Gray’s Inn, The Wellcome Collection, Research at the British Library, A Walk in Bloomsbury

Aug4

London

Today was a mixed bag with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I did not rise early enough to get to St. Paul’s Cathedral for Mass. Instead I was able to IMO (videochat) with Chriselle–which was very productive indeed.

Coffee Morning with a Pair of Solicitors at Gray’s Inn:
Brekkie done (muesli and yogurt with coffee), I showered and dressed and took the bus and the Tube (Central Line) to Chancery Lane–my former stomping ground. Since I was passing right by my old building, it would seem horribly unfriendly not to stop and say Hello to my former concierge, Arben, who, as always, gave me the warmest welcome. We exchanged pleasantries for a while and then I slipped into one of London’s Inns of Court–Gray’s Inn–which used to be in my own backyard when I lived on High Holborn. Although I have been to Gray’s Inn before, it was especially significant this time round as I have read The Children Act by Ian McEwan which is set in this neighborhood–his female protagonist actually shares a flat with her husband in one of Gray’s Inn’s courtyards. For that reason, it was thrilling to walk those paths.
My objective was to get to one of the lawyer’s offices (called ‘Chambers’ in the UK) to meet my friend Jane who lives in Yorkshire but comes down to London occasionally for a ballet performance. This time round, she was in London to see the Bolshoi Ballet do The Taming of the Shrew. Before she departed for Yorkshire, she was able to fit in a coffee with me. And since we have a mutual friend in my former neighbor Barbara, she was there too–so it was a thoroughly wonderful morning over coffee with two brilliant patent attorneys whose company was wonderfully enjoyable as we touched on a lot of interesting topics from Indian cuisine up north to Jane’s South Asian connections. All too soon, it was time to say goodbye, but I know I will cherish very happy memories of our get-together.
Just before we went our separate ways, Barbara gave me a little tour of Gray’s Inn. I absolutely adore the architecture of these Inns of Court and the old-fashioned world they conjure in my mind.
Then I hurried off to the British Library…but from there things went really wrong.

Making Bad Transport Decisions:
Despite the fact that London has such a fabulous public transport system that I credit myself with knowing really well, sometimes I make bad decisions. Like I decided to take a bus to King’s Cross from Theobald’s Road, but then I remembered that I hadn’t called my Dad. So I sat at a bus stop and spent about 15 minutes chatting to him. When I did get to the bus-stop, I saw that it was 12. 15 pm. I decided, on impulse, to get to Trafalgar Square to the Church of St. Martin-in-The-Fields to listen to their free lunch time concert. I know, I know…it was foolish to get north to go south! But that’s what I meant by not thinking right.  Anyway, I got to King’s Cross and decided to take the Northern Line southwards–but the Northern Line is one of the most complicated of lines and after a series of errors, I found that it was much too late to make the 1.00 pm concert–so I scrapped it (also on impulse) and decided to go to a concert at the church on another day. Like tomorrow…

Exploring the Wellcome Collection:
Instead, finding myself at Euston Station by this point, I hopped into an M&S Simply Food to buy myself a sandwich (as I had left my ham and cheese sandwich on my kitchen counter at home in my hurry to leave!) and sat at a bench in a square munching it with a large bunch of office-goers who were enjoying the lovely mild afternoon. When I was done with lunch, I found that I was right opposite the Museum that is known as the Wellcome Collection and since I had never been in there, well…inside I went.
Named after Henry Wellcome (he of Burroughs-Wellcome fame), a 19th century intellectual who wore many hats in his lifetime, the museum features rather eclectic items from his personal collection all of which have to do with the human body and its various functions. I was surprised at how lovely the interior is and how crowded it was. Considering that it is one of London’s lesser-known museums, it is very well used indeed. The Cafe on the ground floor was buzzing, but upstairs is a quieter and much more posh space where I found that you can get the best bargain in Afternoon Teas–three courses with scones, sandwiches and cakes costs a lean 9 pounds per person or 16 pounds for two. That is truly a steal in this pricey city. Perhaps Chriselle and I can do it together when she gets here…
Inside, there are temporary exhibitions and bits that comprise a permanent collection. I stuck to the permanent portion entitled Medicine Man–which was a section devoted exclusively to Wellcome’s personal collection. It had some really quirky and really cool items and among its highlights (although they do not have a leaflet that names these), I would pick the following:
1. A lock of hair of King George III.
2. Napolean’s toothbrush
3. Charles Darwin’s ivory walking sticks (there are two of them)
4. Florence Nightingale’s moccasins
5. Lord Nelson’s razor
6. A shrunken head  of the Shuar people (I had seen some of these at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford)
7. A pair of shoes for bound Chinese feet (I was horrified at how tiny they were!)
8. A snuff box attached to a real stuffed ram’s head complete with magnificent horns
9. A French guillotine
10.A mummified male body of a Peruvian Chimu person
11. The wax death mask of Benjamin Disraeli.

So there you have it. There is a grand collection of paintings all of which depict medicine and surgery through the ages, there is a replica of Freud’s couch, there is an X-ray machine from the 1920s, all sorts of items associated with mankind’s sexual life and behavior including chastity belts, there is a whole exhibition on forceps and surgical saws that made me weak-kneed…you name it, this museum has it. There is also a section called Medicine Now which I found far less interesting as it dealt with things like gastric bypass operations etc.
About an hour and a half later, I was out and about again, having covered one more item on my To-Do List (yes, as usual, I do have one or else I will get nothing done!).

By Bus to the British Library:
It was then time to get back to my original plan–which had been to get to the British Library. Jumping into a bus at Euston Terminus, I rode it for one stop to the Library and in ten minutes, I was in the South Asian Section looking for assistance as I tried to call for the items I needed. I had about 10 items on my list–journals, books and public office records of the former India Office in London. A very nice man assisted me and showed me the ropes and before I knew it, I had requested about 8 items from the list. Some of them would be with me in 70 minutes, others would take 2 days as they would be arriving from their stacks at Boston Spa which is in Yorkshire.
Having spent more than an hour searching through the online catalogue and making my requests, I decided it would be best to come back on Monday and spend the entire day in the library as most of the material I have requested should be in by then. So on that satisfied note, I left the library and went on to the next item on my agenda–a visit to my NYU-London campus.

A Visit to NYU-London:
It was high time I went to the NYU-London campus to meet my former colleagues among the staff. Since it is summer and classes are not yet in session, it is rather quiet–which makes it possible to really get work done. At the front door, I met the porters, Mohammed and Mark, who are buddies of mine as I have met them off and on over the years. I also met those folks who are still friends of mine after all these years–Ruth and Nigel–and new ones who will now work closely with me–Phillipa and Harvey. After a nice chat with Ruth who then introduced me to a few other new staff members, I left my things with the porters and set out for a walk in Bloomsbury as I thought it would be good to trek through another one of my former stomping grounds.
Using Frommer’s book, Memorable Walks in London (of which there are 11 that I intend to finish before I depart from London), I began at Bedford Square which is the only true Georgian square left in London.  I saw the blue plaques marking the homes of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Anthony Hope Hawkins who wrote The Prisoner of Zenda and then I entered Gower Street to see plaques to Ottoline Morel, patroness of W.B. Yeats, a suffragette Millicent Gareth Fawcett, the place the first general anaesthesia was administered, etc. The walk carried on to Waterstone’s, the bookstore, and on to Torrington Street, home of the poet Christina Rosetti, sister of Dante Gabriel Rossetti. It then took us to the best mid-Victorian church in London at Gordon Square. The square attained fame, thanks to the members of the Bloomsbury Group who granted it notoriety. Here, from 1904-7, the sisters Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell–held ‘at homes’ every Thursday to which their brothers Thoby and Adrian’s friends were invited. These included the biographer-novelist Lytton Strachey (who lived two doors down), the economist John Maynard Keynes whose work helped found the International Monetary Fund (who also lived two doors down on the other side), playwright George Bernard Shaw, philisopher Bertrand Russel, novelist E.M. Forster, artists Clive Bell and Duncan Grant, publisher Leonard Woolf, etc. etc. I have been fascinated by the members of the Bloomsbury Group since my undergrad days and had visited this square before; but after reading Priya Parmar’s book Life in Squares (which was the best book I read in 2014), I was absolutely thrilled to be in this revered venue and to visit each of the homes–now all turned into offices. I would heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the tangled relationships–straight, biseuxal and homosexual–of these individuals whose activities provoked  a sneering comment from Gertrude Stein who was holding her own literary and artistic soirees in Paris at the same time:” It is a Young Man’s Christian Association with the only thing missing being the Christian part!”
Just next door was supposedly the Percival David Collection of Chinese Ceramics, but these have moved to the British Museum and it is there that I intend to puruse them another time (in Gallery 94).
It was 6. 15 pm by then and so I returned to pick up my bag from NYU from where I took the No. 8 bus just outside campus to my home at Bethnal Green.

