We're in England for Thanksgiving and frankly, we're a bit puzzled as to why our forefathers wanted to get out of here. So far we've enjoyed the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, the Underground, the Buckingham Palace Guard and Tate Modern.
Well, I went to Tate Modern while EMH went to Tower of London, and each of us got to see some of her favorite things: for EMH, the Crown Jewels; for me, giant Mark Rothko paintings.
I enjoy a big city, especially a big city with hundreds of plaques and statues. So I have been in Ye Olde Heaven.
We tried to get inside St. Paul's Cathedral this morning, but there was some kind of service going on. "Maybe it's a Thanksgiving service," EMH said wryly.
So we went to lunch at a café across the way, and watched people spill out of the building about 20 minutes later. Most of them came into our restaurant. An American mom and her precious school-age daughter sat next to us. We struck up a conversation with them and learned that it was, in fact, a Thanksgiving service led by the American Embassy! I'm a bit sad we missed it.
I'm very glad that I did not miss the Rothko exhibit, which has been on the to-see list for months and months and months. I've read about it and have longed to see it, and the exhibition did not disappoint. The Tate Modern is a rehabbed power plant, and they've done an incredible job of bringing high-tech elements -- not to mention commercial opportunities -- into the space. I could have spent about three days there.
Ditto Westminster Abbey, and three cheers to EMH for suggesting we go there. She also encouraged me to get the audio tour, which I usually skip but it was a nice feature. To see the high altar ["The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of Our Lord and of His Christ"] is worth it alone. Then to view markers for David Livingstone and William Wilberforce, not to mention Poet's Corner with T.S. Eliot and Matthew Arnold and Shakespeare, and, well, pretty much all of Lit 101 to Lit 301, it's just overwhelming. If you can stand there and not be moved, you're a stronger person than I am.
Miss you! So glad you had a good Thanksgiving. I always think of you this time of year :)
Posted by: VGG | 01 December 2008 at 18:35