Sam's Trip

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 7 Giza Necropolis and GEM

Arriving at Giza station just after 7:30 a driver picked me up and took me to the hotel, a very quick turnaround - luckily my room was ready - and onto a bus with a small tour group heading out for the day.

The first stop was Giza plateau and a breathtaking view of the pyramids from the panorama viewing area. The whole tour group was keen on taking a camel ride so we all mounted a camel and went down toward the pyramids for some photos. A very cool experience for sure, just leaning in to what the camel was doing made it a lot more comfortable. We then hopped on a bus down to the Great Pyramid of Khufu, we briefly stopped between Khafre and Khufu as Khufu is built on a lower part of the valley it looks a little shorter from the top but it is the tallest of the three. Another short bus to the base of Khufu and it was time to go inside the Great Pyramid.

This pyramid is one of the only ones that you go up to get to the burial chamber, it was also very very hot inside again, and after quite a long climb it was definitely worth it again. Though funnily they have air-con units set up inside the chamber.

After returning to the cool seeming breeze I walked around the pyramid passing the remains of temples and having a quick look at the queens pyramids and boat pits at the foot of the pyramid.

It was then on to another bus down to the Sphinx, impressively carved from one piece of stone majestically guarding the path to the great pyramid.

We then had a quick lunch, stopped by a gold bazaar and made our way to the Grand Egyptian Museum.

This place is magical, walking in through the pyramidal entrance and seeing the colossi or Rameses II standing there was amazing.

The design of the building is all inspired from the pyramids, and the top of the grand staircase looks out over the Giza pyramids.

Our guide took us through to the boat gallery which houses the remade Royal barges of the King, uncovered in the boat pits beside the great pyramid and remade painstakingly using only papyrus and timber as it would have been originally made.

We then moved into the main gallery housing a history of Egyptian culture dating back 7000 years to their origins and migration toward the river nile. A quick pace with so many things to see showed us documented working conditions of the workers making the pyramids and temples, the importance of the gods and the development of their society and harvest and food production.

Then it was on to the Tutankhamun exhibition, housing the entirety of artifacts exhumed from his tomb in the valley of the kings. The mummy and sarcophagus being the only piece remaining in the tomb. The over 5000 items on display showed everything that the young king was buried with to prepare him for his afterlife. It is always interesting that king Tut would have been forgotten to history if not for the discovery of his tomb untouched, he was not remarkable compared to other kings and did not have any large impact on Egyptian history overall.

It was time to head back to the hotel, and after a little break a few of the tour group and I headed out for an early dinner before an early pickup for my flight to London in the morning.

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Day 6 Aswan, High Dam, Philae Temple and The Unfinished Obelisk

Checking out of the cruise after a quick breakfast I met a driver who drove me out to by the High Dam, waiting on the side of the road was a little strange, but the tour guide was about 15 mins away. Jumping into a van we headed to the airport to pick up the rest of the tour group - a group of Canadians, Aussies and Americans who were doing the reverse iteration of the cruise I’ve just done. We arrived at the High Dam which is pretty incredible. A feat of engineering a little different to the monuments of ancient times I’ve been visiting.

We then went to Philae Temple, an island temple in the Aswan lake between the two dams. Another monument that was moved due to the water lever rising, however it was initially left in place and tourists could enter the temple in boats. We took another motorboat out to the island which was nice to get back out on the water again, the views from the various temples and structures were lovely over the water and to where these temples would have once stood.

A quick stop at a perfume shop where we were explained and shown a few different oils and scents and the different medicinal benefits of them.

The last stop of the day was the unfinished Obelisk, located in the rose granite mine where it was being made for Queen Hatshepsut. Cracks formed in it while they were working making it un usable and left it where it was, half made, a very interesting look at how they carved the granite and excavated it from where it was cut.

A quick return to the cruise to collect my luggage and it was off to the train station via a stop for a late lunch.

With the train leaving at I settled into my book with an overnight trip waking up back in Cairo.

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Day 5 Abu Simbel and Nubian Village

An early wake up call for a 5am pickup today, the drive to Abu Simbel is 3 hours so with a short stop for coffee halfway we arrive just after 8am. On the way down my guide Basha explained why the temples were moved because the Aswan dam was made and they would have been submerged and lost forever. Hearing how they were cut into pieces and moved out of the waters way piece by piece, even retaining a phenomena that happens twice a year on the solstice that the four gods seated in the sacred chamber are lit by the sun (half lit being the god of death and darkness)

The second temple, to Hathor and Rameses II’s favourite wife Nerfertari was moved too, retaining a rare occurrence of a pharaohs wife’s statues being nearly the same size as his, showing his love for hers.