An Unexpected Brush with Art:
Except that when I got off at Bethnal Green Tube station, I noticed that the door to the Church of St. John was open and since it is a church designed by Sir John Soane and was on my To-Do List, I headed inside for a visit. At the door of the church, I noticed a bunch of young folks with wine and beer in hand. When I entered the church, I found the pastor, Rev. Allan Green at a bar selling the drinks! Well, it turned out that there was an art opening on the top floor–an installation by Miriam Sedacca–and in the crypt was another exhibition of astronomy as art. I bought a beer, chatted with two lovely artists for about twenty minutes, paid a visit to the altar to admire the work of Soane who only designed three churches in London, and then hopped into a bus and, two stops later, I was home.

Dinner and Travel Research:
Over dinner (toasted ham and cheese sandwich with salad and chicken cup of soup), I caught up with my email and my blog and began the travel research for my proposed trip to Eastern Europe in September with Chriselle.
Like I said, it was a mixed bag…the kind of day that offered so much of interest: reunions with fond friends and former colleagues, museum finds, social chatter over contemporary art, solid library work related to my research and a quiet dinner at home. I could not wish to have had a less eventful day.
Until tomorrow, cheerio…

A Royal Visit (to Clarence House) and a Musical at the West End (‘The Go-Between’)

Aug3

London

It seems I am slowly defeating jetlag–I awoke at 7.30 this morning after a very restful night. Not early enough to go to 8.00 am Mass, but hopefully, my wake-up time will stabilize soon. I used the time to catch up on email and chalk out my day. Having worked really hard in the library yesterday, I felt entitled to a bit of play today–and with the sun peeping through my blinds, it was the perfect day to get out and about.

 Buying a Day Ticket for The Go-Between:
Brekkie done (muesli with yogurt and coffee–I could eat this for every meal, every day of my life!), I showered double quick and was out the door at 10. 15 am. I was at the Apollo Theater by 10. 45 in time to pick up the last single seat available for the matinee show at 2.30.  The ticket cost me 25 pounds for what would otherwise have been a 75 pounds buy–so a real bargain. My seat was in the third row–so I was certain I would catch every word and every expression. Armed with my booty, I hopped into the Tube again and took the Piccadilly and then the Bakerloo lines to St. James’ Park to cover the next item on my agenda–and it was going to be a royal visit!

Visiting Clarence House:
My friend Ian (a faithful reader of this blog) always wonders why it is that I have visited London a gazillion times and still find new things to do on very visit. Well, I think it has to do with the fact that I visit the city at varying times during the year (when the seasonal calendar of Things To Do changes) and because the city is always showing itself off in new guises to entice visitors. When I heard that Clarence House is only open to the public during the month of August, it was a no-brainer. I had to get there before it was no longer possible.
It was a brisk and gorgeous trek to the House past Birdcage Walk, St. James’ Park and The Mall on a truly glorious day. The park was filled with wild life–pigeons, squirrels, dogs (being walked by their owners) and bunches of tourists twittering incessantly with excitement at being in one of the world’s most exciting cities. I shared their joy fully as I hurried along past flower beds bursting with color and plane and chestnut trees that spread their branches hospitably.
At the Visitors Entrance on The Mall, I was directed to the Ticket booth. In the distance, I could hear the booming of drums–clearly the Changing of the Guard was on at nearby Buck House (aka Buckingham Palace), London’s Number One Tourist Attraction. But I was not to be distracted from my mission. After obtaining a ticket for the 12. 15 tour, I was left to my own resources for 25 minutes.

A Guided Tour of Clarence House:
Fifteen minutes before my tour, I joined a group of folks assembled at the entrance. The atmosphere was very relaxed and very low-key. There were almost entirely British female tourists in these groups–I was the only foreigner in my group and there were 2 other men joining us. Everywhere I go, I am struck by the number of British tourists I see. It is as if the British have suddenly discovered that they have a world-class tourist attraction in their own backyards and need no longer get to Corfu or Croatia.
The quick introduction was made by our guide, an Indian (or what the British call a ‘British-Asian’). She was smart and articulate and very competent and from the get-go, the tour was informative, interesting and entertaining. A quick history of the house was recounted and here is what I remember: The architect was John Nash (the same chap who designed and built Regent’s Circus and the Brighton Pavilion and most of the city of Bath). It was meant to be a residence for William IV (then Duke of Clarence–hence its name)  who found Buckingham Palace much too imposing for his taste. Subsequent monarchs have added to the house until Edward VII joined it to the brick Tudor facade of St. James’ Palace which is next door.
It was used at the primary residence of Queen Elizabeth (nee Bowes-Lyon), the Queen Mother, from the time of the death of her husband and the accession of her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II to the throne to the time of her death. By the time she passed away, long after reaching a century, she had spent over 40 years of her life in this home.  Thus, although it is the primary residence today of Charles, Prince of Wales and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and has been his home since they were wed, the spirit and the presence of the Queen Mother pervades every room as well as the garden.
We walked through the lovely garden where two infant trees were pointed out to us: both magnolias, one planted by the Dalai Lama and the other by Daw Aung Sang Su Ki of Burma. We stopped at the lovely Elizabethan Knot Garden planted by Charles in honor of his Grandmother (whom he adored). It is filled with roses and lavender and has a small bust of her.
Once we went past the entrance, we followed the exact same route used by all visitors to the house. We were first led into a parlor which is also known as the Lancashire Room. This contains a lovely Italian marble carved mantelpiece from Sienna that was purchased with money raised to provide a wedding gift for the present queen and her husband Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Prior to her coronation, while her father, King George VI, was still living, then Princess Elizabeth used this room as a family room for herself, her husband and her two first born children–Charles and Anne. The tour continued through the living room (which has two built-in cases filled with the Chelsea china that the Queen Mother collected filled with botanicals), past the library and into the dining room.  Every one of these rooms had been decorated by the Queen Mother with items from her past, her family history and her taste.  It seems that Prince Charles has been loathe to move anything around. It is nice to see modern-day pictures of the current Queen taken with members of her family seated on the furniture that is in the rooms today–such as the lovely acquamarine Chippendale Set in the living room where she posed with her son, her grandson William and her great grand son George. Lovely!
We moved on to the Library which also served as a tea room and where the Queen Mother often took tea with horse lovers like herself such as the author Dick Francis and the playwright Noel Coward. And then we arrived at the Dining Room which is set with a beautiful Minton china service and has a striking portrait on the wall of the Queen Mother by her favorite portraitist Augustus John who, after winning the commission, became so nerve-wracked that he could not look at the face of his subject! A rather tricky situation to be in if your portrait is being painted! The poor Queen Mother took his reticence in her stride but the work remained unfinished and rolled up for 40 years until someone unearthed it and presented it to her. She remembered the artist’s shyness and decided to put it up anyway, although unfinished. Hence, she has one ear-ring longer than the other and the roses she carries in her lap lack stems! Still, it is a very pretty portrait and I am glad they have it up. Apparently Augustus John was deeply gratified to hear that his controversial portrait will forever grace the walls of Clarence House.
We moved across the Entrance Hall to the other side of the house through a passage that was filled with portraits of horses and trophies won by the Queen Mother’s many studs. Like her daughter, she too was passionate about horses and horse-racing and was a keen rider herself.
The tour finished in the Morning Room which is the one that is most closely associated with Charles and Camilla and which they use as a family room themselves. It has an Oriental theme that derives from the presence of a vast tapestry on one wall that depicts the Siege of Mohammed Ali in loving detail. This Victorian work also lay rolled up and forgotten for more than a century when it was found and placed on the wall as Charles has a particular fondness for it. This room is striking for the family pictures on the piano (that was played by Elton John among other musicians) and which is covered with carefully selected family portraits representing both Charles and Camilla’s children and grandchildren. There is a particularly lovely one of Charles with his grandson George–having tea with him in the garden. It is a completely natural picture that captures a very tender moment of the bridging of generations. There is also an escritoire in Chinoiserie red lacquer that was a present to Charles from his grandmother. He adores it and has given it pride of place in the room. The room overlooks the Knot Garden and the bust outside–so once again the very special affinity between Charles and his grandmother is made very clear.
It was a good time to browse through the Gift Shop–a very small and modest affair but it had some unique items not to be found in the other palace gift shops (such as reproduction china of the Chelsea pattern that the late Queen Mother collected, available in place settings and on aprons and the ubiquitous tea towels).
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Clarence House. It is the home in which the young princes William and Harry spent many of their childhood years and it is the home from which William left for Westminster Abbey on the day of his wedding (the gates through which he left were also pointed out to us). It is a very personal home and is carries reminiscences of many of its residents through the decades. There is much evidence of the destruction carried out in London during the blitz–Clarence House was also affected and some parts of it rebuilt. Upstairs, of course, are the more personal parts of the home–the bedrooms and bathrooms. But we were only permitted entry to the ground floor. Since the home’s residents are usually in Balmoral Castle in Scotland during the month of August, it is a good time to open out this home to the public. At the rate of 20 visitors going in every 15 minutes and paying 10 pounds each, the total made each hour is 800 pounds. Multiply that number by 30 for every day in August and you will see that no small sum is raised by the act of opening the doors of the house to the public to traipse in for 45 minutes and be dazzled by the weight of British history and the weight of the awesome bric-a-brac contained inside.
Would I recommend a visit? You bet your last bob, I would!

