noticed a small child carried by an adult was barefoot in this weather:

 The little side street was completely empty:

I noticed some cat-themed books in the window of the Slightly Foxed bookshop on the corner:

It wouldn't have been difficult to spend a long time looking at the books inside, but there were things to do at home.

And what happened next? There were disruptions and delays and finally I made it home extremely late and rather tired.
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However, I received two nice pictures from my fantastic artist- friend, Yousif Naser and I shall add them here soon as I've been given his permission!
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Good night for now!