The two bus journeys, there and back, we’re excellent.
The venues, Southwark Cathedral and St Alfege’s, Greenwich, were great open spaces. ‘St Alfege Church has a rich musical tradition and is the burial place of Thomas Tallis, the father of English church music, who composed and directed music under four monarchs from Henry V111 to Elizabeth 1. St Alfege Church maintains a fine reputation for cathedral-standard music with over 30 choir members led by Director of Music, Ben Newlove’.
Appreciative audiences.
Getting about was mostly on foot, with ‘Uber’ boats for distance.
Accommodation a brown-grey student block. Basic and okay, great breakfast. Hot sleep.
Organisation superb – Steve Flynn.
Our Pick. The walk over Millennium Bridge, 11 pm return from the afterglow at The Cockpit, near St Pauls. Cool breeze and magnificent illuminated views of London’s riverside skyline. Usual suspects and Emidio on ‘South Australia’, a tribute to David Haigh. A final Sunday pint in The Swan. The barmaid gave us a tutorial on electronic ordering at our table. I’m no wiser.
English National Theatre production; a restoration comedy along the line of Sheridan’s ‘The Rivals’. Caroline Quentin as Mrs. Maloprop. We ate here. I won’t go into the price of water and other hidden extras. There’s a war on. An RAF station during WW2. Men die and it’s horrid. What do you do in your spare time? No guesses. All but one ended up with a partner in the final act. The ‘but one’ was killed flying a spitfire, defending an air raid. Many of the malapropisms referred to sex. Quite salacious. The play came alive in the second half for me. Lots of action and a song and dance routine. Class wars a subplot.
However hard I try I cannot correct behiend to behind
A successful and enjoyable weekend. Any additional benefits? We spoke to quite a few we didn’t know well. Some with a London background which helped. I shared some of the older male preoccupations with Ibbo and Chris after a few pints of Landlord. What were they? And time away from our busy lives in the north.
Additional thanks to Emm and Dorian.
There were frustrations. Inevitable with popular bars and eateries, good weather and the weekend. So lots of people and queues. And expense, but that’s everywhere these days. Suck it up and enjoy. Most of us won’t do it again. The tall buildings might almost be alien and intimidating. They block the sun. Confusing maze-like back alleys away from the river. So walking took on extra distances. It was Mackie’s first substantial London trip. He loved it but, “Can I go home now?”
Back home, Mackie presented Steve with a decent bottle.
ps. on recent boat trips we didn’t cruise as far as expected. Sowerby Bridge to Aspley – no, Brighouse instead and great. No further than Linlithgow from Stirling. So it was on Sunday morning in London. Tate Modern? Borough Market? No – a walk to The Swan and back, quickly taking in some sights, smells and sounds of the market.
