Just four weeks to go

It is hare to believe that we are two thirds of the way through the program.  Time is flying by so quickly.  Our last day is April 14, Palm Sunday.  I then head to Salzburg for Holy Week, a couple days in Prague so I can visit Litomysl and then the Camino.  I have put down my deposit for the Camino and just need to pay the balance later this week.  Still lots to do but I am increasingly aware that time is running short.  On the one hand I am looking forward to what is yet to come.  On the other I am feeling the tug of home.  I guess that means the sabbatical has been somewhat of a success.

This past week I went to London.  When entering Europe we automatically have a tourist visa good for 90 days.  As I am staying a bit longer than that I needed to be outside what is called the Schengen Zone (most European countries) for whatever I am over.  My time in Egypt took care of some of it but I needed another several days, hence London.  I served a parish in London as a deacon during my seminary years and have been back a couple of times so I know London fairly well.  It was good to be back.

I arrived on Monday and made my way to my hotel, La Suites West.  It was located in Bayswater just a block from Hyde Park.  I was very disappointed in my first room.  It was in serious need of refurbishment, the carpet was very stained, it had separated along a seam, the sofa was stained and the shade did not go down all the way.  I talked to the front desk the next day and they changed me to a beautiful refurbished room.  I was happy with the hotel from there on in.

Kensington Palace, where many of the royals live, is on the edge of Hyde Park and I passed it one day on a walk.  Quite impressive.

Monument to Queen Victoria outside Kensington Palace

I took it easy Monday evening and, in fact, decided that I did not need to keep a hectic pace or see every show on the West End (their Broadway).  It was a good decision as I came back feeling somewhat rested.  I spent the time reading, walking and saw a couple of movies.

On Tuesday I walked through Hyde Park and to the Victoria and Albert Museum.  It was a rotten day, rainy and blustery. 

Monument to Prince Albert in Hyde Park

Ended up feeling like I should have taken the tube.  I spent a little time in the museum and then headed out for some lunch.  As I walked along I was striking out on finding a place to eat and there was Harrod's.  I ended up having an expensive pizza but it sure hit the spot.  I decided to go to a movie and saw "The Favorite" I had heard good things about it but ended up rather disappointed.  I thought the ending was particularly disappointing (as did the couple next to me if their muttering was any indication). 

On Wednesday I had tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.  This is the latest from J.K. Rowling and is in two parts.  What a great money making scheme - divide the show into two parts!  I saw Part one as a matinee and part two as an evening show.  I thought it started a little slow but ended up being and enjoyable day.  I had dinner at a chinese restaurant in China town so that was good.  Before the matinee I went to the National Portrait Gallery and then discovered a nice cafe under the church of St. Martin's in the Fields.  They were advertising a performance of the Mozart Requiem so I made a plan to go to that on Friday. And, I finished Les Miserables which I had been working on for two years.  I actually would put it aside from time to time but it felt good to accomplish that.  I started a new book and finished it today - Monday afternoon.  Very light reading.

On Thursday I decided to do a little walking in the area of Parliament.  I started out by stopping at Buckingham Palace.  There must have been some sort of ceremony as there were groups of people leaving.  I was not invited. 

A friend had mentioned the War Cabinet Room Museum which is where Churchill directed the defense of England. If you have seen the movie, The Darkest Hour, you get a sense of what life was like in those days.  I had lunch at their cafe - Shepherd's Pie.  I got to really appreciate these museum cafes as they were relatively inexpensive and the food was good.

I then walked around Parliament Square.  The votes on Brexit were going on that week so there were protesters in the area.  Not much of an impact on me but it was interesting to see.  The Remain protesters far outnumbered the Get Us Out Now group.

Big Ben is under renovation so I did not get a good view.  I can't figure out why they don't check my schedule when they plan these things!  Walked along the Thames and got a few shots of the Parliament and the London Eye (ferris wheel) across the way.

Westminster Abbey is right there and I saw that they were having sung evensong so I went.  It was beautiful.  We sat in the stalls which are richly carved and decorated.  A wonderful experience.  I had been to King's College on my last sabbatical and also to Ely Cathedral so this was a nice treat.  I then crossed the river and went to see Follies at the National Theater.  I love Sondheim and had heard the music for years to this show.  It was great to finally cross it off my bucket list.

On Friday, I saw the movie, Green Book.  It was excellent.  Glad I had a chance to see it.  Then I spent a little time before the concert at the National Gallery.  We had a tour of some of the Caravaggio paintings in Rome a while back and so I had to check out what they had at the National Gallery.  Only a couple but one is the Road to Emmaus.   Lots of people so I didn't get a good picture.  

Church of St. Martin in the Fields before the concert.

Saturday was my last day and I was not in the mood to take the tube in for another museum and there wasn't a show that drew me enough to go.  I ended up seeing the movie, Mary, Queen of Scots which was great.  When I returned to the hotel to think about getting a ticket for the Beethoven concert I fell asleep so I decided just to read and watch a little TV (in English!) and then a nice dinner.  I'm glad I gave myself permission not to do everything I had thought about doing although that means hearing the Beethoven Ninth Symphony in a live performance is still on my bucket list.

Mass on Sunday morning at the church around the corner and then to the airport.  Smooth check in, flight and arrival.  Then, when I got to passport control I ended up in a line that took almost an hour and a half which meant my ride was a bit worried I had missed the plane.  Yikes, glad they didn't leave.  By the time I got back to Casa O'Toole it was late and I was hungry.  Ran down the hill for a pizza and back.  Did some basic unpacking and then called it a night.  

This week we are back to classes.  Parishioners Dan and Tracy Ruiter are in town with some former parishioners and we are going to the audience on Wednesday.  Check back for pictures.  I hope we get a good view.