Lunch in St. James’ Park:
It was a day made for loitering–and what better place than a park? Grabbing one of the striped green and white deck chairs and facing Big Ben that peeped shyly at me between two trees, I pulled out my cheese and pickle sandwich and began munching my home made lunch. It was so delicious in the perfect air of a London summer’s day. In the ponds, mallard life stirred. On the lawns, children cartwheeled, tourists posed for pictures, dogs scampered behind their masters and mistresses. It was an ideal afternoon to people-watch and I did just that before it was time to move on for my 2. 30 matinee show. Taking the Tube and reversing my journey, I arrived at Piccadilly Square with 30 minutes to spare before the curtain went up.
Remembering that Nespresso had a show room on Regent’s Street with a very generous Tasting Area, I went in there hoping to have enough time for a decaff coffee. And how good was my Lungo Decaffinato! Fortified with my treat, I hurried down Shaftesbury Avenue to the Apollo and eagerly took my sear.

A Musical Treat at the West End–The Go-Between:
One of my great passions is the theater and London allows me to indulge it to the fullest.  Not only are there a glut of quality offerings, but the talent is outstanding, the theaters themselves have spectacular interiors and the tickets are so much cheaper than those on Broadway. This afternoon I would be seeing the one and only Michael Crawford in the flesh. I could not wait. Ever since I had heard his recordings of the soundtrack of Andrew Lloyd-Weber’s Phantom of the Opera, I have been hooked. But even prior to that, while still living in India, I had watched him play the fool (and I mean literally) in a TV program called Some Mother Do Have ’em. Google it to watch clips of this stomach-achingly funny sitcom that always reminds me of my mother as we used to sit and watch it together and roll with laughter back in the 1970s. Anyway, Michael Crawford is multi-talented–he has acting chops and an incredible voice.
In The Go-Between, he is an old man, Leon Causton, who looks back on a summer he spent with the aristocratic Maudsleys in the early Edwardian period, on their country estate. Acting as the Go-Between, the postman, who carried surreptitious notes between the young lady of the house, Marion, and the grounds-keeper Ted, when he was but 13 years old, he unwittingly facilitated a relationship that was forbidden by the rigid class barriers of the time. Told as a flashback, the audience is treated to the dual presence of Leo on the stage–as a pre-teenager and as an old man (played by Crawford). Wonderful acting by both Leos made for a compelling production. The atonal music was the least enjoyable part of the musical in my opinion (helped along by a single pianist who was rather good). The lady seated besides me (who was also alone) told me that it is also a good film and that it was based on the first book her husband ever presented her. I loved it and I would recommend it heartily to anyone who is a fan of Crawford and a fan of the West End musical.

A Stroll Along Piccadilly:
It was still very bright when I emerged from the theater at 5. 30 pm and while I was still full of beans, I decided to stroll along one of my favorite streets in London–Piccadilly. Once there, I wandered into Waterstone’s, the great big book shop that I love, mainly to use the wifi and get my messages. Once that was done, I wandered further afield to Fortnum and Mason which is always a treat for the eye as much as it for the tongue. Nothing was on sale–so I did not buy, but I did enjoy a nibble or two of some of their samplers. It is only when I am in places like this–some of my favorite venues in London–that I feel fully as if I am in the city of my fondest desires.

Dinner At Home:
It was only 8.00 pm when I got home on the bus and the Tube from Piccadilly Circus–well in time to make a few calls to relatives and friends in Kent and London. I rustled up dinner from the goodies in my fridge–my sausages and cauliflower mash with lettuce and avocado salad–and while I munched, I watched Beck, a Swedish detective show, on BBC’s I-player.  Then it was time to do a bit of blogging and reading and call it a night.
I had such a fabulous day. Truly each day brings me a bit of a surprise in terms of how it will turn out. I absolutely revel in the joy of letting the day do with me what it will and going with the flow.
How grateful I am for this opportunity!
Until tomorrow, cheerio!

Research at Queen Mary College Library and in Theaterland

Aug2

London

Resuming Daily Mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral:    
Seems I am quickly getting over jetlag for I fell asleep at 12.15 and slept almost right through to 6.45 am. There was enough time for me to get ready and leave for 8.00 am Mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral. If you get the right bus-Tube connections, I realize I can get there in under 20 minutes. And that was where I found myself in good time for the start of the service by the Rev. James Mille. As always, it is a great thrill to walk through the great pillared portals of Christopher Wren’s Neo-Classical masterpiece and to make my way to one of the side chapels. I chatted with Rev. James when Mass was done and took myself out again into a grey and drizzly morning. As always, I missed my friends Michael and Cynthia with whom I have often attended daily Mass at St. Paul’s. Back home in Connecticut too, I am a daily Mass goer but there is no way the quiet little church I attend can compare with the magnificence of this edifice and it never fails to evoke in me an even deeper feeling of devotion.

Research at Queen Mary College Library:
After having made inquiries yesterday about obtaining a Visitor’s Card for Queen Mary College (QMC) Library, I figured that on a rainy day a library would be the best place to spend time. I decided to start research for my paper on Indentured Labor from the Indian Sub-Continent which I will present at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland at the beginning of next month. So, after breakfasting on Sainsbury’s Fruit and Nut muesli in yoghurt and a decaff coffee, I showered and shampooed my hair and set out for a morning of research.
QMC, part of the University of London, is only two stops away on a bus down Mile End Road or a 15 minute walk. I took the bus and soon found myself presented with a Day Card at the Main Reception area (until a permanent Visitors Card with my picture on it is made available to me). In no time at all, I was on the second floor at the stacks seeking out the books I wanted. It was about 11.00 am when I arrived there and it was exactly 3.00 pm when I wound up–having made about 22 pages of notes! Certainly a morning very productively spent and such a great way to have beaten the rain.

Home for Lunch:
By the time I got back home, it was 3. 15 and I was starving. I rustled up a grilled cheese and ham sandwich which I ate with something called ‘pickle’ (Cheese and Pickle sandwiches are very popular in the UK). Except the ‘pickle’ is not the kind we eat in India (hot and spicy and highly salted) nor is it the kind of pickle we eat in America (cucumbers in brine). It is something known as Branston Pickle–and I was introduced to it for the first time. It is more like a chutney with some chunky, crunchy bits in it (I am not sure if these are onions or mango!) Very likely this was an Indian chutney recipe pinched by some ambitious colonial named Branston who marketed it to his compatriots as a ‘pickle’ with much success. Anyway, the combination of chutney and cheddar was superb and I can see why ‘cheese and pickle’ sandwiches are such a hit here. I also ate a bit of salad and, because I could not resist it, a thin slice of tiramisu. It made a very delicious lunch indeed and yet required minimal cooking.

