Well, it’s early Thursday morning here, and I’m catching up with the Trip Report while Pam catches up on her reading (in bed!) Moira is probably stretching the bits she needs to stretch down in the Keep Fit room and Joy will be deep in the land of showbiz dreams she inhabits every night. We’re due downstairs for breakfast in 75 minutes.
Tuesday night nearly ended up full of s**t – as Graham posted, we had a great pub meal and then he and Moira headed back to the hotel while Pam and I went to collect Joy at Wicked. And when we got there, the guys at the stage door told us the show as running 20 minutes late because of plumbing problems in the theatre – the pumps in the basement had failed, and the stalls toilets weren’t working for a while L
But all was well in the end (don’t read that too literally ;)) and Joy came out to stage door where we were waiting for her – she’s had a great time before the show meeting her pal and meeting the performers who she now knows well – and we did the autographs on the programme at the end with some great photos. This was a brand new cast and she’s had all sorts of dilemma about whether she wanted to see them ‘cos she loved the old cast so much – but she’s a bit of a tart really, and has transferred her affections without too much difficulty. To be honest, these cast members are all really nice.
And then back to the hotel and bed!
Wednesday morning was a bit grey and colder – breakfast in the club lounge – and then over to the London Eye. They’ve introduced a new 4D experience before you go on the Eye. This is 3D plus stuff coming into the little theatre area (bubbles, snow, etc) – a great few minutes there. The Eye was good as always – especially to folk who don’t know London well. Everyone enjoyed it.
Into the well named Slug and Lettuce pub for lunch (it’s a national chain) – I’d booked us on the London Duck tour – and that had given us a 20% discount voucher for the slug and lettuce. Food was great (and reasonably priced before the discount – so that was very good).
Joy headed back to the hotel and the rest of us went on the Duck tour – about an hour and fifteen minutes with half an hour sailing up and down the Thames beside the Houses of Parliament. Very informative – the guide was just like Ricky Gervais in his style and dry humour. As he started us off he asked if there were any non English folk – so apart from Canada, Ireland, and a French lady, it turned out that there were Isle of Man folk sitting right next too me – two ladies and their three kids – what a small world – so we managed to get Isle of Man into the commentary a few times J
Back to the hotel – relax with coffee and then head back to rooms for rest and change clothes to go out later. Moira was having all sorts of trials and trepidations on the phone about her house sale – it will eventually happen, but now looks like the buyers won’t be able to get a mortgage until June. (But it will happen Moira!)
Down for a sandwich in the hotel Café Express – then we head off for a stroll on a pleasant spring night down to the 130 year old Royal Albert Hall for a one night only concert performance of Abba’s Benny and Bjorn’s Kristina – an (almost opera) musical play about the Swedish migrants to Minnesota in the 1850’s. It ran in Swedish theatres for about 3 years (seen by over a million people), was then translated into English and was in the Carnegie Hall in New York as a concert version for 2 nights last September and has now brought that cast over here for one night – and it was magnificent, apart from the one lead (Russell Watson – an English tenor who has superstar status in England and America, but who’s words were incredibly indistinct.) One of the leads was Canadian and G&D had seen her a couple of times – standing ovations for some of the individual songs – and a prolonged standing ovation at the end – especially when Benny and Bjorn came on stage. Joy, of course, was in her “stardar” element when she realised that we had seen two of the ensemble on Broadway (in 9 to 5 and Curtains) – and even more so when, as we’re leaving, we pass some of the male ensemble heading back to their dressing room – including one of the folk we’d seen on Broadway – so we chatted to him very briefly.
Doris has been in her element as well – she made something happen I’ve never seen – she gets strangers talking on the London underground and in the theatre – she even ended up getting two guys next to her who didn’t know each other to exchange their Facebook id’s – admittedly it was a very gay night in the theatre J J J
A lovely stroll back to the hotel and a wind-down in the bar (with a club sandwich for G&D who hadn’t joined us in the Café earlier).
And then a 1am bed again. God – this is fun but we are tired.
And tonight I head home for work tomorrow. (Just realized that Moira and Joy are doing exercises next door in the lounge).
Off to breakfast shortly – further update when I can.
Paterson family journeys and adventures 