Bits and Bobs

Monday, January 6, 2020

A Visit to the Victoria & Albert Museum

January 6, 2020: Today marks one month since we arrived in London. The first days after arriving we had much to do. Our new roost came with scant provisions. We had to buy blankets, pillows, kitchenware, among numerous other things. We had to buy Luna a litterbox, a bed, litter and food. We had to connect with the utilities companies for service. We had to get Wi-fi. And, having done all that within a few days, we were ready to explore London. Only we both fell sick! And even now we both are fighting colds. This circumstance has curtailed our activities.

Today, we decided to go to the V&A Museum, which first opened in the late 1800s. One could easily get lost in this museum. The museum spans 5000 years of human creativity in virtually every medium, including a comprehensive collection of decorative wrought iron. And it's free to enter.

Eddie and I share an appreciation for the cafeteria. The V&A is the first museum in the world to have a café, and the cafe's décor reflects the eclectic tastes of the Victorian era with stained glass windows, dark teal-stained wood and gold painted Elizabethan-style paneling. The café rooms were designed by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co, (the decorative firm that William Morris established in 1861). There are three intimate eating rooms. Not only are the rooms a joy for an aesthete such as myself, the desserts are excellent, and it's a perfect place to sit awhile and enjoy a strong cup of English tea on a rainy day.

The other rooms that we like are the Cast Courts. Opened in 1873, these two side-by-side rooms display copies of the world's most significant works of art and architecture. Trajan's Column, a massive pillar commemorating a victory of the Roman emperor Trajan, dominates one room. The Courts were established at a time when overseas travel was not easy. These rooms brought together art and architecture from around the globe for educational and inspirational purposes. The collection stimulated the imaginations of countless British artists and designers of the Victoria age, and continues to do so today.

In the Cast Courts

Note Michelangelo's David on the right

Inside the Cafe

Bust of a Woman by Franceseco Laurana Circa 1472, Cast Courts

Marble Angel by Matteo Civitali Circa 1496, Cast Courts

The Dying Slave (left) & Moses (right) by Michaelangelo, Cast Courts

Friday, January 3, 2020

Pilgrimage on the Number 9

Friday, January 3, 2020: Today I ventured into London Town on my own. Having decided that I am not ready to independently maneuver the chaotic crowds nor labyrinth of stairs and escalators that constitute passage on the tube, I journeyed on my preferred choice of transportation: a seat in the front row, at-the-top-of-the-staircase, of a bright red London double decker bus!

The No. 9 bus takes 50 minutes to get from Hammersmith to Aldywch and it is an astonishing ride. As the bus slowly bobs across the cityscape, the spirit, grandeur and sheer beauty of London is revealed in ephemeral glances. From Hammersmith, the bus travels down Kensington High Street and alongside Hyde Park while passing the handsome Royal Albert Hall and opulent Prince Albert Monument. The bus then snakes its way around Hyde Park Corner and the Wellington Arch before travelling into Knightsbridge and Picadilly with its nonstop parade of shoppers entering and exiting such revered institutions as Fortnum & Mason Department Store. The bus then travels by Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, through the theater district until it finally comes to stop at Aldwych (Drury Lane), just outside the Aldwych Theater. From the upper deck of the No. 9, one can witness what a marvelous metropolis London is.

I knew what I was looking for, but I wasn't sure where to find it. I was on a pilgrimage to find what is said to be the oldest Roman Catholic Church in England, the church of Saint Etheldreda. Not having a cell phone, I asked passers-by if they where Ely Place was. They looked at me puzzled. However, in London every few blocks there are maps posted for pedestrians that clearly show "You are here," and provide directions to nearby notable sights. After a short walk, I found it. It was hidden down a quiet and tidy lane and squeezed in-between more modern (but not modern at all) buildings. Here was the Church of St. Etheldreda, built at the end of the 13 century, over 700 years ago. Alas, it was closed this afternoon. I will return. I read that a stained glass window inside the church now depicts a few of the martyred monks tortured and killed under Henry VIII for refusing to acknowledge him as the head of the Church of England.

The French have a number of words for wandering or taking a stroll: se promener, balader, flâner. This is what I did next. This part of London seemed very old to me, yet I observed modern high-rises with bold and intriguing designs among the castle-like buildings and quaint churches. As I walked along, I saw something in the distance, that I did not expect to come upon. It was St. Paul's Cathedral, a house of worship built by Christopher Wren after the great fire of 1666. Serendipity. Alas, I will have to explore that magnificent church another day. My day is done.

Dragon Statue Outside the Royal Courts of Justice, the Strand, Westministre

Perhaps Part of the Royal Courts of Justice or ?

Thursday, January 2, 2020

A Visit to Kensington Palace

Thursday, January 2, 2002; I have been confined indoors for days, sick with a cold; however, today I wanted to go out, get some fresh air, and not venture far. Eddie and I decided to head over to Kensington Gardens and visit the house where Kate Middleton and Prince William now live. It seems scarcely credible to me that Kate and William live no more than a 15 minute walk from our flat. I didn't know what to expect when I entered the royal palace. I only knew it was the home of Kate and William, and formerly the home of Harry and Meghan and before that the home of Princess Diana. Curiously, Kate and William now live in what used to be the servants' quarters. Upon entering the property, we were informed that the oldest part of the palace, the Queen's State Apartments, dating to the late 1600s in the reign of Queen Mary II and King William III, was closed for renovations. We then began our self-guided tour in the King's State Apartments, which told us of the lives of King George II and Queen Caroline in the 1700s, and about Georgian life in general. Everywhere one looked were displays of elaborately painted trompe l'oiel, done in the early 1700s by British painter and designer William Kent.

I thought after seeing the King's State Apartments our tour was over; however, we then found ourselves in what, for me, was the most interesting part of the palace, which told the captivating history of Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria was born and raised in Kensington Palace. We saw the room in which she was born. We saw the staircase where, at 16 years of age, she met her husband-to-be Albert for the first time. We walked through room after room of displays and photos, depicting her reign and personal story. There were displays of her childhood toys, her dazzling jewels and the black mourning dresses that she wore for the rest of her life after Albert's death. Victoria lost both Albert and her mother in the same year, 1861. Victoria and Albert had nine children and forty-two grandchildren, many of whom intermarried with royal families of Europe. Queen Victoria was the longest reigning British monarch until recently when her record was broken by Queen Elizabeth II. Much of Kensington Palace is open to the public and I have to say it is definitely worth a visit.