5/1/10

Saturday we woke for an even bigger English breakfast complete with baked beans, cereal, eggs, pancakes, bacon, toast, tea, and OJ. It was delicious and super duper filling. It is just so nice to sit down to breakfast in this beautiful and light little kitchen that Albert built for his wife and look out into the backyard at the trees and flowers and watch the commuter train go buy. The sky was just beaut-

iful this morning. Blue with just little puffs of clouds painted across. Just lovely. Scott and I stuffed ourselves and took our time getting ready. Albert and his buddy Ray suggested that we head to

Waterloo today and take a boat down the Thames. We headed out to that part of London. We knew

there would be much to see in that area. All the really iconic "London" stuff like the eye and Big Ben,

the houses of Parliament, and Trafalgar Square. I was not expecting to do SO much in one day but

at the same time, it felt very easy and relaxing to just go and do it all!

We got off the tube at Waterloo and right outside the exit we found the Royal Festival Hall. For

me I thought, sweet, a nice free toilet. For Scott he thought sweet, a nice free place for me to wait for

Michelle to use the toilet and BONUS its a performance hall. Don't get me wrong, I was excited to

see this fancy royal music hall but I really needed to use the loo. Anywho, we get inside and realize

there is a choir festival going on. They were holding auditions for small ensembles to sing and give

concerts in the elevators, there is a rehearsal tomorrow for anyone who wants to join this insta-choir

and sing some Mahler, there was a concert for the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, etc.

Scott bought tickets for 9 pounds for that evening!

After crossing the Hungerford bridge we hit up Trafalgar Square. As a side note, there was this black guy 

playing the bongo drums on the bridge and not very well. He had dreads and this like flowing African

looking shirt on. It was like he said to himself, maybe if I look more legit and still play crappy, people will 

give me more money. Well Mr. Jimbe/ Bongo man, I'm not impressed. Get some really sweet drum skills, 

impress me, and then I'll give you money. Anyway, back to the bridge... It was a beautiful afternoon.

I wished I had my swimsuit to jump in the fountains though I don't think the Met (London's Police force)

would have appreciated that very much. :) I also enjoyed the gold woman, the tin man, and the rusted 

copper man. Growing up near SF I think I've probably seen every kind of street performer. The only unique 

"performer" I've seen is the Naked Cowboy in New York and he is hardly a performer. This rusted copper man

cool though. He took the whole metal statue thing to a new level by using paint the color of the Statue of Liberty

in conjunction with copper paint. I found his interpretation artistic even. Now, if I could see him do something

really impressive, I could see myself paying him money. Just dressing cool is not enough. I mean, shoot

I dress cool every day and nobody pays to take pictures with me...except in China but that's just because I 

have red hair. So, I walk up to the rusted copper man and ask him if he knows how to tap dance. If he busted

out a time step I would give him money for sure. He asked, "what is tap dancing?" So I showed him a move

and he said "no". I said, "well, work on that and when you can dance for me, I'll give you some money". :) How's 

for demanding satisfaction! ha. Anywho...Scott and I sat on the fountains and took in the view.

People watching is such fun. I looked straight ahead and saw the Canadian Embassy, to my left was

the National Gallery, to my right was Trafalgar Square and all it's glory. Sun shone down on us and I

wished I had a blanket for a picnic. Could you imagine. Two tourists sitting down in the middle of this

busy square for a picnic. I'd like a picture of that. Maybe sometime in the next 6 weeks we'll do it.

As you can imagine, our next stop was the National Gallery. There we saw some amazing paintings.

I watched as mothers pointed to works of Van Gogh, Monet, Seurat, Degas, Turner, Rubens, and Renoir

just to name a few. They were explaining the importance of these artists to their 7 and 8 year old children.

Some seemed disinterested and others seemed enthralled. I loved looking at this little girl admiring the

work of Renoir, At the Theatre. She seemed connected to the piece. So connected that she was

explaining the piece to her parents. It was adorable. I was most excited to see the Degas paintings. I

love how soft his paintings are and I also love that he loved dancers :) . I could write a whole separate

blog about viewing these paintings!

Our next venture was down Whitehall/ Parliament Street. Scott was really excited about the old war

office. I saw a bunch of people gathered in this courtyard across the street and naturally I wanted to see

what all the fuss was about. Scott and I made our way over. Turns out this was the Horse Guard's Parade

and some royal horse museum. Essentially, a really cool courtyard just down the pond from Buckingham

Palace. Again, with my girlish fantasies, I imagined wearing a huge gown and crown and all that sort of

thing riding side saddle in glass slippers. I do wish I were a princess sometimes. :) At least Scott still

treats me like I am.

We headed down the road to Westminster Abbey. By this time it was about 5:00 on the nose and the

abbey was closing for evensong and worship of God. I said to the guard, who was shewing away all the

tourists, "isn't it evensong? We want to attend." and tahdah, he let us in. Others followed suit. We listened

and enjoyed the 45 minute service. I was impressed by the building and the all male choir. Boys and men

singing all the traditional mass music. It was lovely and even a spiritual experience. I just love the Magnificat

and Nunc Dimitis. Especially after singing two versions of these texts in Concert Choir this year. My favorite

line is "world without end, amen". Hearing that line ring through the abbey was so moving.

At about this time we headed out for our concert at the Royal Festival Hall. It was POURING rain.  

P. o. u. r. i. n. g. By the time we got to the hall, my shoes and socks were soaked. I had a moment of classlessness

as I took off my shoes and socks right there in the hall and set them out to dry. Scott is not ashamed to be with

me but, I think I embarassed him this time. Ha. He hid my things under the table. We sat down for about an

hour to warm up with hot coco and cakes. Beet root cake was our favorite. Then it was time for the concert!

We had the cheap seats but the concert hall was well designed (unlike the toilets with the door to the changing room

ramming into the door to the actual toilets) and we had a lovely view! Schweet. I'm glad we didn't spring for the

more expensive seats. The orchestra played brilliantly and with so much heart. We heard "Foust Overature" by

Vagner, Brahms "Alto Rhapsody", and "Foust Symphony" by List. Can you believe our day? Great music and

art...INCREDIBLE! I'm so very blessed to have these enriching experiences. They deepen my understanding

of history and culture and allow me to connect experience with knowledge.  Then I have a new context for interpreting current in future experience.  Ok, let me remove the jargon...I've studied all this cool culturally enriching stuff, now I'm seeing it and experiencing it, I can see even more and learn even more, and take use that when I learn other cool stuff.  Put simply, I love this stuff.