Enjoying London, mostly

This week has been London week for us, seeing good stuff. 

Stefan and I saw the Goya portraits at the National gallery, which we both loved.

We took a day to see some more of our great city taking buses into town and loads of walking. 

We changed at Victoria where massive construction is going on. I grew up there and hardly anything is recognisable. It is turning into a glass city. There used to be a miniature Big Ben standing in the intersection, close by the bus station. It is gone of course but I hope they are intending to return it.

Victoria Palace remains

We started to walk down Victoria Street, my old haunt in the days of red brick and pollution, and lo, there was Westminster Cathedral! Now beautifully accessible with a welcoming forecourt, in we went. It was a total surprise, I had forgotten it. Built in 1906 it is a mass of decoration and texture, the mosaics all done by imported Italian craftsmen. There is a large Eric Gill relief in one of the chapels, but it is not especially gripping, and badly lit.

Westminster Cathedral

Westminster Cathedral

Ploughing on we dropped in to a favourite little church, St James, Piccadilly.  I am not a churchgoer unless I want to hear good music or look at the art there. At least religion is good for that. This church has a lovely atmosphere, enhanced by the gentle snoring of 6 homeless men, each stretched out on his own pew. 

Grinling Gibbons, St James Church, Picadilly

 

Stefan is especially interested in masks just now so we were mask spotting as we walked.

We then went on to the Ai Wei Wei exhibition at the Royal Academy.  He pulls no punches, no wonder the authorities are jumpy. What a giant. He says the younger generation of Chinese are confident. They will need plenty of spunk to stand up to their rulers if the system is ever going to change. This man is paving the way for the next lot so they can allow their voices, too, to be heard even more loudly and just maybe things will change. 

The Finger, wallpaper

Qing dynasty stools

 We finished the day with the Barber of Seville, at the London Coliseum. Rossini's opera was known to me, but Jonathan Millers' production was a joy. Powerful music and dead funny. We had front row seats which was super, but we were both very cramped, pushed up against the rail.  However, a brilliant day out and my knee behaved very well, considering the punishment.

Motor cycle news
In the summer going into town on the bike is a joy, but I like it less now. The knee being a bit stiff doesn't help, but the traffic is pretty horrendous. The route goes along the river, past all the sights, up to Farringdon and into Hatton Garden. It was my stomping ground during my shortlived jewellery days and is now Polish lessons territory. Funny.  The days are shorter and colder, and I can't seem to avoid heavy traffic. I am trying to find easier routes, but London is so big, and so FULL.

News from a friend
My very good friend and I have been plotting for her to come to my birthday celebrations in Poland, early next May. The big 70, which should be marked. She lives in California. She has been going through cancer treatment, but recently had been warned things were not looking so good. But she felt fine and took a trip to see a friend. Coming back to see the docs, she was told, you have six months to live. Looks like I won't make the party, she says.
Latest is they tell her, with more chemo maybe you will.  Ah.
I will lay an honoured place for her and hope like hell.