Does it ever stop raining?
Just a quick update and I am off exploring on my last full day in London. Can’t remember where I left off with my adventures…think it might have been Tuesday , last day of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations. A few things I have discovered about London is that the same things are never working properly all the time. This includes the Underground System where they had a water main break that flooded the Stratford Station….this is the Main Access to the Olympic Stadium…..they walked the passengers through the tunnel to above ground, but the Central Line was shut all day. Wonder what would have happened if this had been Opening Ceremonies Day at the Olympics. They are actually quite concerned that this ancient system is not going to hold up with all the thousands that will be riding it over the summer. Then there is the WIFI at High Holborn Dorms…..it has been intermittent since last Saturday. Think everyone took the 4 day Holiday Weekend off and no one could get it fixed. Now everyone is back and it still works only occasionally. Haven’t been able to upload pictures to SkyDrive, but do not think we are having a snooze over here. We are out getting soaked in the never ending rain, with OCCASIONAL sunny breaks. Then of course, there is my competence with all things technical!! Forgot to mention that while I was at the POSH HOTEL, I tried to dry my sweater which was soaked at Battersea Park on the Sunday. It is a combination Washer and Dryer. Guess I had the wash part figured out as my sweater had a 6 hour wash cycle. I kept trying to stop it but things only got worse……I never figured out the drying part as in the morning, my sweater was still WET!!! We saw LION KING and let me say, if you thought the production in Edmonton was good, then “you ain’t seen anything!!!!” This production was absolutely fabulous, sets, costumes, the animals including a huge elephant. Another musical to add to my list that I will see next time I am here. We visited the Docklands Museum on Wednesday out at Canary Wharf. What a change in that area since I saw it in 1992, just after the Reichman Brothers crashed and Canada Tower was left standing there all alone. The museum gives a history on the River and Docks and their importance to the development of London from the beginning of time. We also met Rupert and William, 4 and 6, who were there with their father, an Oxford Professor. He has actually been to the U of A for the Orlando Project..something to do with feminist writers??? Now these 2, I would have taken home in an instant. They were so cute and talkative and their favourite play was Henry 5. Think the dad has a little influence there. Took a train across the river to Greenwich to see the Catty Sark, last of the great Tea Clippers. There we met 5 Fingers. You’ll ask?? He was a young American student on his way home from school in Madrid. He was wearing these shoes that had TOES! They will be in the pictures. Also met a Brazilian women and her husband. Spent an hour chatting with them……she of course was like one of those very classy European women who look marvellous even when the have been out touring all day. Hazel and I met up with Pearl who had been shopping in London for our final dinner. They both laugh at me when I take them somewhere. Bottom line ……I always get them to the destination but sometimes it is a very circuitous route. I say “Well it just over here a ways“, and after backtracking, cross tracking and a final check on a map, we arrive. Pearl is Queen of the Underground. I like staying on the surface and seeing where I am going, sometimes a very long walk coupled with a very long Bus ride. We ate at the PIE SHOP. 2 absolutely charming Italian students were working there and just had to practice their English for Graduated School. Pearl flew home the next morning. Hazel and I are still enduring the WEATHER!!!! Yesterday we took in another concert at St. Martin’s. Hazel had been to the Wesley Museum and I had spent 4 hours at the London Metropolitan archives trying to locate some of her Greaves/Carr ancestors. Today she is off to the British Museum and I am headed to Museum of the Order of St. John and the Museum of London. Supper tonight at THE PIE SHOP. These are English Meat/Chicken Pies with massed potatoes and gravy. YUMMMMMM! So it is “Good Bye to London” and enough memories for a lifetime. We all want to come back soon…..so who knows……maybe more memories. Anyone else wants to come, you are most welcome. If you come with me, you will have to learn about “just down the Road”, “over there a BIT”, “Straight Ahead”, now what the heck is the number of the Bus we want, who has their glasses? Oh it doesn’t stop here, well it’s just a “SHORT WALK”.
A Genealogist goes Wandering 