The Last Hurrah!

Although we are home, I wanted to finish up the blogs. Some days it was just impossible to get the time it took to post! So, yesterday’s blog was completed sitting in JFK waiting for our JetBlue flight back to Buffalo, but had mostly been written on the Virgin Atlantic flight back home. I hate a story with no ending, so here goes.

We knew that Friday would probably be a little more frenetic as we, like everyone else who knows time is running out and there are still so many things to see and do, wanted to try to get to everything! We planned on seeing St. Paul’s, ride The Eye and hit Westminster Abbey. If we hadn’t worn off the soles of our shoes, we thought of Hampton Palace. Right!

Jeff wanted to take a few more photos around Buckingham Palace, so we got a Travelcard (gives us unlimited use of public transportation for the day) and off we went down the block (literally) to Buckingham Palace. There were more crowds than before, it being a weekend, but the changing of the guard had already passed, so they were thinning out. Jeff went a little camera crazy (it is unfortunate I cannot post all of the really great photos he took. The ones I post here are really just teasers! Check out my Facebook page in a few days! Jeff seemed to sneak photos of me when I was steeping in the atmosphere. Look a little frazzled by this time, I must say!) We “suffered” from terrific weather the entire time we were in Great Britain! I know … I shouldn’t complain, and I’m not! Everyone seemed to be enjoying the unseasonably warm weather, us included, so many more people were out on the streets, soaking up the sun in cafes and parks and at monuments.

Headed to the Tube for Westminster Pier and walked across the Westminster Bridge, ogling at Big Ben and the Parliament Buildings. Had my photo taken with a piper in black watch, though not full dress. (On the return, another piper had taken up the task, in full regalia, and I got that photo, too. And sang harmony with a Rasta-man in the entry to the tube – “…give thanks and praise to the Lord, it will be all right!” Some Bob Marley onya!) After a loooong queue, we got our Eye tickets, but, knowing it would be another wait, had a quick bite – me at a noodle stand and Jeff at, believe it or not, McDonald’s! Properly nourished to endure another queue, we got in line for our ride.

It is said that London is a city of lines, and we found that, in most cases, to be true. We did wait in line for many events and sights. Unfortunately, we were not waiting in line with Englishmen, but impatient Americans, Italians, Germans, Russians and almost every other nationality one can name. I heard languages I had no idea where they originated from – and I think, after hearing Welsh on the trains, even some Welsh and Celtic! It is also said that patient waiting in line is a demonstration of character and Jeff and I tried to develop ours stoically in line. It is also true that line cutters are not tolerated. Oh, it is a polite “Pardon, madam!” but nonetheless, cutting in the acerbic way that only the English can instill in words that are polite on surface and scathing underneath!!

The Eye – well, in a very short word – WOW!! It is an amazing construction and so well managed. They have it down to a science and can handle long lines and crowds with ease. I got one of the audio tour mini-pods to hear the description of what I was seeing and the history of the Eye and its construction. We didn’t wait on line very long at all, once we queued up. As you approach the loading zone, you are shuttled into two lines, made up of roughly a dozen people. As the cars swing to level with the platform, the guides open the doors and usher you in. Mind you, unlike Ferris wheels, the Eye does not stop revolving. The doors are closed, and safety announcements begin. And off you go!

It takes about 25 minutes to do the whole revolution and, though there is a sense of moving, there isn’t a sense of speed, per se. Being one who isn’t fond of heights, I wondered how I would do in this plastic capsule. Not bad, not bad, at all. The Eye is some 440 feet tall and was constructed in 1999, it is the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel (as the entire structure is supported by an A-frame on one side only). For those of you keen on facts and figures, the brochures say the following: “The wheel carries 32 sealed and air-conditioned egg-shaped passenger capsules, attached to its external circumference, each capsule representing one of the London Boroughs. Each 10 ton capsule holds 25 people, who are free to walk around inside the capsule, though seating is provided. It rotates at 26 cm (10 in) per second (about 0.9 km/h (0.6 mph) so that one revolution takes about 30 minutes.” People hold cocktail parties, weddings and the like on the Eye, and it is a unique experience. Jeff got some great aerial views of London, but was somewhat distressed that the sun was shining so brightly to the east – made for poor photos.

