June 13, 2000 (cont.)
Well, lost my tour guide of London in Westminster Abbey. Sorry N__! (she gave it to me) I suppose there could be less-historic places to loose it.
Found the boat tour of the Thames, so I'm taking my Dorritos & diet coke out on the front deck to enjoy the sun and some time off my feet. Sites will include Cleopatra's needle, OXO tower, St. Paul's and others. Too bumpy to write, though, so you'll have to rely on the pictures & my memory.
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Boat tour was grand. Sat beside this cute English couple from Vero Beach area of California. I'm at The Tower now, hoping to get in for a tour, but it's 3:00 now. Went past the Globe, but I'm not sure if I'll have the time to get over there today. Maybe in time for a late tea?
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Wow! What a whirlwind day after I left the boat. I'll say it again & again how I love this town and the people in it.
I got off the boat & headed up toward the tower for the tour there. I figured I could get in the Tower, then rush over to look inside the Globe (however, that seems less interesting than ever since I found out it's a replica and not the original). But plans never go as expected and a detour can often be for the better.
I'm constantly amused at how the natives around here seem to think I know more than they do about their city and country. I don't, but I just must talk an awful lot about the things I do know.
Na___ & I realized we were running out of time to see the jewels, so we rushed through the armory. But there was only so much rushing we could do when passing by such exquisite pieces of workmanship. The etching on some of the ceremonial armor is fantabulous, the horse armor is interesting, and Henry VIII's armor is awe-some.
We finally got to the crown jewels - thankfully before they closed, but we were chased out toward the end of the tour.
I'd spoken to K__ T__ about her adventures in London before I left and she had advised well when she told me that [The Tower] really is incredible and not just a tourist trap. I have spent a lot of money in this town, but every moment has been worth it. I'm glad that I'm not really on a budget, though.
Na___ & I stood through the videos leading up to the jewels - we saw Elizabeth II get crowned several times, we saw her use the various jeweled items in events of state, and the large diamonds/sapphires were pointed out for our benefit. I must say that I've never seen so many diamonds in one place. Lloyd's of London must have realized what a risk they'd undertaken and pulled out, because the jewels are currently uninsured. I imagine the Tower of London would be a pretty safe place to keep the crown jewels. But maybe retrieving the crown jewels will be a James Bond film one day.
Toward the end of the tour, a young man named W___ caught up with us. We were all marvelling over this golden rosewater fountain with several figurines sculpted around the central part. We determined one was Poseidon and one Jupiter, but I couldn't figure out whether that others' were Athena/Venus or someone else. Na___ had to meet up with some friends for an evening pub crawl, but I got her number and promised to call her for dinner tomorrow. We'll have to do a real pub, because I have yet to get in one for food and a bitter. I have yet to eat fish & chips for that matter - it's been all baguette sandwiches with cucumbers & mayonnaise. I'll never forget cucumbers after this trip, I'll bet. But I'm still down to two meals a day. I have yet to need or desire a proper lunch. I've been too busy.
<< pictures of London Bridge>>
So then it was W__ & myself. Ended up finishing through the evening ventures with him & he was a great help. Cute, too, which never hurts. Turns out he's an actor with his day job as a tour guide on those double-decker red buses. He'd had off the second half of his day to research for the tour job on city history, so I told him a bit about the Icenic revolt of Boudica and how she razed London, killing 20,000 to repay Rome for its abuse of her tribe and the rapes of her daughters.
I told him I was wanting to get over to see the Globe, so he pulled out his theater listings. It showed Hamlet playing there tonight. Then he flipped through to another outdoor theater at Regent's park where they were playing Midsummer Night's Dream. He agreed to go out to the play, so we ran off (literally) to go buy tickets before the half-price ticket booth in Lilchester Square (between Picadilly Circut & the National Gallery) closed.Must say I was panting once we got there, but it was worth it to save 11L. He used to live in Florida near Tampa, so we chatted about the U.S. vs. U.K. in many things - movies, work, approach to life, etc. He had a more interesting comparison than the man from the airplane over. W__ said he thought that the English are taught more to obey when they are growing up and that Americans are taught more to question. I still have to mull that one over a bit, because I guess I haven't seen a whole lot of the 'obey' side of the English.
We had a lovely tea at the square there, though it was as much dinner as tea, being late as it was. Passed the Shakespeare & Charlie Chaplin statues.
Then went through Regent's Park, which had some beautiful folliage & rose gardens. There were some interesting statues carved out of stone - elephant, horse, child in chains. Then we passed by lots of lovers setting between bushes and gazing longingly into one-another's eyes. There was an old couple (60s or so) full on making out on the grass between a couple of bushes. That is certainly the way to be - don't let your age ever hold you back from the beauties of the world.