 Off to Theaterland:
Since I am not comfortable at the thought of coming home alone late at night, my friend Cynthia gave me the idea of getting to the theater for the matinee shows–a brilliant idea, methinks! And since Matinee shows are only on Wednesdays and Saturdays, I think I will try to see a matinee show each Wednesday by obtaining ‘Day Tickets’ which are sold at 10.00 am on the day you wish to go (provided tickets are still available, they sell no more than 2 per person in the queue).
My aim was to find out if Day Tickets would be available tomorrow morning for The Go-Between at the Apollo Theater–a musical that stars Michael Crawford (whose voice I love) and who is a very well-reputed actor (he played the Phantom in the original London version of the play The Phantom of the Opera!) Well, yes, tickets were available for tomorrow and I was advised to get there at 10.00 am but with no need to rush.
That done, I wandered around the heart of the theater district around Shaftesbury Avenue and Cambridge Circus to make my way to the Palace Theater where there is a great deal of hoopla with the staging of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child which opened yesterday. I understand that all tickets have gone until December and that there are none to be had at the Box Office–a fact that was confirmed by the Box Office clerk when I arrived there. I took a picture outside the theater as that is probably the closest I will come to seeing the play!
A little later, I arrived at the Garrick Theater as I found out that another one of my favorite actors is soon going to be on the stage there. As Chriselle will be here in September-October, I decided to book tickets for us for the show–but I would like it to remain a surprise–so I am not saying which show or who the actor is; but I feel certain that she will be pleased. With the tickets and receipt in my bag, I walked off and made my way to the Strand to find out if Day Tickets were available at the Vaudeville Theater where another favorite actor of mine is currently to be found–Martin Shaw is in Hobson’s Choice. I loved him in every TV show in which he stars (not the least being as Detective Inspector George Gently which is still running). In addition, Christopher Timothy also has a role in the play–he played James Herriott in the TV series All Creatures Great and Small. It was confirmed that Day Tickets are available; so, I shall probably come back next Wednesday for the matinee. It seems as if I have a wealth of quality theater from which to choose–I will need to plan judiciously and make certain I see all the ones I want to without breaking the bank.

Exploring Foyle’s, Covent Garden and Stanford’s:
In-between weaving myself through the maze of streets that make up Theaterland, London, I popped into two book shops: Foyle’s on Shaftesbury where I was delighted to find Owl Song at Dawn, a wonderful memoir by my friend and NYU (London) colleague Emma Sweeney. I will be accompanying her later this month to a reading at the sea-side in Margate–so I had better read the book before that day. What a joy to find a book by a good friend on the shelves of a well-known book store!
And then, one floor up, I found The Tree-Climber’s Guide to London by yet another one of my friends, Jack Cooke, whose work has become a bestseller and for whom I am absolutely thrilled as this kind of great success could not have come to a nicer person. Splendidly produced as a hardbound edition with the most exquisite accompanying illustrations by his wife, Jennifer, I was so struck by the quality and contents of the book that I wanted to buy it right away. It is only the fact of not being able to carry any extra weight back home that deterred me. I am sure I will find it at a local library and will enjoy exploring London with this tome in my hand. I still cannot get over the delight of finding two great books by two good friends in a major book store in a major city in less than half an hour!
The second great book store I entered was Stanford’s, on Long Acre Road, which seemed like a practical idea as I needed to do some research on a trip that Chriselle and I are planning to take in Central Europe late next month. I have bought books and maps galore from this specialty book store that only carries books and articles pertaining to travel–so it is a globetrotter’s dream–and one of my favorite venues in London.
After I found what I was looking for, I decided to try to get the books from a local library–again, I am loathe to buy books that will only add to the weight of what I am already carrying.

 Back Home for Dinner: 
It was about 8.00 pm with a slight spritz of a drizzle still in evidence when I jumped into the Tube at Leicester Square and headed home. Just a half hour later, I was inside my door and thinking about dinner. It was going to be a salad with a curried yoghurt dressing, a slice of toast with mushroom pate and a cup of asparagus soup. As I rustled it up, I thought of the folks I need to call as I now start to make plans to meet up with friends.
I watched a bit of Mary Berry’s show on TV on her family’s favorite dishes and after writing this blog, set off to go to bed.
It has been a swell day–so much work was done and so much fun was had while crowds of tourists swarmed and swirled around me, undaunted by the weather, in some of the most crowded parts of London. It was grand to feel part of that energy.
Until tomorrow, cheerio…

Seeking my Inner Kid at the Museum of Childhood and Top Deck of Red Bus

Aug1

London

Somewhere in the middle of a fretful night, August 2016 arrived. I was awake until at least 3. 15 am–horribly jetlagged and counting sheep, switching on the light, doing a bit of mindless reading–anything to bring on the zzzzs. No such luck. Little wonder that when I awoke it was a little past 9.00 am! Springing out of bed, I hurried to wash and dress and get down for brekkie, sorry that I had not managed to wake up in time for 8.00 am Mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral (which had been my intention).

First Brekkie Chez Moi: 
I had a fancy schmancy brekkie this morning–my first in my new digs. And co-incidentally, it was a close repeat of a first breakfast Llew and I had in my former flat in Holborn on our first morning together many years ago: an almond croissant from Paul’s Patisserie (which I picked up from City Farm yesterday) and a cup of decaff coffee. While my kettle was humming, I pulled out my pork sausages and began to cook them as well as prepare the cauliflower I’d bought the day before.  While I was munching my goodies in my adjoining breakfast room, my cauliflower boiled. With the addition of grated cheddar cheese, salt and pepper, I made a fine mash and voila, dinner for tonight was in the bag!
Back upstairs, I responded to email and decided to call my Dad in Bombay as I now have my UK phone in my possession. When I had reassured him that all was well with me, I got dressed.

Planning My Week Ahead:
Not long after, I was leaving the house to travel to the Museum of Childhood which is the nearest major museum to my residence–just a 15 minute walk away. I have decided that Mondays will be designated Museum Mondays–meaning that I will visit a museum that day.
Here is what I intend to do with the rest of the week:
Museum Monday, Theater Tuesday, Working Wednesday, Trekking Thursday, Farther Afield Friday (meaning that I shall explore a place outside London on a day trip), Slick and Scrub Saturday (meaning that it shall be devoted to chores–grocery shopping, laundry, tidying, etc.) and Suit Myself Sunday (meaning that it will used in ad hoc fashion as the mood takes me). Much, however, will depend on the weather. This Thursday, for instance, it promises to be wet while Friday will be cloudy but dry. The trek might will be postponed to Friday and rainy Thursday might well call for another day spent in a museum. Once I get over jetlag and awake at 6.00 am (as I usually do), I intend to spend the first three hours working–that will allow me to feel no guilt when I goof off for the rest of the day.  Hopefully, I will be able to stick to my plan.
So, there I was, waiting at the 309 bus stop just a few steps from my house. It deposited me at York Hall, right opposite the Museum which I reached at 12. 15 pm.

Exploring the Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green:
The Museum of Childhood is part of the famous Victoria and Albert Museum at Kensington. It was founded in 1872 by Albert, Victoria’s oldest son, then Prince of Wales who became Edward VII. Its design was based on the great iron structure that had become part of the Great Exhibition of 1951 held at Crystal Palace. Since the Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington was too far away and out of the reach of the poorer East Enders, it was thought fit to create a branch of the museum in Bethnal Green using the same iron structure as its foundation. This was subsequently covered on the outside with red brick.
Hence, the visitor is not prepared for the sight that hits when one goes past the brick exterior. The double-storeyed iron structure, painted white, reminded me of different things at the same time: double tiered prisons, the decks of a ship, hospital corridors, the hangar at an airport, the vast platform of a railway terminus. But, most of all, it reminded me of Bhau Ladji Museum at the Victoria Gardens in Byculla, Bombay, whose structure was also erected in the reign of Victoria in the exact same style. I was taken aback at the first sight of the museum but I quickly adjusted myself mentally to the task ahead: to try to figure out how to see it most efficiently as it was my first time inside.
The girl at the Information Desk provided me with a floor plan. It is simple enough with exhibits arranged not chronologically but thematically. I asked if there were any guided tours–there were none. I asked if there were any highlights I ought not to miss–she was unable to respond, but suggested I do not miss the Dolls Houses on the top floor as they are most popular. Thus, I decided to begin with those.
And so it was that I spent almost two hours in a place that was most un-museum-like. It was not a quiet space designed for dignified contemplation. In fact, it was noisy and hectic as it is summer and the museum is free. The place was, therefore, crawling (literally!) with kids. Of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers, they were present. The Dolls Houses sre indeed striking as are the furniture and fitments that accompanied them. There were also a lot of active play areas–games corners where patrons were playing Monopoly and Snakes and Ladders, sand pits where babies were attempting to make sand castles (without any water), crafting corners, etc. All exhibits are in great glass vitrines and the majority of the items inside were toys. I loved the vitrines devoted to childrens’ clothing from the 1700s to the present day. These cases included childrens’ shoes. There were toys galore–of every possible kind from dolls and stuffed toys to mechanical ones.
For me, the highlight of the entire museum were two Chinese Rock Gardens made of jade, ivory, enamel and embellished with pearls. They were presented by the Chinese to Queen Mary who presented them to the museum. They really are extraordinarily detailed with porcelain human beings present in them as well. The Museum has a very nice cafe and gift shop and I found a lot of young folks shopping. What is most interesting is that the museum is designed to entice children–which is why all curatorial notes are at a kid’s eye level!

