London Bridge is not falling down!
Resent from Paris – Earlier posting went astray
London is such an extraordinary city of contemporary and historical significance. And then there are the ever present pubs!
You wander through it all and it is mixed together in a compelling potion of humor, grand history, royalty, double-decker busses, the Tube (the underground), pageantry, theater, shops and markets, incredible architecture and quirky stories of kings, queens, Jack the Ripper, Winston Churchill, World War II, the Battle of Hastings and so much more. Tabloids blaze crazed headlines including Michael Jackson’s latest trip to the hospital. On the telley there is the refined BBC and Jerry Springer with a British audience (but not on the same channel) – oh no!
Tennyson, Chaucer, Shakespeare ... The list goes on ... are all memorialized and/or buried in Westminster Abbey where kings and queens are coronated, married and buried. Jerry Springer won't make it here.
We flew from Budapest to London last Friday and the Dankowski’s flew from Chicago to London arriving on Saturday. For those who might not know, Mary and Janet have worked together all the years of Park Forest and Country Club Hills. It has been one adventure after another in packed days, strolling streets, touring history and even a night of a pub crawl with a delightful actor turned tour guide whose quick wit and frequent quotes from authors, politicians and other misguided figures turned it into a night of merriment. Of course three pints of beer in delightful pubs did not hurt either.
And the characters, the characters. Oh how wonderful they are. A Beefeater (the Queen’s own as well as a terrific gin) guided us through the Tower of London in great humor and tons of information presented in the most delightful and often spell binding way. An aide to Henry VIII at the palace at Hampton Court stayed in 1500’s character as he showed us Henry’s apartments. Being an aide, he spoke lovingly of Henry despite his occasional character flaws such as beheading a few of his 6 wives.
We ride the Tube and busses everywhere and again in a foreign city the transportation system is so wonderfully convenient, fast and efficient. A 7 day travel card for 18 pounds has paid for itself threefold.
Theater, of course, abounds in London and we wound up seeing the musical Chicago ((don’t ask) here with Brook Shields who did an admirable job, but not nearly as good as her co-star. We may see yet another something if the Hot Tix booth has some deals at half price. This morning Brad, Holly and I took the British Airways London Eye – a mega Ferris wheel high into the London sky – a 30 minute “flight” as they say and really a thrilling way to see the city on a crystal blue day ... finally. We have traveled the River Thames by boat from the Tower of London, escaping to majestic Westminster with Big Ben and Parliament looming alongside Westminster Abbey.
It has all been wonderful and the next phase begins tomorrow. Our son Greg and his family – April and grand children Sydney and Ethan arrive tomorrow. We overlap as they go their own way and we will see them again in a few days in Paris and then in Provence. We head for the delicious Cotswalds and places with such names as Chipping Camden, Upper Slaughter, Lower Slaughter, and Stowe on the Wald , and where one lane mini roads will provide their own challenges.
Photos to come from England in a few days. Love to all – we wish we could all get together at a local pub and talk about all this and much more.
--
Mel
London is such an extraordinary city of contemporary and historical significance. And then there are the ever present pubs!
You wander through it all and it is mixed together in a compelling potion of humor, grand history, royalty, double-decker busses, the Tube (the underground), pageantry, theater, shops and markets, incredible architecture and quirky stories of kings, queens, Jack the Ripper, Winston Churchill, World War II, the Battle of Hastings and so much more. Tabloids blaze crazed headlines including Michael Jackson’s latest trip to the hospital. On the telley there is the refined BBC and Jerry Springer with a British audience (but not on the same channel) – oh no!
Tennyson, Chaucer, Shakespeare ... The list goes on ... are all memorialized and/or buried in Westminster Abbey where kings and queens are coronated, married and buried. Jerry Springer won't make it here.
We flew from Budapest to London last Friday and the Dankowski’s flew from Chicago to London arriving on Saturday. For those who might not know, Mary and Janet have worked together all the years of Park Forest and Country Club Hills. It has been one adventure after another in packed days, strolling streets, touring history and even a night of a pub crawl with a delightful actor turned tour guide whose quick wit and frequent quotes from authors, politicians and other misguided figures turned it into a night of merriment. Of course three pints of beer in delightful pubs did not hurt either.
And the characters, the characters. Oh how wonderful they are. A Beefeater (the Queen’s own as well as a terrific gin) guided us through the Tower of London in great humor and tons of information presented in the most delightful and often spell binding way. An aide to Henry VIII at the palace at Hampton Court stayed in 1500’s character as he showed us Henry’s apartments. Being an aide, he spoke lovingly of Henry despite his occasional character flaws such as beheading a few of his 6 wives.
We ride the Tube and busses everywhere and again in a foreign city the transportation system is so wonderfully convenient, fast and efficient. A 7 day travel card for 18 pounds has paid for itself threefold.
Theater, of course, abounds in London and we wound up seeing the musical Chicago ((don’t ask) here with Brook Shields who did an admirable job, but not nearly as good as her co-star. We may see yet another something if the Hot Tix booth has some deals at half price. This morning Brad, Holly and I took the British Airways London Eye – a mega Ferris wheel high into the London sky – a 30 minute “flight” as they say and really a thrilling way to see the city on a crystal blue day ... finally. We have traveled the River Thames by boat from the Tower of London, escaping to majestic Westminster with Big Ben and Parliament looming alongside Westminster Abbey.
It has all been wonderful and the next phase begins tomorrow. Our son Greg and his family – April and grand children Sydney and Ethan arrive tomorrow. We overlap as they go their own way and we will see them again in a few days in Paris and then in Provence. We head for the delicious Cotswalds and places with such names as Chipping Camden, Upper Slaughter, Lower Slaughter, and Stowe on the Wald , and where one lane mini roads will provide their own challenges.
Photos to come from England in a few days. Love to all – we wish we could all get together at a local pub and talk about all this and much more.
--
Mel
posted by Mel and Janet Muchnik | 7:45 AM
3 Comments:
Mel and Janet: Looks like you're having a great time. The pictures you're sending back are very nice. All is well back here across The Pond. Enjoy the rest of the trek. Looking forward to your safe return. Gary K
Another round of evocative pictures and posts, Mel and Janet. Nicely done. I'll be following you over there in a few weeks. Can you leave a key under the mat at that Cotswolds place?
Dan
OK you two - it is the 21st and you haven't posted since the 17th - too busy to give a rat's ass about us "fellow travelers" here at home - well, we love you anyway.
OK, I understand that you might have missed Hugh Grant but what about - what about who - you are in France, what about no one of interest to me unless Yves Montand is alive and kicking!!!!!!!!! Sal
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