The outdoor theater was a fairytale setting, itself. The theater-style seating was arranged in a wooded area with little tufts of white fluff floating around the place. The bar served real alcohol beverages - wine, beer, etc. - in addition to non-alcoholic drinks. Much of the lighting was done by strings of Christmas lights, which looked like fireflies. the stage itself was basically a raised platform with a staircase on one side of the stage and an archway on the other. I was very impressed with the acting, the interpretation, and the lighting. It was a more modern interpretation - 1920s-ish, which is the same time as a recent movie that came out last year staring Kevin Kline & Michelle Phiffer. This one was much better. Sometimes when Shakespeare is done on film it lacks the depth which a live performance can possess. I think this is one of those cases.
We walked back through the park and parted ways at the Tube. I can't help but think of how much he reminds me of another theater guy I know - G___ M___. Taller ad more English rather than Jewish, but similar mannerisms and way they carry themselves. W__'s 25, but I swear I thought he was younger. Said he'll be 26 in two weeks. Would have sworn he'd be 20-ish, but guessed older when he said he got his M.A. in Florida.
I told him I was wanting to get over to see the Globe, so he pulled out his theater listings. It showed Hamlet playing there tonight. Then he flipped through to another outdoor theater at Regent's park where they were playing Midsummer Night's Dream. He agreed to go out to the play, so we ran off (literally) to go buy tickets before the half-price ticket booth in Lilchester Square (between Picadilly Circut & the National Gallery) closed.Must say I was panting once we got there, but it was worth it to save 11L. He used to live in Florida near Tampa, so we chatted about the U.S. vs. U.K. in many things - movies, work, approach to life, etc. He had a more interesting comparison than the man from the airplane over. W__ said he thought that the English are taught more to obey when they are growing up and that Americans are taught more to question. I still have to mull that one over a bit, because I guess I haven't seen a whole lot of the 'obey' side of the English.
We had a lovely tea at the square there, though it was as much dinner as tea, being late as it was. Passed the Shakespeare & Charlie Chaplin statues.
Then went through Regent's Park, which had some beautiful folliage & rose gardens. There were some interesting statues carved out of stone - elephant, horse, child in chains. Then we passed by lots of lovers setting between bushes and gazing longingly into one-another's eyes. There was an old couple (60s or so) full on making out on the grass between a couple of bushes. That is certainly the way to be - don't let your age ever hold you back from the beauties of the world.
The outdoor theater was a fairytale setting, itself. The theater-style seating was arranged in a wooded area with little tufts of white fluff floating around the place. The bar served real alcohol beverages - wine, beer, etc. - in addition to non-alcoholic drinks. Much of the lighting was done by strings of Christmas lights, which looked like fireflies. the stage itself was basically a raised platform with a staircase on one side of the stage and an archway on the other. I was very impressed with the acting, the interpretation, and the lighting. It was a more modern interpretation - 1920s-ish, which is the same time as a recent movie that came out last year staring Kevin Kline & Michelle Phiffer. This one was much better. Sometimes when Shakespeare is done on film it lacks the depth which a live performance can possess. I think this is one of those cases.
We walked back through the park and parted ways at the Tube. I can't help but think of how much he reminds me of another theater guy I know - G___ M___. Taller ad more English rather than Jewish, but similar mannerisms and way they carry themselves. W__'s 25, but I swear I thought he was younger. Said he'll be 26 in two weeks. Would have sworn he'd be 20-ish, but guessed older when he said he got his M.A. in Florida.
Well, the one bag is back, as is my camera. No extra film, though - that's in the other bag. I'll call again over to Virgin in the a.m. to see if they've found the second bag. I've finished almost three disposable cameras thus far. Thank heavens for the Americanization of the world so that I can continue my touring virtually unimpeded. However, I've still managed to avoid the Burger King.
Damn, it's after 1am and I've got another big day tomorrow - wax museum, St. Paul's, Richmond Park (if I'm lucky). Also need to drop back by the tower for their official guide book.
Damn, it's after 1am and I've got another big day tomorrow - wax museum, St. Paul's, Richmond Park (if I'm lucky). Also need to drop back by the tower for their official guide book.
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It's late at night. I should be sleeping, but I just keep thinking.
The English here keep telling me their observations about Americans, but I haven't had any opinions to share with them on how we differ.
I was thinking just now, though. I see the English who have passion that is bursting at the edges to be released, but most don't know how to let go to express it. They are enchanted by Americans because we are open with our passions - that difference draws our cultures together like magnets, though its effect can also keep us apart at times. But I think this is just the face both cultures keep up. In reality, we're all just children putting up a false-face to hide our insecurities.
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