A play in London April 26, 2012

Thursday

I went to breakfast late but will try to avoid that in future. It was too busy then. Will aim for 7:00 tomorrow.

Have a lot lined up for the rest of the day but am looking forward to resting my tired feet at the Barbican Theatre where I had a pre-booked ticket for a play called Big and Small (Gross und Klein). I got there on the Tube. 

Barbican Theatre - inside & outside. 

While waiting in the lobby I had a bottle of 'English apple' juice which sounds better than plain old apple juice, and saw some interesting outfits.

Great seat!

I was the first one in the theatre! My seat was fantastic, 4 or 5 rows back with stage slightly below eye level, completely clear view.

Cate Blachett did the first segment entirely on her own, then others joined. I don't really know what the play was about but it was fascinating to see her act. She has a strong, slightly husky voice. Very expressive face. The play wasn't without a few raunchy bits. I probably gasped aloud when the father's shorts fell to the ground!

Anyway, it was quite an experience. Never seen anything like it. It went on for nearly 3 hours, intermission included.

Afterwards I went to the Barbican Library - in blasting wind. They have newspapers only up to a week old. I was told that I needed to go to the Guildhall Library. Got there 2 minutes after they closed. I was looking for an obit for someone in the family - the man who so kindly wrote about grandma's family and about ancestry research. So, I'll have to zip out there first thing in the morning before heading to Greenwich.

I don't recall why I stopped in at Liverpool Street station. Most likely it was to find out about plans for Saturday's train trip from London to Aylesbury. I would head off around midday Saturday. There was no need to prebook this particular trip - the price would be the same either way. From Aylesbury I could probably get to Winslow by bus. Evenings should be more relaxed once I get there.

 Snazzy post.

More modern buildings. 

While in the area, I walked over to St. Paul's Cathedral,
which is quite grand.  

 View from front steps of St. Paul's Cathedral.

Well I'll be - I'm on Fleet Street. 

There seemed to be a lot of business people and tourists in this northeast section of the city.

I walked too far before getting on the Tube. Got my Oyster card topped up - getting the hang of figuring out the system on the fly. I had to transfer on it both ways today.

Luckily the Italian restaurant in the nearby mall was open so supper was decent - chicken in wine sauce, green beans and roast potatoes. I like it there. Realizing I haven't had chocolate in days.

A friend had given me lavender cream for my feet, which is always nice to put on at the end of the day.

A walk through London April 25, 2012 - Part 3

I found out I could take the train back to London, except it went to Waterloo Station which is a fair distance from my hotel. Maybe there was a closer stop I didn't know about. Used handy Oyster card again. 

I was on the wrong side of the river and had to cross. The Hungerford Footbridge perhaps?  

I didn't have my bearings, so on the other side I stopped in at a store to ask directions. The clerk advised against walking all the way to Bayswater as it was quite far. Once I got semi-oriented, I walked by the London Eye and with so many interesting sights around, I just kept going.  

A sign said 'Welcome to Whitehall Gardens', 'City of Westminster'. A lovely spot.

'Per ardua ad astra'. (Through adversity to the stars). This was a little 'Glenn moment' because it was something he sometimes said. 

It was fun to be in this classic-looking part of London. 

Eventually I got to ... St. James's Park, I'm guessing. 

There was a lot of birdlife, including nesting swans and coots.

And then, all of a sudden, there was Buckingham Palace! Also - The Mall where you see all the processions, and English people waving their flags on TV. (On that note, I've noticed very few flags around. Very different from the States in that way.)

Over 250,000 daffodils bloom here. (These aren't daffodils though - they must have bloomed earlier.)

Canada Gate, installed in 1908 at Green Park, right next door.

Interesting pink pavement.

I got going in the wrong direction because there was no way to cross the road due to construction. I was annoyed for a moment but then figured I was probably going this way for a reason. And there it was - I was right at the place where the Bomber Command memorial was being built. Most of it wasn't visible since it was not to be unveiled until June. I just wanted to see where it was. A neighbour had wanted me to leave flowers for her brother but of course that wasn't possible. 

I hoofed it through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. This sculpture is called 'Physical Energy'.

I'd done a lot of walking in one day and my feet were very sore. Back in my room, the sun was setting and I was thinking about Glenn. I looked out the window to see a big rainbow.

Hampton Court Palace April 25, 2012 - Part 2

I bought my ticket for Hampton Court Palace online at home. £14.40. 

There were two reasons I wanted to visit this place, outside and inside.

1. There is a maze.
2. Out of curiosity, because of an obscure, not-blood-related family connection to someone who lived there.

In the 18th century King George III abandoned this palace as a royal residence. A little background from the net:  Eventually the palace was sub-divided into apartments of varying sizes. Initially 53 homes were created that were known as 'Grace and Favour' residences. The apartments and houses were allocated by the Lord Chamberlain to individuals who had served the monarchy or their country in recognition of their dedicated service.

Living in one was a Lady Torrens. Who was she? I don't really know but for some reason the sister of my grandmother's uncle's wife was visiting/staying with her, not here but elsewhere. How they knew one another is something I will probably never know. (I just learned that Lady Torrens had a monument for her husband erected in St. Paul's Cathedral.)

On a better day and with more time, it would have been nice to have taken a Thames riverboat. I arrived by bus though, which stops very close to the palace entrance. Across the street (above right) is a hotel.

There is the palace but I will go in later.

The grounds are vast with wild and manicured garden areas. Finally I spied a sign that pointed to the right for the maze.

The path within the maze is apparently half a mile long. Umbrellas don't work well in the narrow space.

Two women from Chicago were lost in there so they followed me. Ha! As if I knew where to go. But I knew there was a 'trick' to the maze so whatever I did worked.

I did the audio tour inside the palace but kept wandering off course when I saw something interesting. I liked it there better than I thought I would.

King Henry VIII lived here too.

Henry VIII trivia from the net:
When he died in 1547 Henry VIII had more than 60 houses, but - in the second half of his reign - none were more important to him, nor more sumptuously decorated, than Hampton Court Palace. In just ten years Henry VIII spent more than £62,000 rebuilding and extending Hampton Court. This vast sum would be worth approximately £18 million today. (Or over $28 million Canadian.) 

It's still raining outside.

Interesting that the Tudor brick chimneys are all in different styles.

According to a website, this is a portrait of Queen Maria, the second wife of
James II.

Astrological clock at Anne Boleyn's Gate.

All of King Henry VIII's wives were in this castle.

Looking toward the Great Gatehouse.

A firepit in the middle of the floor? You can just imagine the chicken bones being tossed around in this room.

Paper torture devices.

Still raining.

Now I had to figure out how to get back to London. At the train station was an outdoor kiosk selling coffee and a grand assortment of baked goods. Food is never far away in England. Their plumbing may not be as good as ours, but I think the English excel with refreshments. Even in the most out-of-the way places, there is often a tea room or cafe.