Back Home for Lunch:
On my way home for lunch at almost 2.00 pm, I decided to walk it out. This took me to St. John’s Church at the corner of Bethnal Green and the Roman Road–one of only three churches in London designed by the great Sir John Soanes whose style is very evident at first glance–there are his signature pillars with what look like classical urns sitting atop them (similar to what one sees at Dulwich Art Gallery which is also his creation and the Bank of England on Threadneedle Street). I noted that there is daily Morning Prayer at 9.00 with Eucharist Mass at 1.10 pm most days. One of these days, I will try to attend so that I can see the inside of the church as I am quite fascinated by Soanes.
Spying Sainsbury catty corner to the church, I hurried in to buy one of my favorite desserts–their Tiramisu–and a packet of their Dark Chocolate Covered Ginger Biscuits as I had nothing for tea. Then crossing Bethnal Green Gardens, I spied the Bethnal Green Library and asked if I could become a member. Yes, I was told–if I brought along my tenancy agreement. So, one of these days, that is precisely what I shall do.
Leaving the gardens, I used my instinct to find my way home and arrived at my doorstep by an interesting route that took me past vast residential ‘estates’. It is rather a novelty for me to be living in the midst of a sprawling residential area–mostly populated by Muslim Bengalis from Bangladesh with loads of Somalians sprinkled in too. I hear Bengali all around me all the time in these side streets. On the main roads (Mile End and Roman), there is a vast mixture of ethnicities with people of every skin color visible. My street should truly have been named Global (not Globe) Road!

Lunch in my Dining Room and the Longest Nap in the World:
And so I sat down to eat my first lunch in my home: Toasted Olive Bread with Mushroom Pate and a salad of lettuce, apples, avocado, strawberries and cashewnuts with a balsamic vinaigrette and a thin slice of tiramisu for dessert. It was all very delicious.
Lack of sleep then became obvious and although I had decided to make a trip to Queen Mary College Library, I simply could not drag myself out without a quick shut-eye. So up I went to my room to do a bit of bibliographic research for the conference paper I need to present at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland about five weeks from now. I found the books I would need at Queen Mary College Library which is just down Mile End Road about a ten minute walk away from my home. I called the library and found out that I could be issued a Visitor’s Card but I would need to fill a form and provide a passport photo. Deciding to do that first thing tomorrow, I settled down for a much-needed nap of 20 minutes…but did not awake for two and a half hours!

Tea and a Long Joy Ride:
It was 5.30 pm when I awoke and decided to take a shower and have a spot of tea. Downstairs, while munching Date and Walnut Cake and sipping lemony tea, I watched Beck on BBC I-Player (a Swedish detective program). Then, back upstairs, I climbed into my clothes and decided, while there was still light, to take a long bus ride through Central London. There was a drizzle out the door and grabbing my brolly, I walked to the 309 bus stop and from there to a No. 8 at Bethnal Green that took me as far as Tottenham Court Road past all my former haunts, including my two former residences at Farringdon and Holborn. Awash in nostalgia, I was sorry for the rain that fogged up the windows on the upper deck as darkness swiftly descended over the city. Bus No. 73 then took me forward to Victoria from where I jumped into the District Line Tube that brought me back home at 9. 15. I had enough time to get to the Co-op for packeted soup as there was a distinct nip in the air, brought on by the rain. I had an urgent desire for a warming brew.

Dinner at Home:
Needless to say, my pork bangers and cauliflower mash formed dinner together with another helping of salad. Oh and a cup of chicken and vegetable soup, all finished with another thin slice of tiramisu. I am hoping to keep my weight stable and to balance not-so-healthy meals with a healthy amount of walking to give me the exercise I need. For today at least, I seem to have succeeded. As I ate, I watched a part of Celebrity Masterchef.
An hour later, I finished this blog and decided to call it a day. Hopefully, jetlag will not keep me up half the night.
Until tomorrow, cheerio…

A Sunday of Free Meals–Stepney’s City Farm and St. Dunstan’s Church

Jul31

London

I had a dreadful night. Wracked by jetlag and possibly the caffeinated latte I had at tea-time yesterday, I was awake most of the night. When I did eventually fall asleep, it was in the early hours–and having set my alarm for 7. 30am so that I could leave for Mass at 8. 15, I didn’t really get enough sleep at all.

Off for Mass to St. Etheldreda’s Church in Holborn:
I have a soft spot for St. Etheldreda’s Church in Holborn for many reasons: it was my London ‘parish’ when I lived here; it is the oldest Catholic church in England (being the first one to revert to Roman Catholicism after the Protestant Reformation); it is bursting with historic detail (King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I possibly worshiped here); it is where my dear friend and former neighbor Barbara starts every Sunday. I had made plans to meet her at Mass followed by a swift breakfast at her flat next door to the one I had once occupied.
I have yet to get to know bus timings in Bethnal Green where I now live. Banking on the bus getting me to the Tube station on time was not too wise. When it did roll in (after I’d waited about 20 minutes), I raced to the Tube, got one right away (fortunately!) and reached Chancery Lane Station from where I raced off to Ely Place to catch the 9.00 am Mass–I was about 2 minutes too late, so seated myself nondescriptly in the middle region. The congregation has certainly grown in the past 8 years and there are many families and babies to be seen. Good Ood Fr. Tom Deidun still holds the fort, the same lector continues to read faithfully every Sunday (I believe she is called Alison) and the stained glass window still does what it was supposed to do for Medieval congregations–it inspires me to pray to every saint featured in its collage. After Mass, Barbara and I reunited (always a great joy!) and off we trekked to Holborn Tube station for one of her other Sunday morning rituals–picking up the Sunday Times (of which I got myself a copy as well–for among other things, it provides the weekly TV program!)

Bountiful Brekkie at 7HH:
I met Tim, Barbara’s other half at brekkie at “7HH” (High Holborn) where he provided us with crispy croissants, the most delicious bacon (to make a sandwich with or, as Barbara put it, to “nibble” on–I did the former), butter, super sweet cherries,  white peaches and coffee. It was fun, as always, to catch up with my friends and to leave with a small present from Tim: a spray can of moth repellent (short story, but not important). It is my hope that we will meet again (perhaps over a meal in my home soon).

Discovering the Number 8 Bus Route:
I decided to take the Number 8 bus all the way back home to Bethnal Green but when I got nearer my vicinity, changed my mind to ride it all the way to the end of its route–at Bow Church–to enable me get my bearings. This allowed me to pass Victoria Park and the Canal whose tow path makes for a nice hiking route, spied the Acelor Mittal Slide Tower at the Olympics Park and finally got to Bow Church (closed but clearly very old and very atmospheric). My brainwave gave me a good sense of where the buses that ply through my new area will take me.
Just as impulsively, I took the Number 25 to get back home–this plies along Mile End Road–and ten minutes later, I was at Stepney Green Tube station which is the other one that serves my home’s location. Again, since I was carrying the diagram that Mine Host N gave me, I decided to explore Stepney–it was as good a time as any other and doing it before I got home seemed like a good idea.

