Back from London

[LadyKestrel]

I got back from my 12-day theatre in London trip last night. My body is still on UK time, so please excuse any of my typing errors as I was up at 5 AM this morning. Also, my year-old gas furnace is on the fritz again, so it's a bit chilly in here with only borrowed space heaters to warm things up.

It was an excellent trip. I got to see 12 plays as part of the package, including 2 at Stratford, plus 2 additional shows, several museum visits, a concert at Wigmore Hall, tours of the National Theatre and the Globe, and 3 classes, one with the assistant wig & makeup person at the National Theatre, another with playwright Barney Norris, who wrote The Visitors, a touching play we saw at the Bush Theatre, and the third with Michael Brandon, the American actor who lives and works mostly in London. Play highlights for me include the Royal Shakespeare Company's Love's Labor Won (Much Ado About Nothing) and Henry IV Part I, the stunning play version of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Sunny Afternoon, the story of the Kinks complete with their music, and 3 Winters at the National Theatre. I visited the Handel House Museum for the first time and got to chat with one of their harpsicord players, and I saw a fascinating special exhibit at the British Museum called "Ancient Lives, New Discoveries," which featured 8 of their mummies from different time periods. The mummies had been CT scanned so we could see inside the wrappings and body cavities in clever displays that allowed the visitors to "unwrap" them layer by layer. Several mummies had amulets among the wrappings, and many had severe dental and medical problems. Some still had organs such as brains and lungs, and one was a seven-year-old temple singer who was much smaller than her adult mummy case.

[Rosaboobie]

Wow, now all that adds up to one very exciting trip - You must be exhausted. Very interesting about the mummies - saw loads when I visited Egypt.

[Lucien21]

Sounds like you had a great time.

Glad you had fun. It must have been hard travelling so close to the greatest country on the planet and settling for England

[LadyKestrel]

I'm hoping to visit my late husband's family in N. Ireland later on this year and will combine that with some time in your home country, Lucien.

[Rosaboobie]

Scotland is a beautiful country............ but Orkney is even more spectacular - of course, I am rather biased, Lucien

[draclvr]

Ireland and Scotland are my goals for visiting!

LadyK, I wonder when you had time to eat and sleep! That sounds like the most wonderful time. I especially envy the play about the Kinks...

But how awful to come home to a malfunctioning furnace when it's cold... hope it's something simple.

[LadyKestrel]

Unfortunately, it's not simple. The 30-year-old unit we had never had a problem all the time we lived here. We replaced it with the same brand, but they've added some electronics the other didn't have. My sister-in-law had someone come in twice to get it going while I was in London but it hasn't been a permanent fix. The repairman from NJR Home Services is here now trouble shooting everything to see if he can get to the bottom of the problem.

[Rosaboobie]

The Kinks?

I hope the heating guy sorts out your furnace quick, LadyK. Here it is absolutely freezing in my lounge and my bathroom - brrrrrrr - last night was the coldest night in Scotland for a long time, so they say.

[LadyKestrel]

The Kinks

We are warm now. The repairman was very thorough and ended up replacing the gas valve, among other things. I'm hoping this will do it, but I'm holding onto the electric heaters until I'm sure.

[draclvr]

Look up "You've Really Got Me Now" or "Sunny Afternoon" on Youtube!

[Diat60]

I'm very impressed reading your hectic schedule. You saw more in 12 days than I did in 20 years! I'd love to see that exhibit at the British Museum. I remember my Canadian cousin coming over to London and we went to Portobello Road market where we bought whelks in vinegar to bring home for Brian. Then we decided to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum. But this was at the time when the IRA were active and security was tight everywhere. The guard on the door at the museum demanded to check my bag and, with misgiving, I handed it to him. You should have seen his face when he got a snootful of vinegar! "Go", he said, "and take your bag with you!" At least we were easily traceable as we walked through the exhibits.

[Rosaboobie]

Well, I never knew people across the Pond knew who the Kinks were - didnt know they were even heard of in the States - I dont have to look them up on Youtube - their songs are part of my youth LOL.

[draclvr]

Mine too, Rosaboobie! They were VERY big over here with several hits. They were inducted into our Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.

[Rosaboobie]

Wow, never realised this, Drac - you live and learn

I have seen them performing live on stage, and also most other popular 60's groups including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and I even saw The Beach Boys once.......... ah happy days.

[StarLite]

Lucky lady, next time take us all with you. Glad you had a nice time. I don't like mummies myself unless they're in movies or games. I would love to see Stonehenge and some of the old castles. I love Europe, there's so much history there