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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2013 7:35:53 GMT
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2013 8:07:00 GMT
I spent some time inside the Tate Modern. As nycgirl said, it's really nice there is no museum charge so you can spend just the little time you have inside and not worry you have to get your money's worth. I saw that some of the Picasso paintings were on loan from a private collection, which I assume to be the Paris Picasso Museum. I'm not sure if it was these two or not. Some art is just beyond my grasp. Back outside again, I was looking forward to crossing the Millennium Bridge. Kerouac's bubble people were there. As well as Shakespeare.
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2013 9:15:55 GMT
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2013 9:28:57 GMT
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2013 9:36:32 GMT
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2013 10:05:15 GMT
When planning my trip to London I knew I wanted to attend a theater production since it's rare that I am in a large city. It was hard for me to choose, but since I enjoyed reading Les Misérables, and delighted in watching the DVD of the 25th Anniversary Production at the O2 Arena, I decided that's what I would see (I did not care for the recent film version). I arrived early so I could pick up my prepaid ticket. The Queen's Theater was built at the beginning of the 20th century, but the entrance and lobby areas were damaged during WWII. Twenty years later the theater was restored, and a new lobby area was constructed. My seat was on the second row. The theater filled up completely before curtain time. The set was most interesting. At times during the performance actors entered and exited out this hole in the set just near me. I enjoyed the performance very much and was happy with my selection. It was a nice way to end my trip to London. The next morning I would board a train and head north.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2013 10:12:27 GMT
It is always interesting to see someone else's photographic take on the same places, even when it just validâtes "yes, that was a good place to take a picture!"
When I see a place like Piccadilly Circus now (as well as so many other places where people congregate in the giant cities), it seems so incredible that just about everywhere waited until the 1990's or even until this century to reclaim these places from the reign of the automobile. I remember when you had to dodge traffic to get to the fountain and once you got there, the space for pedestrians was still very narrow.
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Post by bjd on Jun 22, 2013 11:16:21 GMT
My thoughts about Piccadilly Circus exactly! Seeing these photos I was surprised to see the centre with empty space (and people) around it rather cars.
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Post by mich64 on Jun 22, 2013 13:02:03 GMT
How long would it take to walk across the Millennium Bridge htmb? The views are pretty amazing from there. I have enjoyed all the threads of your trip so far and looking forward to what is to come!
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Post by bjd on Jun 22, 2013 13:31:47 GMT
The Millenium Bridge is not very big, Mich -- just the width of the Thames -- I just looked -- It's 370 metres total, so just a few minutes.
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Post by mich64 on Jun 22, 2013 15:16:35 GMT
:)Oh! It seemed much longer than that to me.
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2013 15:35:36 GMT
:)Oh! It seemed much longer than that to me. You could do it faster if Harry Potter's Death Eaters were after you.
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Post by mich64 on Jun 22, 2013 16:17:36 GMT
I think I would enjoy strolling and lingering on that bridge.
htmb, I have to admit that I am probably one of the very few who has not read or seen any of the movies in that book series.
I know that there is a restaurant or perhaps a tearoom in either Glasgow or Edinburgh, The Elephant House? where the author did some of her writing. I came across this while doing the research for our September holiday.
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2013 16:45:09 GMT
Mich, the elegant and charming couple in my last picture of the bridge were strolling arm in arm, stopping a bit, and then strolling some more. Very sweet.
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Post by mich64 on Jun 22, 2013 16:57:02 GMT
I thought them elegant as well the first time I saw that photo. Their stride together looks so content.
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2013 20:47:12 GMT
Just dazzling, Htmb! I love that your text is so encouraging in showing how to enjoy a dauntingly huge city without having every step and destination rigidly worked out. Your fifth photo in #4 is so perfect in every way, & can't have been easy to get in that throng. But the gardens! Gorgeous pictures -- that would have made the whole trip for me. Thank you for your encouragement, bixa. London really is a huge place. I kept thinking about warnings that it wasn't very walkable. So true. I've paid a little more attention to the gardens since it seems many AnyPort members are interested. I've got some new photos to post, but will need to cull through them first since I've taken so many over the past few days.
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Post by lola on Jun 23, 2013 1:16:27 GMT
Lovely photos, and great to see how far you ranged. You saw a lot! Thanks for sharing your trip.