Exploring Stepney Green–City Farm and St. Dunstan’s Church:
A few minutes later, I was at Stepney High Street attempting to find two places that N had drawn out: City Farm which reputedly has a nice cafe and what he called “Old Stepney Church”. Well, City Farm turned out to be a real farm–I had expected a Farmer’s Market! Imagine finding a fully functioning farm filled with pigs, goats, sheep, hens, rabbits, etc. right in the midst of the city of London! I am still in shock. The place is also filled with allotments–those plots of land that are tended by city folk who lack their own gardens and wish to try their hands as growing their own “veg”. Well, well, well. I had the nicest stroll through the pens as I watched kids pet the animals, feed them hay and food pellets and take in the sight of so many lush vegetable gardens brimming over with tomatoes and peppers and raspberry and blackberry canes that turned out the sweetest fruit.
Just when I was about to leave, I came upon a workshop/shed and made the sweet discovery that it was a day when three ‘green’ neighborhood organizations had clubbed together to provide visitors with lunch created from their organically grown produce. I was invited to wait for ten minutes as set-up continued. It wasn’t long before the lovely buffet of salads was opened to the public and I found myself holding a plate flowing with a corn, beans and red pepper salad, a green salad made with red lettuce and balsamic vinaigrette, a quinoa salad with oranges, chick peas and mango, a rice salad with boiled potatoes and lots of herbs for taste and flavor, a noodle salad with carrots and cukes. There were salted cashew nuts, lovely home-baked bread and mushroom pate and for dessert, a fruit salad with apples, grapes, peaches and blackberries. Seriously, I could not have eaten a more healthy or unexpectedly delicious lunch! We were all then invited to help ourselves to the surplus produce grown on the allotments and as I chose garlic, ginger, avocados, Bibb lettuce, a seed-studded loaf of bread and an olive loaf, I thought just how lucky I was to be fed lunch for free and be presented all these natural goodies!
The afternoon continued to present an embarrassment of riches–for right across the street was “Old Stepney Church” and since the door was wide open, I simply had to make a visit. Imagine my delight at finding out that it was the Church of St. Dunstan and All Saints which has stood at this site since 952 AD! It certainly wears its age on its sleeve. It is one of the churches that is referred to in the famous “Oranges and Lemons” poem about London’s old churches: “When will that be? say the Bells of Stepney.”
As I entered the church, a bunch of lovely old church ladies came to greet me and inform me that it was the afternoon of the Poppy Picnic–a fund raiser for descendants of British veterans of the Great War. Children had been told to bring their stuffed toys to church–these would be ‘parachuted’ down from the tower of the church to their waiting arms below. How charming a tradition is this? And as part of the picnic, the ladies had set out a real genuine Afternoon Tea–with every manner of cake and scones, split and spread with strawberry jam and a bowl of real clotted cream placed at the side. There was also a bowl of strawberries for those who preferred just strawberries and cream. I was invited to join in and as I made my donation, I moved to the front of the church for a prayerful visit.
Simply unable to resist the treats of the tea-time table, I helped myself to a slice of Victoria sponge and Chocolate cake and half a scone. As there was no lemon in sight, I opted for a coffee instead of the more traditional tea. As no one can do an Afternoon Tea like church ladies, the whole experience was homely, authentic and charming and took me back to the era of the TV series, Home Fires. So, as I left the church, it occurred to me that three meals of the day had been made available to me through the generosity of friends and London’s community events: breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. As for dinner? Well, wouldn’t you just know it? I had an invitation to supper for later that day.
Laden with my Sunday Times and the bulging bag of fresh produce, I jumped into a bus that dropped me right outside my house–and ten minutes later, I was putting away my goodies and making my way upstairs for a nap. For lack of sleep was swiftly catching up with me and I needed to unwind after my lovely exploration of one portion of the East End of London. An hour later, having had some shut eye, I woke up, had a shower and headed off to my next appointment.

Supper with Fond Friends:
The District Line transported me to Sloan Square in Chelsea in about 20 minutes and by the time I was ringing the bell to Grosvenor Court where my friends Michael and Cynthia live with their son Aidan, I could barely contain my excitement at seeing them again. We spent the next couple of hours together catching up on so many things that have happened in our respective families and our lives. Cynthia provided one of her delicious meals after Michael placed a G&T in my hand. Over her superb roast lamb, mashed potatoes with gravy and mixed steamed veg (brocolli, squash and beans), with fresh berries, custard and ice-cream for pudding, the evening just rolled smoothly along. I picked up my UK phone (which Cynthia had been holding and using occasionally to keep my number alive) and then it was time to bid them goodbye before it turned too dark. Being that it is summer, there is light until about 9.00 pm, but until I get the lie of the land, they do not want me out too late–and quite sensibly too!
It was at 9.45 pm that I reached my door. There were still a lot of folks on the road (much to my relief!) and lots of cars along the street too. I videochatted with Llew, went in for a shower and sat down to blog.
It was an eventful day and, unbelievably, one on which I was fed every single meal (and quite deliciously too!) by generous Londoners! As this is the first time such a thing has happened to me, I do not believe that I will ever experience such a phenomenon again!
With the weekend devoted to easing into my new life and discovering my new neighborhood, I am ready to plunge into some work tomorrow. Bring on the working week…
Until tomorrow, cheerio!

Back in Londinium! And First-Day Flutters!

Jul30

London
First Day Flutters! I felt them big time. Flutters of trepidation as I wondered how I would handle my mountainous baggage alone! And flutters of exhilaration at walking the lovely streets of London again!
So yes, here I go blogging again! Or rather, here I come! Back again in Londinium. Or T’Smoke–whatever you might wish to call it, I am in Blighty now–for the long haul! And no one could be happier! For as firsts go, this day was fab.

Journey Outward:    
Bidding goodbye to the family this time round was harder than I expected. Excitement was tempered by a twinge of sadness as I hugged and kissed the Smallies who are now part of our family in Southport. Llew dropped me to JFK–all the while more concerned than I was about the load I was carrying: two cases of 50 lbs each, a strolley backpack with not one but two laptops (don’t ask!)–a PC And a Mac–and a crossover pocketbook. I knew I could do it–maybe even in my sleep for London, as you faithful readers of this blog know, is my second home.
I couldn’t have had a more comfy flight for, as luck would have it, I had a window seat with no one else occupying the two seats besides me–truly, the angels of international travel had my back! After a picture-perfect takeoff (the skyline of Manhattan silhouetted against a gorgeous coral sunset), I moved like lightning to the end aisle seat to hog it all, stretched out with three pillows and a blanket and ordered a G&T to celebrate my return to the UK. Dinner swiftly followed (and as airline meals go, this wasn’t half bad for the chicken with orzo they presented me was far more than merely edible). Then, as is my wont on trans-Atlantic flights, I popped a sleeping pill into my mouth and was out for a whole four hours. By the time I surfaced, we were preparing for landing. And, once again, I hope you will believe me when I say that I got a brilliant picture of Buckingham Palace from my window as we made a smooth touchdown at Heathrow.
Llew needn’t have chewed his nails off in worry, on my behalf, for I sailed out of Immigration, loading my cases on to a trolley and hotfooted it to the Piccadilly Line in under ten minutes. After loading my Oystercard with a monthly Travelpass, I slid into the elevator that sank me down to the platform and, five minutes later, voila! I was in the Tube and changing at Hammersmith for the District Line right across the platform. A quick call to inform my ‘pick up person’ that I would be there in about 40 minutes and, like clockwork, an almost empty train dropped me off at Stepney Green where I connected with him.

Getting to Know Bethnal Green and my New London Digs:
My landlord and landlady (whom I shall refer to from now on as Mine Hosts) couldn’t be nicer. N was there, as promised, and with all the gallantry of the Middle Ages, hauled my cases up as if they were featherweights, as he led me to the surface–of Mile End Road. The neighborhood was still in the throes of its Saturday Lie-In as we dragged my cases down two New York blocks to my new digs on Globe Road–and a more appropriate name would be hard to find for someone who does as much globe-trotting as I! His wife, C was awaiting my arrival indoors as we opened the lime green door to my new home, a charming Victorian three-story semi-detached house with a front and back garden! As my eyes scanned my new abode, I thought, “Have I lucked out once again, or what?”
We spent the next two hours getting to know each other and my new home. They put me through the paces as they shared wifi codes with me, pointed out light switches, security measures (locks, latches, and the like), discussed rental payments with me, walked around the garden with me, gave me the Grand Tour of all three floors, showed me how kitchen appliances, shower and heater worked–all over a cup of coffee and a bowl of muesli as I suddenly discovered that I was starving.  They told me to help myself to any of their pantry staples (oils, vinegars, spices, condiments), introduced me to their storehouse of a gazillion teas (only to discover, much to their chagrin, that I drink decaff!) and made me feel fully at home. They had also drawn me a cool diagram of the neighborhood with landmarks like museums and markets, favorite restaurants and bus and Tube stops all highlighted. How unbelievably thoughtful!

Off to the British Library:
Two hours later, all formalities ironed out, I set out to find my way to the British Library at King’s Cross as my Reader’s Ticket expired yesterday! How was that for timing??? I jumped on to the No. 8 bus at Bethnal Green, hopped off at Liverpool Street and took the Tube. From there, it was only a stroll to the Library on a glorious day, temperature-wise. After the heat wave we’ve had Stateside, it felt heavenly to wear a light jacket! Reader’s Card safely in my pocketbook, I browsed around an exhibit called Punk–but found little in it to arouse my interest.

