Big Day Out

Leo and I had a big day out today, and lots and lots of fun. We went into the "office" this afternoon. This involved a nice walk into the West End and then a happy time saying hello to everyone. I've been in before, but I was a lot smaller then, and everyone kept saying how much I'd grown. The biggest thing was a new party trick I have with Leo, where he walks under my belly, without ducking!

Here I am relaxing on the shiny floor. I was supposed to help with a bit of office administration, but I ate this box instead.

The other thing I love about the office is the shiny, slippery floor. We stayed a bit late and everyone had gone home, so Leo and I ran up and down the shiny floor, slipping and sliding. Apart from my immediate friends, there was one person left in the office. And so I ran in and visited him! He is very nice and has white boards in his office, which I found quite impressive.

Here I am coming back from his office, playing "Britain's Next Top Model" (practising for Crufts).

It also meant that Leo and I had a chance to pop over to Lincoln's Inn Fields for an afternoon stroll (twice in fact!). Lots of people wanted to know what I was and they were very amazed when they heard I wasn't even 6 months old yet. We said hello to a very lovely little West Highland Terrier called Max. And then we said hello to a Golden Retriever but he rather surprisingly growled and jumped at Leo, so we left without catching his name. I was standing well back as usual (I like little dogs best).

After a while we decided we would all go somewhere for an after work meal. We used to go to Hercules Pillars in Great Queen Street and we used to tell all our friends about it because it was dog friendly. But they have now put a sign outside saying "No Dogs Allowed". Can you believe it? This was the pub where I had my first social meal and I have met lots of lovely people in there (including a man who used to breed Kerry Blue Terriers). One man was so happy to hear I was an Otterhound. He said he thought we had become extinct. Most certainly not! But now that they are dog unfriendly I am very sad. It was the best thing about that pub and all my friends used to go there in support of that friendliness. What is an English pub without dogs???

So, with our former regular now "off our list" we decided to walk in the other direction, and we met a nice couple outside the Citte of Yorke, and they said there was a dog friendly pub somewhere near St Paul's Cathedral. They have a Border Terrier (although she wasn't there) and they were really nice to me. I got lots of pats. Then a Spaniel across the street said hello and I was so excited I bayed. This had quite an impact on the people walking home from work!

Anyway, I have never been to St Paul's so I was very excited. So we walked to St Paul's. Here I am sitting on the steps of this magnificent building. It really was a splendid place. And there were lots of wonderful breezes that filled my nose. I really loved it.

From there we went across a funny bridge called the Millennium Bridge. It is made just for walking, but it makes the funniest sounds when you walk on it. At first I wasn't so sure of it, but Leo was so relaxed and happy I figured it had to be ok. The most exciting part was standing on the bridge, catching the breezes and looking at the water, especially the boats. It was really amazing, I've never seen anything like it.

Here we are (Leo and me) standing on the Millennium Bridge with Tate Modern in the background. Isn't it wonderful? Apparently Tate Modern is the world's largest gallery of modern art. What a fabulous thing it is.

Outside Tate Modern an Irish couple asked what I was. They seemed very pleased to hear I am an Otterhound. And I think they liked my name too.

Tate Modern also has these wonderful silver trees. Apparently they are called Silver Birch and there is a story behind the ones at Tate Modern. They smelt very wonderful and I just couldn't contain my excitement at walking in amongst them. Leo thought they were pretty good too. Maybe it was the fertiliser? Anyway, here I am pretending to "track" through the "Tate" forest.

We also got to walk out on a pier to look at the river. A goose honked at me - so entertaining! And I simply can't get enough of the sound of lapping water. I stared and stared.

We walked a bit further and went to the National Film Theatre where we decided to have some dinner. Unfortunately I don't think I'm allowed in to watch a film, but they did let us sit at the outside tables of the restaurant. Personally, I like this best, as I can watch everyone going past. So we had some dinner and admired the views.

After dinner we walked to the foot bridge to cross the river, but on the way we came across a large group of boys playing on skateboards and falling off a lot. Apparently this is a regular thing but it was the first time I'd ever seen such a thing and I don't mind telling you I found it rather scary. But again, Leo was very brave and unruffled so I followed his lead. He is so amazing, I really want to grow up to be as courageous and wise as Leo. But I don't like skateboarders! Although they do fall off a lot, which secretly was vindicating.

We also passed a man playing on steel. These are called steel pans. I really found the noise quite surprising and unusual, and he stopped when he thought I was scared. But I wasn't scared, I was just interested, really! I am quite intrigued by music. In fact, just after we crossed the bridge, on the other side we came across another band. There was a lot of music in London tonight! A train passed me when we were on the bridge too. I haven't seen a train before. This was such a big day out!

The last exciting thing was that instead of walking home we caught a London black cab. This was really very fun because, although I've been in taxis before, this one had a television! Here I am watching television in a taxi!

London black cabs are wonderful things. They all look so smiley, they are really easy to get into, and they are perfect for two dogs to lie down and relax in on the way home. And the drivers are better than Google maps. They have to study all the streets and they know everywhere

we need to go. It is called "the Knowledge". I love London black cabs.

Just between you and me, though, the first time I went in a taxi I got a little sick. But the taxi driver was so kind, he didn't make me feel embarrassed at all. And of course we cleaned it up with a few tissues and hand wipes. So no harm done!

Anyway, now I am getting very grown up, so this time I admired the view as we whizzed through London. Here I am looking in a shop window. Aren't my eyebrows getting groovy looking? I look like a politician.

Well, now I am a bit tired, so I'm snoozing ... and dreaming about my next very exciting big day out.