It is Tuesday.
This may be the best weather of the week. London cold is blustery and chills. The cold reminds me of the cold you experience in San Francisco. The temperature is in the mid 50s but somehow you are not comfortable. When the sun infrequently shines, it does help. I am learning to never leave without an umbrella.
Natalie returned to University this morning. We are now five.
Today is our first real excursion using the Underground. The kids have it down - well almost - some consultation is still need. Leaving from Notting Hill Gate Station (literally, around the corner), we take the train to Westminster Abbey.
Westminster Abbey is within the core of tourist London. There are a great many tourists - both local and foreign - and school children. I have not seen the large tour groups with the guide holding a flag as their charges follow behind. I am surprised. Perhaps, the language barrier does not exist. The largest "flag groups" tend to be Asian and English is a language that is familiar to them.
The Abbey is a Gothic style church with flying buttresses, long narrow main aisle and in the shape of a cross. Construction on the present church begin in 1245. The complex of buildings encompassed within the grounds is huge and, like St Peter's in Rome, still very much an active church (tour entrance ends at 3:30 everyday for services) and an educational institution.
As a point of reference, the church is across the bridge from Parliament, next to St Margaret's Church (the church of Parliament), across the street from the large Methodist church and within the government buildings (including 10 Downing Street) complex.
Poets' Corner is fascinating. Some of the literary stars you expect. Some you do not. Americans have their memorials - Longfellow and Henry James. The honorees of Poets Corner are both entombed or have memorial plaques.
Most appropriate is that the ashes of Sir Laurence Olivier are buried beneath Shakespeare's Memorial.
Of course, the history of the Anglo Saxon, Plantagenet and Tudors is clustered together in tombs of the Lady's Chapel. Queen Elizabeth l lies with Queen Mary of Scots. Now, think about that heavenly conversation for an eternity.
All this is narrated by Jeremy Irons. The Abbey has a free hand held audio system that works and makes sense. Jeremy Irons makes it so British.
I think whenever the British government needed a few pounds sterling they allowed another memorial to a forgotten admiral, general or British citizen. If you think Aunt Betsy's house was cluttered, Westminster has a thousand more meaningless statutes.
After lunch, we decide on the Churchill's War Room. The sun is out. It is breezy and chilly. It is within walking distant of the Abbey and 10 Downing Street. The exhibit is exceptional. Again, the audio handheld system is free and excellent.
I am struck on the complexity of Churchill. He was adamant in his fear of communism decades before his "Iron Curtain" speech. I am not sure he believed in democracy. But, he feared mob rule. My thought is that Churchill believed in democracy as long as the righteousness of the aristocracy ruled. Churchill, therefore, was confident of his own superiority even when others did not observe it.
As with heroes, it is his faults in that time of stress that alters history. Ego becomes boldness. Narcissistic behavior becomes assurance.
The exhibit is a great blend of recreated rooms within the bunker that Churchill and the government existed from 1940 to August 1945. There are audio/video and interviews with people who lived in these quarters underground for weeks at a time. Smoke filled rooms, no sun light (they had one hour with a sun lamp once a week), twelve hour shifts, dorm living with no privacy sleeping on basically cots. (Churchill and his secretaries quarters were small, but much better, Churchill had his own chef.) The interviews tell the story. No medals. At the end of year, the women lost their clearance and had to accept that they did nothing.
This is a must - see exhibit.
Leaving the War Room, we walk to The National Gallery. It is 4:30 PM and the Museum closes at six. We split up. Fortunately, the Gallery is on the 2nd floor - a big , long second floor. Of course, Caroline and I go directly to the cafe for a cookie (dodger), mocha and expresso. The barista is Italian. We enjoy and then begin our tour of the 2nd floor. We search out Turner, Renoir, Monet, Manet, Seurat, Michelangelo, Rubens, Constable and Rembrandt. We accomplish all this and still have time to sit and discuss our opinions of Impressionists.
As they close the door, we are on our way to Covent Gardens. A short walk, we outdoor are at a large outdoor mall at the former Vegetable and Fruit Market. Street performers are excellent and the crowd immense. The evening is just beginning. There are families, couples, older and youths.
Finally, we are on the Underground and on our home. It is getting dark.
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