Crossing Regent’s Canal:
Having used wifi at the library, I set out in search of the nearest Waitrose as I needed a few urgent groceries. And so it was that I made another charming discovery. There is a huge Waitrose behind St. Pancras Station (one of my very favorite buildings in London with its splendid Victorian Gothic facade by Sir Gilbert Scott for whom I have a soft spot as he also designed the library building of the University of Bombay). I can never pass by without saying a silent Thank you to Sir John Betjeman who saved it from the wrecking ball! (How could something so grand ever be slated for demolition?) And what’s more, that Waitrose is hidden in a vast warehouse behind a pedestrian plaza that sits astride the Regent’s Canal to which one is led by steps going down–like getting to the banks of the Seine in Paris at St. Michel! It was enchanting. I can see myself actually strolling along the canal tow path in the very near future.
But for today, I was not to be distracted from my mission…and discovering that I can get a free coffee every time I use a Waitrose card, I signed up for one and began shopping. I got Warburton’s multi-seed bread (which I love), honey yogurt, honey ham, mature cheddar cheese, a lemon for my tea, decaff tea bags, Lavazza decaff coffee (because C recommended it), a date and walnut loaf for tea, pork sausages (which I shall fry for my dinner tomorrow), a cauliflower to make a mash to accompany the sausages, a bag of fruit and nut muesli and a ton of free magazines! Did I ever tell you how much I adore Waitrose? After paying, I obtained a free latte and sipped it in the cafe with a slice of my cake–as I hadn’t really eaten anything since that bowl of muesli at 9.30 am. At 5 pm, I left Waitrose, with a grocery load far less weightier than it sounds.
At King’s Cross, I took the Tube home and within twenty-five minutes, I was testing my new skills with the new keys I’d been handed. Easy peasy!

Unpacking and Getting Settled:
It is a thrilling process–unpacking and deciding where to put what in a new home. My room on the first floor (American second) is darling. It has a double bed, a night stand, a carved wooden armoire, a very modern desk and ancient chair. My bathroom is just outside the door and rearranging my toiletries and cosmetics in it was also a blast. These flutters of delight I feel are priceless. My window has double glazing–so busy Globe Road is not a concern.
I then got down to setting up my laptops with wifi connections and suddenly felt fully in sync with my family members again. Arranging my groceries was also an opportunity to rearrange the kitchen cupboards, discover where everything is kept, and make an open toasted sandwich for myself with fig jam, ham and cheddar washed down with lemony tea. I listened to Radio Four as I munched because there is no TV in this house–not an issue as I have BBC’s I-player here and Netflix!!! The evenings will be a good time to catch up with the movies and TV series I love. I am pretty sure that it will not be long before this old home, that was built and has been lived in since the time of Queen Victoria, feels very much like home to me.
So much has changed since the last time I lived away from Llew in London. There was no Facetime or Imo then–although there was Skype with its rather spotty reception. Now Llew and I intend to videochat daily. Just as I did today with him as well as with my niece and nephew.
So there you have it! A Fab First Day! And a few fine flutters! Thanks for following me again. I would love to have your comments. Please do read my posts, but please do also respond.
Until tomorrow, cheerio….

Long Last Day of Vacation in the Pacific Northwest

Jul11

Mon, July 11, 2016: Vancouver

            Our last day of vacation dawned somewhat drizzly—but this sort of weather is common in Vancouver. Wait ten minutes and the sun pops out—which it did. We had to check out of our room at 9. 30 am and so we hurried with our showers and finished our packing with the idea of stashing our bags back at Margaret’s to which we adjourned for another grand breakfast.

I had a couple of errands to run right after breakfast and Margaret was obliging enough to take us around to the shops to get them done. Before we knew it, it was time for lunch and we were quite delighted to feast on the marvelous leftovers from last night’s bistro dinner which we had carried home in doggie bags. As might be expected, they tasted even better the next day.

Lunch done, Margaret suggested we watch Amal, a very interesting off-beat film made with Canadian-Indian collaboration starring Naseeruddin Shah and Seema Biswas as well as a new British actor of whom I have not heard, Rupinder Singh. The film was heartwarming and thought-provoking and led to a nice post-viewing discussion. It was also a very relaxed way to finish up our hectic vacation, so we were grateful for the quiet time.

It was time then for us to get to the airport for our red eye flight back home. Margaret once again stepped in to offer us a ride and an hour later, we were checking in for the first leg of our Alaskan Airlines flight to Seattle. There we raced off to Wolfgang Puck Express for another Pizza (the Mushroom Special—just as delicious as the meat-laden one with which I had started my vacation) and then we made our connecting flight from Seattle to New York. We traveled first class but despite the extra leg room, we were unable to sleep for more than a couple of hours.

We arrived in New York’s Kennedy airport at 7.00 am from where we quite easily used the Airtrain to get to Budget from where we picked up the rented car that got us home to Connecticut. It was annoyingly long as we fought traffic all the way home and took more than two hours for what is usually a one hour journey. Still, we had a great homecoming and a lovely reunion with my brother and his family who had a Welcome Home poster on the door waiting for us. Although we’d had another one of our top vacations, it was great to be back home in our own bed and baths again and to savor the joy of a home that we truly love.

Thanks for following me on this stretch of my travels. It is always a pleasure to have you by my side as I explore the world and see it through eager eyes. Until I gallivant away again, I wish you happy journeying. May the road rise up to meet you!

 

Surveying Surrey–in British Columbia, Canada

Jul10

Sunday, July 10, 2016: Surrey:

We awoke and breakfasted at Margaret’s. Her unit was just a three minute walk away and it was a sheer pleasure to pass by the homes of the folks in Chelsea Gardens which is superbly landscaped and truly a dream environment for the retired. Llew and I kept thinking that we would not mind buying a place there ourselves! Margaret had a fabulous Continental brekkie ready for us: cereal with milk, English muffins and French croissants with butter, jam, mango juice and coffee. It was fit for a prince and we ate well.

We then bid her goodbye and called a cab to take us to the home of our friends Louella and Kevin (parents of the bridegroom) so that we could have some private time with them—because apart from wishing them briefly at the wedding, we had really not interacted with them at all. They were very obliging indeed in having us over and we really did spend a delightful morning in their beautiful home and garden which we were visiting for the first time. The Euro UEFA16 finals match was on between France and Portugal and most folks had congregated in the family room to watch it. Llew spent a while taking in the excitement in front of the telly while Louella gave me a tour of the gardens pointing out beautifully established trees and newly planted ones The garden was a riot of lovely color and with perfect temperatures outside, it was truly a pleasure to sit there and enjoy the ambience of it all.

About two hours later, we called another cab to take us back to Margaret’s at Chelsea Gardens and it was not long before she drove us to Apna Chaat House for a really unique lunch: Indian chaat which is basically street food served all over the country. We ordered an enormous portion of bhel puri and Punjabi Mix which was dahi, sev, batata and bhel puti all mixed together. The portions were huge so that with kulfi falooda that finished our meal, we had ourselves a royal repast—and a most unusual one for Llew and me who do not have many Indian eateries where we live to indulge our nostalgic teeth!

Back home with Margaret, we adjourned to our room for another shut eye—we realize that we have lost out on a great deal of sleep, thanks to early morning risings to whale watch and late evenings out at the Piano Bar. Still, we are not complaining. There will be time enough for rent when we get home.

Margaret called us back to her place for a drink before dinner to which she was treating us—at Tasty Bistro in Surrey. I had a beer, Llew had red wine, Margaret had a rum and coke and then it was time to drive off to one of the best Indian meals I have ever eaten. We ordered Chilli Paneer, Kadai Chicken and Fish Curry over rice with garlic naans and we had a Kulfi for dessert. This meal was truly different from anything we had ever eaten plus we had the pleasure of seeing Margaret’s son Glen and his girlfriend Ann who made super company. Overall, it was truly a good evening and a really fun time for us.

It was about 10. 30 pm when we got to bed after yet another lovely day in the company of friends of whom we are very fond.

Until tomorrow…

Wedding Bells in Vancouver

Jul9

Saturday, July 9, 201: Vancouver:

            Today was all about the wedding we had come to the West Coast of Canada to attend: that of Andrew Matthias (son of our close friends Kevin and Louella Matthias) with Laura Martin. Nuptials were at 11. 30 am at the Church of Corpus Christi on Nanaimo Road in Vancouver and the reception was at the Riverside Banquet Hall in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver. We had accommodation arrangements made for us by our friend Margaret Deefholts who lives in a gated complex called Chelsea Gardens in Surrey; but we realized soon enough that we’d have no time to get to Chelsea Gardens from Canada Place in downtown Vancouver where we docked, dress and then race off to the nuptials.

The plan then was to get to the Holiday Inn in Surrey where our friend Susan had a room. We’d get off the boat (hopefully really early) and cab it to the Holiday Inn, dress for the nuptials there and then catch a ride from Susan to the church. By requesting every HAL personnel to “get us to the church on time”, we actually managed to get our bags out and into a cab and although we docked at 7.00 am, but 9.00 am, we were in the lobby of the Holiday Inn at Surrey—record time all around and thank you HAL!

Fifteen minutes later, having changed into formal wedding togs, we were in Susan’s rented car and off to the church. The entire ceremony was lovely, the bride was beautiful and radiant, the groom looked handsome and happy, both sets of parents looked very proud and the congregation was truly thrilled to be there to witness their vows. Llew and I were really happy to have made it on time.

