Final Day in London

 

 

 

 

Exhausted doesn't even begin to describe how I feel, but completely satisfied! I woke up, bright and early this morning, and hit the ground running. I was out the door at 9:30 AM, and on my way to the London Eye! It was a fairly overcast morning, but I was going to stick to my schedule. Unfortunately, when I arrived, at around 9:50, there was a line with about 2000 people in it. Apparently, the London Eye was extending their appreciation to Londoners for something or other, and was offering free rides. I quickly decided that the London Eye would be added to the 'next trip' list, and started walking to the British Museum. I knew from the moment I arrived that I was going to love it. The entryway is palatial, as is the entire museum. I was also there right when they opened, so it was fairly peaceful and quiet. I decided to get an audio tour machine, and follow along. They offered three different tours, and I chose to start with the first, which was through their collection of Parthenon Marbles. WOW! Somehow, the British museum has a huge collection of the actual marble statues and 'frieze's' from the Parthenon, and they are all displayed at eye level. It was breath taking, and I am very glad to have done the audio tours (thanks mom for the tip)! I'm not a very artsy guy, and definitely don't have an artists eye, so there were several things that the audio tour pointed out to me that I never would have noticed. For example, at one end of the display area were several very large statues of some of the greek gods, and they were amazing, but the audio tour brought me behind the statues, which would have never been displayed, and the detail was equally as compelling in the rear as in the front. The way in which the sculptors were able to capture the flow of fabric, and the shape and musculature of the bodies in marble was amazing! I really enjoyed taking my time, and soaking it in. Another impressive moment where the audio tour came in handy was as I was walking along the center of the display, where a number of large blocks, called friezes, were displayed. They apparently were all around the top of the Parthenon, and as you followed them, they kind of told a story. The first entire row of friezes was of several men on horses, all reared up and looking very noble in their tunics. After the twelfth block with a horse, it began to get a little dull, but the narrator, seemingly almost sensing my boredom, suggested I step a few feet away from the frieze I was looking at and glance back at the row of horses. The flow of all of the figures was really amazing, even to some one as unperceptive in the arts as myself. The gradual rise and fall of the horses and the riders was stunning! And all in marble, from ancient times! After spending a couple of hours with the Greeks, I moved into the ancient Egyptians. The standout piece in this are was definitely the Rosetta Stone, which was a little difficult to see, because by this time the school groups and masses had started to arrive, but I did manage to get some time studying it! Such a relic. I was fascinated by all of the heiroglyphs that adorned the sarcohpoguses (sp?). One of my favorite items was the royal cat, adorned in jewels. Apparently one of the rulers of Egypt was very fond of her cat, and this jeweled cat became a symbol of this woman's reign. About three quarters of the way through the Egypt exhibit, I got a little maxed out on the screeming children, and by 1 PM, I was out the door. At this point, my friend Kip, whom I knew from New York, invited me to come meet him at his apartment in Chelsea, and to take me around the city. Once we met in Chelsea, we walked over to the Victoria and Albert museum. Kip is very well versed on the monarchy, and the history in England, and in all things decorative, so he was a fantastic guide through this museum of the decorative arts. Surprisingly, one of my favorite aspects of this museum was their cast room. Although all of the things in the room weren't originals, it was amazing to see the detail, and sheer size and scale of some of the worlds most important sculptures, such as the David. After the V & A, Kip had invited me to go to a church service, Evensong, at Westminster Abbey that he attends regularly. As we walked in that direction, we passed many important landmarks that I was pleased to see and photograph, such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Supreme Court, and a few others. Westminster Abbey was absolutely breathtaking, as can be imagined. As I've said several times before, the history is just staggering. There's something very stirring about sitting in a church, listening to people doing something that has been done in that same spot for over a thousand years. Hearing the singing filling that huge, gothic space was really meditative. We left the Abbey, and headed to Soho, where I was to meet Brad for a final meal together. On our walk to Soho, we walked right by Big Ben, all lit up, as it was night time, and i had a really powerful moment. I was very conscious that I was standing, looking at an iconic building that a year ago I never would have dreamed that I would have the opportunity to ever look at in real life. It was a real moment of true gratitude. My life has expanded so much in the last year, and I truly am living beyond my wildest dreams. It was a bittersweet meal with Brad, as I've really enjoyed the time I've had here with him, and wish that he lived closer to me so I could spend more time with him. It also meant that my time in London was done, so the London Eye, the Tate Modern, my cousing Barbara, and several other things that I didn't get to this trip will all serve as good reason to return sometime in the future! Tomorrow morning, I will make my way to Gatwick Airport, and fly to Barcelona. I'm super excited, and a little nervous. This will be the first part of the trip where I won't be meeting anyone that I know, nor do I speak the language or know my way around. Should be fun!