Although we were to bed early, we managed to sleep until 7, getting up and showering. I woke about every 2 hours. Our rooms are tiny and the tub/shower is small and deep. The view from our window is the dirty bricks of the backs of other buildings. (I woke with no voice – laryngitis)
Sean gave Brenda and I a personal talk on what tube lines to take to the sites we want to see (the London Eye, Tower, etc). Took tube to Westminster, walked over Thames [via the Westminster Bridge] to London Eye (long lines). We paid £4 for a day pass on the tube – Best Bargain.
[ The London Eye next to the Aquarium. What an adventure, viewing that part of London from high above the Thames River. We were able to see the ‘changing of the guard’ at Buckingham Palace.]
 |
| BIG BEN |
We visited the aquarium after getting off the ‘Eye, ‘ taking many pictures of sharks, eels, stingrays, etc. Talked with a family from Sweden.
Dali Exhibit in front of Aquarium.
Then past Parliament to Westminster Abbey (Brenda went in and I waited for her). While Brenda was in Westminster, a ‘Media March’ came by – up Victoria Street. We saw them again at Trafalgar Square [later in the day]. Also running up and down the streets were a motorized sofa (complete w/lamp) and a motorized bed. They zipped by so fast we couldn’t get pictures. I went inside St Margaret’s Church (beautiful stained glass, gravestones mounted on the walls.
Westminister Abbey
 |
| Media march |
 |
| St Margaret's stained glass window. |
A quick walk past St James Park to Buckingham Palace. (Pictures of Diane’s Walk) The guards changed at 11 am while we were riding the ‘Eye,’ but we got pictures of the guards.
 |
| St James Walk |
 |
| Diana's Walk |
 | | | | |
|
| Guard at Buckingham |
From there we walked to Trafalgar Square.
[There were large lion statues around the middle – Nelson’s Column, seen in center of photo above. I had been taking pictures of lions and these I added to my photo collection.]
 |
| Note: this was in 2001, but notice the 'Put SADDAM on Trial Now' sign. |
|
|
From Trafalgar we went to Charing Cross station and took the ‘tube’ to Tower Hill. We took pictures of the Tower of London and walked across Tower Bridge. It was too late to tour the Tower so I ate fish & chips while Brenda shopped in the souvenir shop. (At the aquarium we had bought tickets to a play, ‘Notre Dame de Paris’ which started at 7:45pm, so we had to get back to the hotel and freshen up before we headed out to Covent Gardens area.)
 |
| Tower Bridge |
 |
| Brenda with Beefeater Guard |
 |
| Tower of London |
We took the ‘tube’ to Leicester Square and walked up Charing Cross Rd to the Dominion Theatre on Tottenham Court Rd. The walk was crowded and busy as many people were headed out to plays and dinner. When we saw the theatre we still had 20 minutes so we ducked into a lingerie shop where Brenda bought a cute purple number, skimpy with black fringe. (She’s young and in love.)
The play, a musical, was very good. See the enclosed brochure for info. The highlights were the dancers ringing the bells, the dead girls dancing, and the wonder voices of the priest and the poet. I should have bought a program – they cost £3.
[It is based upon the novel Notre Dame de Paris by the French novelist Victor Hugo. The music was composed by Riccardo Cocciante (also known as Richard Cocciante) and the lyrics are by Luc Plamondon.
The play, a musical, was very good. See the enclosed brochure for info. The highlights were the dancers ringing the bells, the dead girls dancing, and the wonder voices of the priest and the poet. I should have bought a program – they cost £3.
Original London Cast
• Tina Arena : Esmeralda
• Garou : Quasimodo
• Daniel Lavoie : Frollo
• Bruno Pelletier : Gringoire
• Steve Balsamo : Phoebus
• Luck Mervil : Clopin
• Natasha St-Pier : Fleur-de-Lys
Female artists who later assumed the role of Esmeralda include American vocalist Patti Russo and Australian singer Dannii Minogue -this was the Esmeralda we saw.]
We got the ‘tube’ right across from the theatre, climbed down steep stairs, and went one stop where we caught another line (Picadilly) back to Earl’s Court. All the ‘tubes’ were packed all evening – standing room only. Brenda was tired and cross and went right to bed. I came down to the lobby to write this. Now I’m off to bed. (12:10am)
No comments:
Post a Comment