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Post by htmb on Jun 23, 2013 6:25:41 GMT
Thank you, Lola. Your narrative and photos were certainly an inspiration!
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Post by lugg on Jun 23, 2013 8:28:51 GMT
Really entertaining to read and view, thank you Htmb.
You have certainly covered some ground in your short time. Of course I particularly enjoyed seeing the Horse guards- fab . I have only ever been to the palace area once or twice and I always find the palace itself so disappointing , such a drab building. By contrast I actually like Westminster Cathedral, a few years ago I went inside and remember it being quite lovely in places ( I like marble) , and the views from the tower are great.
I cannot remember seeing padlocks on the bridge last time I walked across , let us hope the practice does not spread, or that they are removed. You seem to have had an enjoyable time in London, looking forward to your reflections about your time there .
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Post by htmb on Jun 23, 2013 9:01:48 GMT
Thank you, Lugg. I have had a very interesting and enjoyable time. I found London to be quite overwhelming at times, and as I've said earlier, I'm glad I didn't have a set agenda. I think I would have been very taxed and disappointed if I had tried to do and see too much.
Currently, I'm sitting in a restaurant overlooking the inner part of St. Pancras station, preparing to take the Eurostar to Paris. Since there was track work on the line and I needed to take a less direct train and the underground to get here, I left Cambridge very early to give myself plenty of time.
I have to say that I get very tired of posters on other forums who complain about pickpockets, petition people, and groups of young girls who harass visitors in Paris. However, in five days of prowling the tourist areas of London I saw done of that and was quite amazed. I would imagine there were pick-pockets about, but I never saw the problems that I know I will be seeing soon. It really made visiting much easier. I understand problems with certain populations are due to being on the continent, but I so wish the city of Paris could work out a solution to lessen the problem.
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Post by mossie on Jun 23, 2013 9:13:24 GMT
London and UK generally does get its fair share of home grown and immigrant pickpockets con artists etc. However there is extensive CCTV coverage and London especially has people dedicated to following and arresting these people. The CCTV operators can call on roving squads and direct them to problems in a very short time as well as alerting shops in the vicinity.
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Post by htmb on Jun 23, 2013 9:29:32 GMT
Oh, yes, Mossie, I did see cameras and signs, but had not realized how critical the system was to combating crime. Thank you for that explanation.
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Post by nycgirl on Jun 24, 2013 17:11:42 GMT
I'm really enjoying this report. You sure saw a lot!
The Queen's Theatre looks beautiful. They must have worked very hard to restore it. Are photos allowed or did you have to sneak them? One huge pet peeve of mine is that practically every theatre I've ever been to bans photos. It drives me absolutely mad. I want to be able to remember every theatre I visit, be they opulent or humble, and as a paying customer I should be allowed to take a photo as a memento (not during the performance, of course).
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Post by htmb on Jun 24, 2013 17:26:26 GMT
Nycgirl, I was one of the first in the theater, so took several photos then put my camera away. However, leading up to the time before the lights went dim, many patrons were taking photos right and left. No one seemed to care. As the house lights went down, an announcer reminded everyone not to take photos or make recordings, and to silence cell phones. So, I don't think they had a problem with pre-performance photos at all.
I should also say the box office personnel and other theater workers were exceptionally nice. The actors seemed most gracious, also. I was a very pleasant experience.
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Post by nycgirl on Jun 25, 2013 12:53:31 GMT
That's nice to hear. And Les Miz must have been a grand spectacle.
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Post by htmb on Jun 25, 2013 13:45:48 GMT
It was, though certainly on a small scale compared to the 25 Anniversary show at the O2. The staging was wonderfully done, with a rotating section of the floor, and "barricades that were also rotated to simulate change of place.
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Post by tod2 on Jul 23, 2014 16:20:07 GMT
Htmb - I don't know how, but I seemed to have missed this wonderful photo - essay! You have given me so many ideas for my trip in September! Thanks!
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Post by htmb on Jul 23, 2014 17:04:23 GMT
I'm glad you found it, Tod. You can give me new ideas in return. I was sick as a dog with a sinus infection and major jet lag when I took a lot of these pictures. My youngest and I are thinking about planning a trip to London and Amsterdam, so I will be interested to see reports from you this fall. Insure used a lot of your information when I planned my London trip, as well as that from others.
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