LONDON

September 6, 2012

Tonight I listened to Mozart’s Requiem in St. Martin’s in the Fields just off Trafalgar Square.  Exquisite.  Sitting in the balcony I met a jurist for a tribunal attached to hear cases under the Secretary of State, who ordinarily sings in the choir with her husband.

 

Today I traveled in the morning by the hop on bus over the west end of London seeing the sights and exiting at Trafalgar Square where I visited the National Galleries and then the National Portrait Gallery (including everyone from Henry VIII to Helen Mirren and Paul McCartney).  A good chance to try once more to learn my kings and queens of England.  Lunch in the Galleries (which actually was large enough sandwich to last me through dinner).  Late afternoon and dinnertime was spent on a boat (not a ship) floating down the Thames to see the sights.  Lottsa pictures.

Yesterday, after traveling by rail to London with Matt and Andrea I arrived at my hotel and then took off through Kensington Park enroute to the British Museum to meet Linda.  A lot of walking with stops in Leicester Square to ponder theater tickets for tomorrow.   North of the Square is Chinatown and a series of Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. 

At the British Museum with only about an hour to go before closing time, I focused on the Egyptian antiquities, “British loot” I thought, but as it turned out the treasures came via the French when the British defeated them in 1801, and the ruler of the area, a Pasha bey, agreed.  My simplistic understanding needs more research.

Linda and I walked to her hotel near Euston Station and then had dinner at Thai Aubergine, which was quite delicious – I should have taken a picture – I had green curry with prawns and a lovely French white wine from the Gascoigne region.  Home on the Tube.

 

 

 

On our way from the British Museum we paused to view this wonderful mural by children:

Two girls about eight or nine years old in pink uniforms passed by this scene.  "Well, if he comes he'll have to be a flycathcer," says one.  "and if he doesn't . . . [voices trail off]."  Then they kissed each other on each cheek and said goodbye.  Absolutely charming.