We end our days with plans to get up and get out early, but we don't seem to make it out the door before 10 AM. Nevertheless, the days are filled with activity.
Today we began with a trip north to visit the Jewish Museum near Regent's Park. It is situated on a street of genteel attached row houses and blends well into the surroundings. The museum, small, is surprisingly well set up complete with a cafe and gift shop on the ground floor, two security guards at the front door, and lovely ladies at the ticket counter. They were welcoming and friendly, even the security folks.
The museum focuses on the presence of Jews in Great Britain, mostly in London. There have been Jews here since the 11th century, at least. The remains of a mikvah (ritual bath) were found during an excavation for a new building in 2001. These remains date to approximately 1047 CE. There are accounts and artifacts, some quite personal and touching, of Jews who have been dispersed from their native lands and who came to Britain from Morocco, Europe, Israel, etc. Always there are stories of the diaspora, the Jews who created wealth and commerce, were involved in politics and contributed to their countries only to be persecuted and tossed out. But we rise again. There's been a Jewish Prime Minister of Britain in the 19th century.
The second section of the museum addresses the holidays with a focus on Jewish family life. It was a most pleasant part of the museum. I left feeling despondent over the many times the Jews have been persecuted, and proud of the many times that the Jews have risen and been contributors to making society better. We are a good people.
Just north of the Jewish museum we traveled to Camden Lock and Camden Lock Market. That is a happening place. It is the equivalent to Haight Asbury in San Francisco, only larger and more compact. Situated along the lock of the canal, Camden Locks were massive stables in their day and are now home to a hundred or so small shops and boutiques selling food, clothing, offering tattoo services, jewelry, shoes, and many t-shirts and alternative gothic wearables. We were a bit out of our element but loved the atmosphere and the vibrancy. We saw more tattoos than we've seen all together since we left Arizona. We had a taste of Indian food from a stall shop, not bad and we didn't get sick.
We took a long bus ride back to Trafalgar square where Stu headed for ice cream and a rest, and I wandered about for an hour. I discovered China Town, all 2 blocks of it, and we returned there for dinner a few hours later. I also stopped in at the National Gallery, I'd visited before but forgot what a wonderful display of art works including Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, and many of the Italian masters. I recognized a Sargeant immediately. I'll return with Stu on another occasion. The National museum is free for everyone, it is quite a treasure.
On the Square (Trafalgar) there's a constant street fair in play. Jugglers, mimes, break dancers, roller blade tricksters. It's friendly and vibrant, filled with tourists and locals. We've loved being so close and passing through it several times each day as we go about our business.
The evening was special, we saw the London production of Les Miserables which has been running for 25 years. It received the standing ovation it deserved. Even on a Monday night, the place was filled, we were fortunate to get good tickets. The difference from our American productions we've seen was marked. The stage, indeed the entire theater, is quite small. There's a revolving platform center stage and the action moves with this platform which brings performers to center stage and back again seamlessly. The lighting is darker than we are used to and you have to go out and meet the story, it doesn't shout at you. Everything is underplayed until the final scene where the Inn Keeper and his wife dance in outlandish costumes and make up. The performance received the standing ovation it deserved.
Tomorrow we're off to Harrod's, we think, and the Albert Victoria museum. We are finding getting around on the bus and metro lines to be quite easy and efficient and cheap. For the price of an oxy card we can travel wherever all day any day, no restrictions within London. We did score for theater tickets again, we managed to get two tickets (a bit scalped, we'll see if they are worth it) for War Horse on Thursday night. We're loving the theater and the city in general. Definitely our kind of town.
Until tomorrow, Adrienne and Stu
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