Big London, Little Jessica

January 22, 2007 - Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom

Strong windstorms make for a very interesting landing at Stanstead Airport. These same winds managed to damage trains from the airport into the city, forcing everyone to take a bus. MASS CHAOS! Irritable people get off flights to find they have to wait at least another hour outside to catch a bus for the city. My nerves are tested as the slimiest scum of all the earth slither in front of families and old ladies to get on the bus before them. Am kept warm by my boiling blood.

Potatoes, eggs, and salad for dinner at Jessica’s flat…yay Jessica! The next morning is unbelievably bright with sun and wind. Aimlessly walk for hours while Jessica works. The city is SO beautiful in the sun. Science Museum in the afternoon (http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk). Highlights: learning about ferroliquids, liquid crystals, electroluminescence, etc., Mobius Strips (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobius_strip), but even better were the blown glass Klien Bottles by Alan Bennett (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klein_bottle). Awesome, though the museum could work on their displays... Even more awesome, however, was the Tate Modern’s temporary exhibit of ‘Test Site’ of The Unilever Series by Carsten Holler (http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/carstenholler/). I totally slid down the highest slide, making a good Friday night. It was so much freaking fun!

Natural History Museum (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/) with Jessica on Saturday. Highlight: rock collection and the wing in which they’re displayed. Awesome again.

Beautiful people and expensiveness- even cheap food/things are expensive. Staying with Jessica feels a little like home: hanging out, making sandwiches, etc. ‘Contact’ was on the tube last night, and it was just as great as I remember. Can’t wait until I go to outer space (maybe after Barcelona).

Sunday road trip in the country to Stratford (home of Shakespeare) and Broadway Tower with Jessica’s flatmate Rob, and two other friends, listening to mix CDs. It’s all very beautiful in an English sort of way. Muddy and exhausted.

Set into a pattern of wandering and museums during the day, meeting up with Jessica for lunch. Today was the British Museum (http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/), highlight: Sir Norman Foster’s roof and the Chinese Snuff Boxes.

Bleh…that’s it for now, no more computer time for me. I leave late Wednesday for Paris (traveling under the English Channel!) to see Miss Kate and everything Parisian possible. At some point I will find someone that has a cable that fits my camera to upload some images…so just hang on. Here's some from Jessica's camera in the meantime...later dudes.

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3 Comments

Tina:

January 22, 2007

as you wonder the streets of london, just remember that i'm doing the same at my desk at work.

'auntie'Mary Coneway:

January 23, 2007

Hale, I love yer style: the "slimiest scum of the earth slither..."
From Austin & UT: yesterday at the PAC saw the most amazing production: "The Return of the Barbarians." (Its an opera, & I gen. don't do operas) It was the U.S. premier-- probably c/o UTassociations with the author, (South African,)J.M. Coetzee, a UT grad, & Philip Glass w the music. The stagecraft was breath-taking (George Tsypin, designer) They used 5 gauze scrims that rose up from the stage-floor to suggest various moods, time-frames, landscapes, etc. It's reviewed in the Metro & State section of the Statesman, Sun the 21st.
So I'm durn proud of this little city of ours: putting out a work like that. You may get to see it elsewhere this year i.e. in Germany.
Thanks again for keeping this up.
Love & knishes,
M

Kay:

January 23, 2007

Hey Hale -- What fun. I wasn't in London long enough for the Natural History Museum, but that's for next time. Did you visit the maya exhibits at the British Museum? They have stolen some of the best stuff from Meso-America. That particular exhibit was closed for renovation the week we were in London. And the Tate Modern sounds like so much more fun with the giant slide. It was pretty wierd and definitely interesting. But the slide would have made it for me.

One of our favorite memories is of a noon time chamber concert at St. Martin in the Fields. All for free and so lovely. They are a wonderful congregation -- feed the homeless in the parish hall beneath the sanctuary. There were lots of kids with tattoos and piercings all over the place. AND they were welcome. Sorta like what a Jesus church should be.

I hit the mountains south of Monterrey/Saltillo to ring in the new year. When I woke up in Mexico on New Year's Day, I knew it was going to be another great year. I have a beautiful natural bridge to show you in the area. Had to hoof it down 200 steps to the river bottom and then slog upstream about 100 yards. But the waterfall and window were fabulous. The trudge back up to the top took most of the fire out of me. Had supper at 4:30 and was asleep by 7:30 on New Year's Eve. I heard the church bells and the fire works in the fuzzy recesses of my mind -- but nothing could disturb that well-deserved rest.

Tom and I and my granddaughter, Christy, are planning to attend "Wating for the Barbarians" Monday night. I read a review in the paper and loved reading Mary's review. Also heard an interview with the composer, Phillip Glass, on KUT. I like some of his stuff and don't like some. I'm not crazy about any music that I can't hum. Know what I mean? But then, as they say on KMFA, all music was new once.

Since I've started blabbering, must sign off and do something more productive with my time -- like bake bread. Hope you are experiencing some of that great European bread. But maybe that will have to wait for Paris. Don't miss the Salvador Dali museum up near Sacre Coeur. It was one of our favorites. And take in a ballet at the Garnier. I felt so aristocratic in my cheap box seats.

God bless you on your journey -- Kay

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Big London, Little Jessica

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