A Summary, and a Plea for Pardon
Forgive me! I keep meaning to update on here, but it just keeps getting pushed to the wayside. As it is, since the last time I’ve written, so much has happened! I’ll most likely write things chaotically… a bit out of order. I’ll do my best to be as organized as possible about it!
I don’t think I’ve told you about the British museum tour. That was a few weeks ago. I learned how all the national museums in London are free entry (awesome!!). I saw the Rosetta Stone (interesting) and some really wonderful Greek friezes and statues. Lizzy knows all about them, so we stayed after the tour left (they wanted to give us a very rushed hour in there—-not enough time, besides, we knew how to get home!) I decided that day I do not like mummies one bit. I understand they’re significance, I suppose. But they really freak me out in general. The one, Ginger, gave me chills. Ugh, don’t want to think about it. I liked filling my head with the things from the Enlightenment room. Spacious, library-type room with shelves of ancient books and cases with interesting instruments. The main entrance, though, is so breathtaking. All glowy and white. It felt religious. Which was ironic, when our guide pointed out that museums are free and that they have to pay to attend church! I’ll have to look into that more, I think. It doesn’t seem right. Besides, there seems more to admire in the British Museum than in a church service. The beauty of the history, the elegance, too much to be borne. Things in there are older than Christ!
I’ve been to London a bunch of times since, and while there I’ve seen the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace as well as the Mews. I had no clue what the Royal Mews were til I got there, and lo and behold—stables! Mostly empty, saw a few cars, one a lovely “royal claret” color (love the sound of that, delicious, no?) and a handful of horses. Sad-looking creatures. The state rooms were sumptuous. I’m not sure which I prefer, though, Windsor or Buckingham. I suppose there is more history at Windsor, something more remote and romantic. Whatwith all the dead royals below your feet and the old stones of the place. But Buckingham is terrific. I saw Kate Middleton’s wedding gown, up close! I really didn’t think I cared about that sort of thing, honest. But then I saw it. It is a work of art. And talk about art! The royal collection…. too much. Just too much. We saw the exhibit on the Fabergé eggs! Every room was perfectly arranged; the gold and white room might have been my favorite. Most of the windows looking out to the back gardens were open; a delicious breeze played about us. Walking through the garden path afterwards was a perfect way to end the tour.
Before all that, I’d been on the Eye of London, which was breathtaking. The view of the Thames from that high up is marvelous, with the sun shining all about the waters. I must’ve taken about 500 photos of Big Ben. It’s difficult to avoid being touristy… it’s fading though, the touristy giddiness, like a bad sunburn.
I’ve seen the closing performance of Much Ado About Nothing at the Globe Theatre, with an amazing cast! (I might post my review of it that I’m writing for the F&M paper on here… haven’t decided) The cast included Geoffrey, the butler, on that seminal cultural landmark (I am NOT KIDDING) The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. That’s right. Joseph Marcell played Leonato, with such conviction. Wonderful, wonderful actor. My friends Lizzy and Caroline and I got standing room tickets for five pounds the day of the performance. We were right against the stage. Had some disgusting prop water sprinkled (or, thrown, rather) onto us, but in the end we each snagged a rose, too. It was a feel-good play to end that day with.
Speaking of wonderful acting, the other day, I think it was this past Wednesday, I spent the day in London. I went to see a film quite cheaply as part of the annual Raindance Film Festival. I shopped around a bit with Lizzy and then, on a whim, we decided to try and get tickets to see Anna Christie. Starring that actor… Jude Law? You might have heard of him? He dabbles about in film sometimes… Well, the performance was at 7:30 and we got stand-by return tickets at 7:29 PM on the dot! It was an amazing experience. Law had such leonine grace and power in his performance. He would take these huge lumbering strides about the stage, dominating as much space as possible with his movements. And his brogue was superb. I was struck, by the whole damn thing.
Let’s see, tomorrow I head off to see Stonehenge and Bath! I am too excited. I keep thinking of Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles and that final scene among the rocks… isn’t that supposed to be Stonehenge? Either way, I always think of that scene, with its dark, brooding, mystical feeling. I shall see it in the daylight tomorrow. Bath promises to fill that aching Jane Austen void I’ve felt for ages. Cannot wait!
I promise to keep better updates in the future! I shall post more pictures, too, from all this galavanting I’ve done.
