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Published: July 23rd 2019
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I'm off again, this time on my own. While I believe that I live in the best country in the world - Australia - the only thing about it is when you travel to the Northern Hemisphere you have to put up with what Geoffrey Blainey called "The Tyranny of Distance" which unless you're sailing means a long haul flight. Needless to say, while it's the only way to get from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphewre it is not something I like. Didn't Cole Porter include in one of his songs "Flying so high with some gal in the sky is my idea of nothing to do" which says it all.
Nevertheless my idea was to read the next book which our Book Club is discussing "Boy Swallows Universe" by Trent Dalton so I downloaded it to my IPad. Now, just over two hours from London Heathrow, I've only read the first chapter which, so far, hasn't grabbed me although I'm not overly worried about that since many books often start off that way.
However in-between eating, sleeping and a short changeover at Singapore I've watched a couple of very interesting documentaries. The
first one "The Man Who Shot New York" about Harold Fienstein, one of North America's master photographers who died in 2015. But my favourite has to be "Jill Bilcock: Dancing the Invisible" all about the Australian film editor - who Kerrii and Nicola will be interesting to know lives in Brunswick. What a talent Jill is and she's edited so many fabulous films, both in Australia and overseas that it really made me realise just how much editing actually makes the movie.
Oh yes, and I've read a couple of essays from a Brontë Studies which I brought with me. However breakfast is now on its way so now's the time to finish 'scribbling'.
That was Tuesday and now our short visit to London is over which saw us busy sightseeing.
Tuesday morning we were back on Terra Firma just after 6.30am, so following a ride on the Heathrow Express and a walk from Paddington to the Corus Hotel at Lancaster Gate - just opposite Hyde Park - I arrived there around 9am. Luckily there was a room available even though, in theory, check in wasn't until 2pm. What a great
bonus!! Then Charlotte, who'd caught a train from Leicester to St Pancras arrived about 11am.
With Lancaster Gate Tube station five minutes walk from the hotel we headed off to do some touristy sight seeing. First stop was Westminister Abbey, Charlotte having previously bought our tickets. Originally a Benedictine monastic church until the monastery was dissolved in 1539 it became the traditional place of coronation and burial site of British monarchs. Many years ago, when we first went into Westminster Abbey it was free (that is if memory serves me correct) but not any more. We were especially interested in Poet's Corner as we wanted to check out the memorials and graves of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë and many more. There was much to see in the Abbey but photos are not allowed besides which was probably a good thing as I would have taken way too many. Being school holidays, and with the tourist season in full swing there were people everywhere.
We ended up having lunch at the Westminster Abbey café before heading off to see all the scaffolding around the 1,100 room Houses of Parliament which is
being repaired. It has never had any major work done on it since architects Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin were commissioned to design the current building - completed in 1870 - following the fire in 1834. A UNESCO World Heritage site which is one of the world's most recognised buildings it is costing a minimum of £5 billion. And all around the building are people demonstrating either for or against Brexit so that seems to be never ending. We finished off the day with dinner in our hotel; lovely food and in an area overlooking Hyde Park.
Wednesday, after much wandering along Regent and Oxford Streets we met Sandra and John at Brasserie Zédel - close to Picadilly Circus - for lunch. A grand French Art Deco restaurant Brasserie Zédel it's well worth a visit if you're in London. Great surrounds, delicious food and such wonderful company...what more could we ask for.
In the evening it was off to the Phoenix Theatre - which first opened in September 1930 - to see "Come From Away", a new musical based on a true story when the town of Gander in Newfoundland hosted over 7,000 people
from around the world who were diverted there following the 9/11 attack. True friendships were born in the wake of such a disastrous event and the townsfolk hosted everyone in their own houses. It was such a heartwarming story which received a standing ovation.
Thursday saw us visiting the Victoria & Albert Museum which took up the major part of the day before we headed off to the London Transport Museum and finally enjoying an evening meal at Belgo Centraal in Earlham Street, Covent Garden. An underground restaurant it's situated in what was a bomb shelter during WW11.
Friday morning we were off to St Pancras Station to catch the train to Leicester where Charlotte picked up her car and we drove to Sileby to spend a couple of nights with Karen and Bill.
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Jacqueline
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Still not well enough to go far, and read your blog with great interest. I enjoy travelling vicariously these days, thanks to my friends! Recently read ‘Boy Swallows Universe’ - will be interested to hear your thoughts. Took me some time to get into it, but I think he is a good writer and worth persevering with. Happy travelling, x