Many thanks to Garnet who took the initiative and booked tickets to see the musical Jersey Boys in London's Prince Edward Theatre. Jersey Boys is a fabulously entertaining and upbeat musical that follows the story of the 1960s band The Four Seasons whose famous songs include "Sherry" and "Big Girls Don't Cry." Lead singer Frankie Valli also had the hit "Can't take my eyes off you." The cast was incredible, especially the actor who sang incredibly high for the role of Frankie. Attending a musical also meant we could walk around the Soho district at night when the streets are bustling and neon lights shining. It's worth a visit just to tour around to see all the theatre signs.
Ran across this gem on our way to Jersey Boys... I would have LOVED to see this as well.
Some of the must-sees in London include famous cathedrals so Garnet and I started with massive St Paul's. I had visited the church as a teenager and it was a funny to look up at its big front steps and remember sitting there once before. I also remembered the amazing view from the Golden Gallery at the very top of the cathedral dome. You can look down the Thames towards the London Eye and even spy Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Satisfactorily, the view had not changed much in the past eight years; disappointingly, neither had the grueling 528 steps of spiraling staircase which have to be climbed to reach the view. I suppose it was a good way to work off all that holiday eating! Our trek to the top also included the Whispering Gallery where you can whisper through the wall to someone across the dome. The cathedral crypt holds the tombs of famous military leaders Lord Nelson and Lord Wellington, St Paul's architect Sir Christopher Wren, Sir Alexander Fleming who discovered penicillin, and composer Sir Arthur Sullivan (from Gilbert and Sullivan).
I spy the London Eye...
Westminster Abbey was even more spectacular than on my last visit for two specific reasons: (1) After further schooling I had a new appreciation for the people buried in the Abbey, and (2) I kept imagining the Royal Wedding of William and Kate occurring at the spot where I was standing. I expect the majority of you just rolled your eyes at reason two, so let me discuss point one. The most exciting find for me at Westminster was Poet's Corner, where countless English writers are laid to rest including Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Robert Browning, Geoffrey Chaucer, John Dryden, and Lord Tennyson. Composer George Friedrich Handel also lays here and there are several memorials to other authors and poets. As expected the Abbey includes several Royal ancestors, but on a visit look especially for scientists Sir Isaac Newton and surprisingly Charles Darwin, as well as the Unknown Warrior's grave from World War One. At one end of the Abbey there is also a small plaque acknowledging that Oliver Cromwell occupied the spot from 1958-1661. His stay was a short because after the Monarchy returned to power his body was exhumed so that he could be posthumously executed. His severed head was then artistically displayed on a pole outside for the public to see for over twenty years.
After Westminster, we met up again with my friends Geordie and Christine to take a walking tour. This adventure can be mostly explained with pictures, but I will throw in some captions for clarification.
From Trafalgar Square you can spot this modest gate to the mile long driveway of Buckingham Palace.
Not the best picture, but proof we were at Buckingham Palace. The Union Jack was flying so that means the Queen was sadly not in residence.
London's Christmas Market, located in Hyde Park, was much more like a carnival. Its amusement park rides and rows upon rows of vendor stalls made it the largest we'd seen.
We couldn't help but stop and try these tasty marzipan treats!
This memorial statue on the edge of Hyde Park commemorates Prince Albert who founded the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal College of Music.
Garnet and I pretending to be students at the Royal of College of Music. Since Geordie is a real student we were granted to an after-hours tour of the facilities.
One of the gorgeous theatres within the Royal College of Music.
The Royal Albert Hall, which can be considered the U.K. equivalent of Carnegie Hall. Performing in this venue is a big deal.
We made the briefest stop in the Natural History Museum because we arrived 15 minutes before closing, but this is a place you could spend an entire day. The entrance hall alone, pictured above, is jaw-dropping. As Geordie said, it seems like a real-life version of Hogwarts from Harry Potter.
We looked into the Museum Treasure showcase which included an original copy of Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species, as well as a moon rock, Dodo skeleton, and the Iguanodon teeth that marked the discovery of the dinosaurs.
Our real reason for visiting the museum was to explore the rock and mineral exhibit on Garnet's behalf. I do not know much about rocks, but I do know that it was an impressive geological display from all over the world. I drooled a bit over the replica of the largest nugget of gold ever discovered. The special vault at the back of the exhibit even had rocks from space. In the right picture, the smudge at the bottom of the vial is actually microscopic diamonds made from star dust. The display informed us that "These are the oldest things you will ever see. They formed in the dust of dying stars billions of years ago, before our solar system existed."
To end our day we relaxed for a pint in a pub called The Red Lion and Pineapple. Many thanks to Geordie and Christine for generously accommodating our busy tourist schedule. Our short time in London was not short on wonderful memories!
One more post should wrap up my travel stories.
Cheers,
Shannon
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