Why does everyone complain about London so much? We’ve had a great time here over the last three days and we’re looking forward to finishing off our holiday tomorrow before leaving for Dublin on Sunday.
The highlight of London for me was definitely going to see to The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majestys Theatre in Haymarket (right next door to New Zealand House!) last night. First thing yesterday morning we went along to Leicester Square, where there is a booth that sells last minute theatre tickets and picked up two cheap tickets for some excellent seats. We were 10 rows from the stage, right in the middle, you couldn’t really ask for a better position! The singing, sound and special effects were amazing, Her Majestys Theater is the original home of The Phantom of the Opera and it has been playing there since it debuted in 1986! I would highly recommend seeing this show when you’re next in London, even if you’ve already seen it before.
On Wednesday we went to vist the Queen and watch the changing of the guard. I never knew she was so popular! We arrived right at 11:30 to be greeted by a sea of people amassed in front of the gates which meant that there was very very little that we could actually see! We eventually made our way up on to the raised statue right opposite the gates and from there we were able to get a good view and some photos as they were leaving. Half the Metropolitan police force and the British Army appeared to be waiting on the sidelines in armoured vans etc which made it hard to believe that the men in funny hats are actually anything more than actors these days. While we were milling around here we bumped into a TV crew from channel 9 in Australia, who interviewed me (Kat ran away from the camera) about my impressions, they asked before I’d actually seen anyone marching, so I said it was a complete let down! Hopefully it doesn’t make it to TV.
After Buckingham Palace we wandered down through Westminster and Downing St to Trafalgar Square and then along the waterfront to Parliament Buildings where we took a few photos of Big Ben and the Parliament buildings themselves. We paid and went inside Westminister Abbey for a look around. The scale and age of these huge buildings is hard to take in and comprehend, so I’ll let the photos do most of the talking when I get them uploaded.
After buying the theatre tickets on Thursday we spent the entire rest of the day looking around the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. Lots and lots and lots and lots of paintings which Kat will no doubt be able to tell you more about than I can. Apparently I’m meant to be impressed by strange pictures of Sunflowers and the like…
It’s tiring just recounting all of what we’ve been up to! It certainly has been a busy few days and you certainly wouldn’t want to spend any less time looking around. Luckily we won’t be too far away if we want to pop back one day and see something else.
Comment from Mum - Wendy on 2007-04-21
Matt you sound so excited!!! I would have loved to see The Phantom as well. You lucky things. Maybe it will inspire you to join the operatic society in Dublin?? What a fantastic experience you are both experiencing.
Comment from Sammy on 2007-04-26
London is great to visit. So many sights to see, things to do, and parts of it are beautiful in their own way. So much culture and history, so vibrant, etc. When I actually have time to explore central London, I love it.
To live in or to work in, it can sometimes be not so great. That is perhaps where a lot of the complaints come from. The daily commute, the cost, the living conditions, the unfriendliness, it all adds up. Not for everyone.
You didn’t think to stop by Canary Wharf while you were there and gaze up into the miasma of glass did you? You might have caught sight of where I work! (Seriously, though, there are 1000 things more exciting than Canary Wharf in London, though it is vaguely interesting to see it once).