England Trip, pt. II: London Calling
Sep. 15th, 2018 12:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
olorielRight! Last time, I left off in Exeter college. There were still lots of other things to do in Oxford -- all the other Open Door colleges and the Botanical Gardens and the Witchcraft exhibition at the Ashmolean and the Pitts-Rivers Museum of Anthropology and, and, and -- but there was pressing business to attend to. As you may or may not recall, I discovered and read and re-read and re-read Robert Harris' Cicero trilogy last year, and this year, the Royal Shakespeare Company had turned it into a play (two plays). And guess what? The final performances were on... *dun dun dun* September 8.
So I didn't look at anything else Oxford had to offer, but went straight to High Street and took a bus to the capital - with one auspicious and one drooping eye.
Grenfell Tower
MIND THE GAP
Miracle of miracles, I arrived on time to leave my luggage at the hostel (quite a contrast to the cozy hostel in Oxford) and then ride the tube to Piccadilly Circus to ask for theatre tickets. I had meant to book them in advance, but my credit card had refused to cooperate with the online booking system. This turned out to be a very good thing, because as it was they still had a few day tickets at 20 pounds left - for both shows. They would've been five times as expensive in advance. (As I was paying for them, an elderly couple came to the cashier next to me, going "We are two senior citizens, grovelling before you for two tickets to today's performance" and they got the last sets of day tickets. They were so happy! It was very adorable. Again, fandom knows no age barrier!)
And wow, it was excellent. It's been forever since I've been to the theatre and even longer since I've been to quality theatre, and it was just so good. OK, they were milking some of the modern analogies for all they were worth (does this Pompey the Great remind you of anyone?), but then, the audience appreciated them very much. "Caesar is in Britain? What is he doing in Britain? Does that even belong to Europe?" - "I understand opinions are divided on the matter..." Hilarity ensued. "Idiots will vote for idiots." ABSOLUTE HILARITY. Anyway, their Caesar was magnificent, their Cicero was brilliant, and their Tiro was adorkably relatable. I was very well entertained and no longer grieving about having left Oxford so early.
Obviously, I couldn't take photos at the theatre, but there's a very nice gallery over at the play's website in case you're curious.
And after that highlight (there were a lot of those last weekend), there was nothing left to do but sleep at my dusty musty hostel, and then get ready to return home.
Some random London shots - mostly Soho, some Paddington
I really liked these posters. I loved the Famous Five detective novels as a kid, OK? (Also the Secret Seven and the Adventure series and Mallory Towers. I suspect Enid Blyton's novels would make me cringe now but teenage me loved them!) Happy nostalgia.
No longer in London - nearly at home! I chanced to look out of the plane and loved how you can see the "modern" town of Xanten next to the archaeological zone of Colonia Ulpia Traiana from above. You can see the ancient Roman street grid and the amphitheatre and the harbour temple and the reconstructed houses quite nicely! That was pretty cool. I thought.
Well, and then I was back home! By now, another week of work (not quite as crazy as the last) is over and a new weekend has begun. Celebrating the mother-in-law's 78th birthday today - no rest for the wicked!
So I didn't look at anything else Oxford had to offer, but went straight to High Street and took a bus to the capital - with one auspicious and one drooping eye.
Grenfell Tower
MIND THE GAP
Miracle of miracles, I arrived on time to leave my luggage at the hostel (quite a contrast to the cozy hostel in Oxford) and then ride the tube to Piccadilly Circus to ask for theatre tickets. I had meant to book them in advance, but my credit card had refused to cooperate with the online booking system. This turned out to be a very good thing, because as it was they still had a few day tickets at 20 pounds left - for both shows. They would've been five times as expensive in advance. (As I was paying for them, an elderly couple came to the cashier next to me, going "We are two senior citizens, grovelling before you for two tickets to today's performance" and they got the last sets of day tickets. They were so happy! It was very adorable. Again, fandom knows no age barrier!)
And wow, it was excellent. It's been forever since I've been to the theatre and even longer since I've been to quality theatre, and it was just so good. OK, they were milking some of the modern analogies for all they were worth (does this Pompey the Great remind you of anyone?), but then, the audience appreciated them very much. "Caesar is in Britain? What is he doing in Britain? Does that even belong to Europe?" - "I understand opinions are divided on the matter..." Hilarity ensued. "Idiots will vote for idiots." ABSOLUTE HILARITY. Anyway, their Caesar was magnificent, their Cicero was brilliant, and their Tiro was adorkably relatable. I was very well entertained and no longer grieving about having left Oxford so early.
Obviously, I couldn't take photos at the theatre, but there's a very nice gallery over at the play's website in case you're curious.
And after that highlight (there were a lot of those last weekend), there was nothing left to do but sleep at my dusty musty hostel, and then get ready to return home.
Some random London shots - mostly Soho, some Paddington
I really liked these posters. I loved the Famous Five detective novels as a kid, OK? (Also the Secret Seven and the Adventure series and Mallory Towers. I suspect Enid Blyton's novels would make me cringe now but teenage me loved them!) Happy nostalgia.
No longer in London - nearly at home! I chanced to look out of the plane and loved how you can see the "modern" town of Xanten next to the archaeological zone of Colonia Ulpia Traiana from above. You can see the ancient Roman street grid and the amphitheatre and the harbour temple and the reconstructed houses quite nicely! That was pretty cool. I thought.
Well, and then I was back home! By now, another week of work (not quite as crazy as the last) is over and a new weekend has begun. Celebrating the mother-in-law's 78th birthday today - no rest for the wicked!
no subject
Date: 2018-09-15 11:01 am (UTC)Thank you for sharing the pics!
no subject
Date: 2018-09-15 07:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-09-15 02:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-09-15 07:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-09-15 03:11 pm (UTC)I've always wanted to do an alone excursion like that. I've usually traveled in a couple or even with kids. That's great but it does limit one's ability to observe and choose in many ways.
no subject
Date: 2018-09-15 07:15 pm (UTC)Travelling with company or kids is great, but an alone excursion every now and then is also very nice. The last time I did that was ten years ago, when I was in Japan, and I've found that I still enjoy the freedom and the ability to just do what tickles my fancy very much. A++, would recommend!
no subject
Date: 2018-09-16 12:43 pm (UTC)You sound like you had an awesome time packed into a short time. :D
no subject
Date: 2018-09-17 02:34 pm (UTC)