After the service, we piled back into Susan’s car, stopped off at a mall to pick up lunch from a food court (Pad Thai for me, chicken curry for Llew) and were back at Susan’s hotel joining a few of our other friends to eat a delicious meal. An hour later, our friend Margaret arrived to pick us up and take us to Chelsea Gardens and settle us into our lovely quarters—a large en suite room that was bright, airy and spacious. It was all I could do to stop myself from taking a lightning power nap—for exactly 20 minutes, before it was time for us to shower and change for the reception to which Margaret volunteered to drop us off.

The Reception was a hoot—we had a swell time over a lovely reunion with many of our New York Tristate area friends who had trooped in from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Over cocktail hour, we renewed acquaintance with many friends, enjoyed the speeches and the food and drink and danced the night away. It was a lovely evening indeed but by 12 midnight, we were fading and decided to call it a night. Our friends Ian and Jenny who had a rented car, volunteered to drop us back to Chelsea Gardens where we spent a very restful night.

Until tomorrow…

A Birthday Within The Inside Passage, Alaska

Jul8

Friday, July 8, 2016: A Day Spent Sailing Towards Vancouver:

Being a Lector at my Birthday Mass:

             I awoke on my birthday with a jolt to realize that we needed to race down for 8.00 am Mass. Since I wanted to serve as Lector, it was important to get there early. By 7. 50, I was in the Hudson Room and Fr, Tim was presenting me with the reading for the day. I went through it rapidly, quite thrilled indeed to be able to hear Mass on board on my birthday. It was our last Mass of the cruise and Fr. Tim said a special blessing for us.

Breakfast at the Lido and a Final Lecture:

As usual, the Lido was mobbed by people who wanted a long and leisurely brekkie on their last day on board. I got the Swiss Muesli for a starter followed by waffles with strawberries and cream and OJ. Llew and I found a really nice spot to watch the many islands of the Vancouver Archipelago slide by us—some large, some small, some far away and misty, others really close at hand. When we felt quite sated, I decided to go for a presentation to the Queens Lounge on ‘Alaskan Explorers’ given by naturalist Humberto—and it was very informative indeed. He spoke to us about Vitus Bering, about Dahl (after whom the porpoises are named), about Seward (after whom an Alaskan city is named), about George Vancouver’s role in mapping out the region and finally about the Alaskan Purchase (from Russia).

After an hour, we decided it was time to return to our stateroom to begin our packing as tomorrow by this time, we will have docked at Vancouver. Determined to enjoy every last minute on board, we also wanted to make sure we stayed on track.

Packing Our Cases for Departure:

For the next hour or so, Llew and I focused on getting all our stuff into our suitcases (concealed under our bed) while also keeping aside the things we would need for the rest of the day (including semi-formal dinner wear) and clothes for the next morning’s departure. We are quite amazed by how much we have accumulated even though we kept our buys to the minimum.

Invitation to the Mariner’s Lunch at the Manhattan:

Packing done, Llew and I decided to go for the Mariner’s Lunch at the Manhattan for which we were especially invited. We were ten minutes late but we need not have worried. Sit -down service for a three-course lunch was offered. We both opted for the Crab and Shrimp Cocktail served already dressed in a light mayonnaise with shredded lettuce. For a main course, I chose the halibut with grilled shrimp served with a lime-cilantro sauce and grilled asparagus, while Llew got the beef brisket with mashed potatoes. And for dessert, both of us chose the Mixed Berry Cobbler which was absolutely delicious. Coffee and petits fours were part of the meal and we enjoyed them both before we got back to our staterooms.

Finally, a Session at the Gym:

I was keen not to leave the boat without putting in at least one session at the gym. Having walked around the deck several times for exercise, I decided I ought to go and check out the gym and take in the views of the passing islands which were just a visual treat at every juncture. And indeed, that was where I went after I climbed into a T-shirt, shorts and my sneakers. For the next half hour, both Llew and I were at the elliptical machine gazing at the prow of the ship and the route that lay ahead of us. It was absolutely delightful and I was sorry I had not found the time to get to the gym every single day. But then, that’s the problem with being on a cruise that offers so much. It was essential to me to have tried varied experiences each day and to have immersed myself in the true spirit of cruising which does involve dashing from one end of the ship to the other and from the lowest floors to the topmost.

Playing Bingo for a Free Cruise:

By this time, we discovered that a single game of Bingo was being offered in one of the lounges and that the prize was a 7-day cruise for two to the Caribbean or Mexico. Well, you have to be in it, to win it, right? What a great Birthday Present it would make! So off we raced to the Queen’s Lounge to buy our tickets—a card of six for $35 and to play a form of Bingo which was slightly different from the “Housie” with which we are more familiar. I have to say that it was fun and when we started sweating for just 2 more numbers on one of our cards, we were sorry that someone else won the house, but not so sorry when we discovered that the guy who won the prize was also celebrating his birthday! Oh well, at least one Birthday Person got a really unforgettable present that day!

Time for a quick nap and Cookery Cards:

We did actually find time for a nap—a short one for me, my usual 20 minute shut eye– before I darted off to the Explorer’s Lounge to pick up all the recipe cards that pertained to the many cookery demonstrations that had been carried out on the liner. Several of these demos had been presented when we were sightseeing in the various ports—and so we had missed them. It was good to collect about thirty recipe cards for some of the delicious concoctions we had enjoyed during the cruise. That task accomplished, it was time for us to get back to our staterooms to shower and dress for dinner as we had reservations at the Pinnacle Grill which is one of the specialty restaurants on the ship.

Off for a Birthday Dinner to the Pinnacle Grill:

We would be wearing our glad rags for the last time on the cruise and we were glad that it would be on my birthday. Our 8. 30 pm reservations at the Pinnacle Grill saw us seated at a lovely sea-facing table with an amuse-bouche of stewed mushrooms placed before us in tiny demi-tasse cups. We were sorely disappointed that the Alaskan King Crab Legs were all gone—but in all fairness, it was the last day of the cruise and we had a very late reservation. After we ordered drinks (a Cabernet for Llew, a vodka cocktail for me) we got down to ordering our three-course meal: it was going to be special, we hoped, for it would be nice to save the best for last. Since our friend Tony who had tasted the Lobster Bisque at the Pinnacle Grill on our last cruise had pronounced it the best he had ever had, both Llew and I decided to have that. And it was amazing–just filled with lobster bits and very flavorful indeed. For a main course, I chose fish again with shrimp scampi while Llew had steak and for dessert, the two of us chose the Not—So Classic Baked Alaska with Cherry Garcia Ice-Cream and Bing Cherries Jubilee which is a HAL specialty,  a demo item by Chef Suraj, a few days ago. And just when we thought the meal was done, along came a waiter with a massive slab of Chocolate Mousse Cake to celebrate my birthday. Sadly, he did not sing Sarta Murliya—which is the traditional Indonesian song that is sung almost every night at the Manhattan. He merely sang a quiet Happy Birthday, but there was a candle and he did procure a knife and I did cut the cake—which Llew and I only proceeded to taste (it was awesome) as we were filled to bursting with our celebration meal.

I can only say how blessed I feel that for several years in a row, I have celebrated my birthday in different parts of the world—in the past few years, it has been in Berlin, Kyoto, South Africa and now in Alaska. Outside, our ship was worming its way through what is known as the Seymour Narrows—as the name says, it is a very narrow inlet through which the captain maneuvers the craft. Islands passed us by in the soft shades of a North American dusk as we inched closer home with every nautical mile we covered. It was a lovely birthday and one that was made special by the many email and Twitter messages I received from family members and friends around the world.

Last Night and Birthday Bash at the Piano Bar:

We ended a really terrific day at the Piano Bar in the company of the one and only Jimmy Maddox who, on having been told at the gym, where we had met him earlier this morning, that it was my birthday, decided that he would sing and play for us his funny Birthday Song. Well, it was a funny song indeed and it was great fun to have the entire crowd at the bar (and there were hordes as it was the last night and Jimmy had accumulated a faithful band of fan followers) as we ushered the almost-end of my birthday. It had been a night to remember and I was so thrilled by the way things had turned out. Llew, who was feeling a trifle unwell, had left earlier, but I stayed until midnight, when the bar closed, to see my birthday out in it’s entirely. Since we had put our clocks one hour forward at midnight, my birthday came to a sudden and abrupt end—but it was true fun while it lasted and I had a ball!

Back in my stateroom, I found I had about ten minutes to zip up my case and place it outside our door for removal by the porters. I met the deadline and before long, Llew and I were fast asleep. Our last day on board had been packed to the gills but it had been a fabulous day and an amazing cruise and I have to say I was sorry it ended.