London

Hey all,

Our five days in London together was, for both of us, probably the highlight of our trip together in terms of me being well and K being fully relaxed from work at the same time.  It is, for an Australian, a strange place to be – I even recognise obscure street names from novels I have read – a weird feeling of being home but not home.  The same kind of weird feeling of familiarity in the Portrait Gallery, which we both enjoyed – have an odd sense of knowing these people, some directly related to us (Cook, Banks, etc), but all the others definitely part of the history we grew up with, of what makes us who we are.  The paintings of all the Tudors were especially nice, as was a long relaxed conversation the two of us had over coffee in the cafe at the gallery, looking over the skyline of London.

Our hotel was pretty tricky to find when we arrived, although it shouldn't have been, and we asked directions a few times until finally the people at the posh expensive Strand told us where the cheap Strand was, something which apparently happens a lot.  A very central hotel to be at, right in the middle of the West End and all the theatres, which is why we chose the place – you can see where the Lion King is playing from the window of the lounge.

We wandered around quite a bit through gardens, along the river, to the palace, into one of those neat polite contemporary art places that sell neat polite books talking about taking down governments with the REVOLUTION, but given K's career, go to the theatre is what we mainly did.  We saw War Horse, which was intense and emotional, and had these frighteningly alive huge puppets of horses – it was incredible how alive all the puppets felt – the script, if you stopped to think about it, what a bit nothing, but the whole thing was so alive and impressive that you didn't really stop to think about it.  Also saw Woman In Black, which has been running here for over two decades, which was entertaining but not mind blowing, and then Wilde's An Ideal Husband, which was the highlight for me, very very funny and sharp and well done in every way.

We caught up a couple of times with a young director/producer who used to be on of K's students, who is doing very well for himself in London – has a couple of theatres of his own and seems to exist in this kind of 24/7 buzz of activity – we saw two of his plays, one called SUBS which was a fun evening, and the preview for another one about a prostitute in Barcelona, where K was asked by her friend to have a chat with the director to give some advice, and I sat there somewhat entranced watching her in her element, talking intently to the director about how to improve the show and being listened to with something like awe.  Also had dinner with K's contact a couple of times in cheap and delicious out of the way places – all in all a very enjoyable five nights, and I think all inspiring for K.

Had a bit of an adventure walking home one night when discovered a child – possibly a girl – running up and down the footpath screaming hysterically.  K went and comforted her and discovered it had lost it mother.  Two other women arrived and the child was soon being

A.  Comforted by K
B.  Talked to very firmly by no nonsense middle aged woman who looks like she is about to shake the child and/or slap its face until it regains its senses.
C.  Looked at by a young lady who kind of floated about and frankly seemed a bit ornamental in the entire drama, but did claim to know where the child had last seen its mother.

Unnoticed, I went to the police station across the road, and informed them that there was some hysterical lost kid screaming on the footpath.  The policewoman looked shocked, panicky, asked me if he was ok.  I pointed out that it might not be a he, that it was possibly a girl, but that whatever it was, it had lost its mother.  The policewoman, in a panic, thanked me and asked me if I could bring it back to the station.  Which is a bit weird, given that I hadn't had a shave in nearly three months and while not looking quite like a sex-pest was certainly not looking like someone that any mother I have ever met would want escorting their lost hysterical child anywhere.  I went back to retrieve child.  Child and two women are gone.  K standing there alone, looking a bit panicky herself as I had just up and disappeared.  Back to police station – I go in, say that kid has gone – police by this stage in frantic panic – there are about 8 of them in their perspex box looking all discombobulated.  I say kid has gone.  Taken back somewhere by two strange women to look for mother.  I say I don't know where.  Go outside, where K is holding cigar that I have been smoking entire time and don't want to leave on windowsill again, send K in to fill in the coppers.  She goes in.  Now so many panicky cops behindt perspex window that the ones at the front are being squashed.  Apparently one of them faints and is only barely dragged out to safety.  K fills in the details.  Finally we leave.  And finally, one of the cops comes out of locked perspex compartment and chases us down on street to say thank you and tell us that they have finally sent some actual police out of the building in the direction of the place where the women were allegedly taking the hysterical kid to look for its no doubt hysterical mother.

This would never happen on The Bill.  Also:  these people just won the Ashes.

Photos.  1.  The view from our hotel at night.  2.  An incredibly porny sculpture on a sign just near here.  3.  To a funeral parlour (??).  4.  Street at night.  5.  Nelson's tower.  6.  A clock.  7.  Creepy portrait of Henry VIII.  8.  View from cafe in portrait gallery.

Cheers, B.