At the end of the ride, again the wheel does not stop to let passengers disembark. You quickly walk off while it is moving. I understand that for the elderly and disabled, the wheel will stop to allow for entry and exit, but I didn’t see it happening while we were in the area. Really, there is sufficient time. Jeff and I noted that, once vacant, three workers hopped on – two sweepers and one with a cloth and cleaner and they did, in about 15 seconds, clean the pod! Sweeper on each side while the worker with the cleaner and cloth mopped off the rail that runs around the entire pod. And then it is ready for boarding in a trice. I’m talkin’ there is major coordination going on here!

Off the Eye, we headed back across Westminster Bridge to the tube and headed for St. Paul’s. (Dome is upper center of this photo from the Eye) Flagging a bit (it is hard work being a tourist!! J), we stopped in a café contiguous to St. Paul’s and realized that we would not have time to tour the cathedral as it was near 4 and that was the last entry time. Everyone had to be out by 4:30. So, though somewhat discouraged but determined the full tour would happen on our next trip, we walked over to the cathedral for some photos and plopped on the steps with about 300 others! Suddenly, people were going back into the cathedral, so, curious, Jeff and I followed. And ended up having perhaps an even more moving and impressive experience than just a tour would have offered.

Inside, we marveled at the décor and architecture as one should. And then found out that we could stay for the Evensong service if we so desired. Did we!!?? Again, saw excellent crowd management at hand as they managed to clear the cathedral of tourists, leaving worshippers instead. Curates herded us through the gates at the nave to the quire, the area that extends to the east of the dome and holds the stalls for the clergy and the choir and the organ. There, with service card and psaltery in hand, we joined with the vicar’s men’s choir for an Evensong service. Incredible sound as one would expect in the cathedral, and a truly moving worship experience. Jeff and I both felt, as we spoke to the vicar shaking hands with the worshippers as we left the dome area, that we had come to just see and appreciate and had been fortunate that we could come to pray. I had also lit a candle and prayed to the icon of Mary for my daughter’s protection and healing.

For those who want a little more information, St Paul's Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London. The present building dates from the 17th century and is generally reckoned to be London's fifth St Paul's Cathedral, although the number is higher if every major medieval reconstruction is counted as a new cathedral. The cathedral sits on the highest point of the City of London, which originated as a Roman trading post situated on the River Thames. The cathedral is one of London's most visited sights.

The cathedral is built in a late Renaissance style and was inspired by St Peter's Basilica in Rome. The dome rises 365 feet to the cross at its summit. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the nave has three small chapels – All Souls and St Dunstan's in the north aisle and the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George in the south aisle. The main space of the cathedral is centered under the Dome and holds three circular galleries – the internal Whispering Gallery, the external Stone Gallery, and the external Golden Gallery. The Whispering Gallery runs around the interior of the Dome and is 99 feet above the cathedral floor. All of the galleries can be reached by many, many stairs!! (Please note that, like many of the historical buildings in London, photos are not allowed. You know Jeff’s shutter finger was just itching!!)

Happily, and feeling well content, we headed back to the hotel. And had perhaps one of the most, well, regular experiences of just being in London ever. We hadn’t thought about the time of day that we were heading into the tube, but it was roughly 5:45 – rush hour!! OMG!! Can you say sardines!!! We stood in awe as we watched people shoe-horn into the tube cars, often just scooting their butts in before the doors closed. And, mind you, there wasn’t any additional time for getting on and off with a crowd. The trains moved on schedule (that’s 'shed-u-al') regardless. One had to step lively – and have excellent balance. Sitting was unheard of except for a few lucky ones, so we all hung like grapes from the handholds and prayed that no one fell in the jolting and rumbling of the train. As we had to make a couple of changes to get to Victoria, this was a lengthy and enlightening (and perhaps sobering – rose colored glasses can prevent one from seeing the reality of daily living in London!) experience. We were exhausted (but hungry!!) by the time we got to Victoria.

Knowing that there had been a restaurant saying they had take out, we headed down Eccleston St. and found that it was only pizza to go. So, we sat down and had an excellent meal in a small Italian bistro and thoroughly enjoyed our last dinner in London.

By this time, I was suffering from symptoms of a cold, and both Jeff and I were concerned that if I was snuffling, we would not be allowed to travel. We had stopped at a chemists in Victoria Station and gotten the equivalent of Nyquil, my wonder drug, and back at the hotel, I managed to think about packing before I took a shot of the meds and turned in, asleep soundly by 9 PM. Jeff sat up reading (he tells me – I was insensate!) for a bit longer before fatigue hit him and he called it a day.

So ends the last day real day in London. Our final day, the travails of travel and an epilogue to follow. Stay tuned!!

Off, with love --