I had a quick lunch back on the cruise after the drive back and

The interesting difference with the Nubian temples between others further north I’ve seen this trip are that they are made from Nubian sandstone which is redder in colour, and coarser. This gave the engravings in it a rougher appearance compared to those in Saqqara and Luxor.

Another long drive back to Aswan and after a quick lunch on the cruise we were on a motorboat to the Nubian village. We cruised a bit of the Nile around the first cataract which Aswan is settled around. The botanical garden of Aswan, founded by Kitchener, an English consul General in Egypt is on the second largest island in the cataract. We made our way to the Nubian village and my guide took me into a school to learn to speak some Nubian, it was interesting as only Nubians in the village speak this language, so it may be lost as younger generations move out of the village in favour of cities such as Aswan. Nubians also believe that having a crocodile as a pet in the house was good luck so after seeing some mummified ones last night I saw some living ones inside a house today.

A lovely relaxing cruise along the Nile in the motorboat back to the cruise was a great way to finish the day, followed by a beer on the sun deck with my book and a lovely dinner.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 4 Edfu and Kom Ombo

A much more leisurely start this morning with breakfast on the cruise and a bit of reading on the sun deck as we came in to Edfu.

I wasn’t expecting to get into a horse drawn carriage but here I was ‘racing’ down a busy road is Edfu toward the temple here. My guide explained about the temple, built in Greco Roman times faced north to south and had 7 doors through to the sacred place for the high priest.

With many cruises in and only a short time to see the temple this was the busiest one I have been to yet. The name Edfu roughly means revenge as the god Horus tried to kill his uncle Seth finally succeeding with the help of his mother Isis

Making our way through the busy streets, in a horse drawn carriage, I got back to the cruise and settled in for the journey down to Kom Ombo.

A lot of reading, a swim and some time in the sun later the sun started to set as we came in to Kom Ombo - which means city of

The temple was just a short walk from the dock and my guide explained about the temple being a double temple to gods Sobek and the Elder Horus The temple built in the Ptolemaic reign showed many iterations of the king being anointed by the gods of the temple, also it had a calendar of festivals detailed. This temple was also used as a hospital so in the back chamber there was detailing of medical instruments used in life and for mummification.

As Sobek was the crocodile headed god there was a crocodile kept in the temple thought to be the earthly incarnation, and also many mummified crocodiles were found nearby. The crocodile museum showed the reverence given to these apex animals in their passing and offerings to the god.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day Three - Balloon over the West Bank, Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut.

Early mornings are becoming a common occurrence with a 4:15 pickup I was onto a minibus and then onto a small boat over the Nile to the West Bank, onto another minibus and into a large field with flat air balloons waiting to be inflated. About 20 mins into the wait general speculation had seen a few test balloons go up and a red light above the pilots office was saying the wind was too strong for flight. Half an hour later a test balloon went up and the light went green, a siren sounded and there was an immediate flurry of actions as the balloon crews started to inflate the many balloons.

Once we were up on the air we had a great vantage over the temple of Hatshepsut in the back of the valley of the kings, looking back also over the Nile to the east bank and the temples. A very smooth landing and it was time to meet Samar at the Collosi of Memnon. A quick stop here at the collosi and we were off to the valley of the kings. Samar recommended that I get the extra ticket for Rameses IV and VI tombs, and I definitely wanted to get the additional Tutankhamun ticket although Samar said it was the smallest. The valley of the kings was pretty amazing, the craftsmanship in creating these burial chambers and, most of the time, not interfering with existing ones is impressive without modern mapping of the area and existing chambers.

Tutankhamun’s tomb was but far the smallest, but it was definitely a bucket list place for me and as it was an extra ticket it was nice and quiet inside.

We then made a stop at an alabaster workshop at the suggestion of Samar which was interesting to see how they use historical techniques to make all the ornaments and decorations from the different rocks found in the valley.

Then it was off to the temple of Hatshepsut, she was a famous queen who ruled presenting herself as a man in statues to appease the rules that only a king can rule. Her step son desecrated a lot of her statues as he believed she stole the crown from him. Hey temple showed her trade routes all over Africa and her birth as a god.

I then an afternoon relaxing on the cruise, mainly reading on the sun deck and watching the sun set as we sailed down the Nile for Edfu.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day Two - Karnak, Dendera and Luxor.

A very early start today with the porter bringing me breakfast and coffee - so good - at 5:30. Getting off the train in Luxor I met my guide for the day Samar and we made our way to Luxor Temple, which unfortunately wasn’t open yet, so we made our way to Karnak Temple which was open from 6:30.

The sheer size of these temples is awe inspiring. Samar explained that before the Aswan dam the flooding Nile ran through the temple, allowing the ceremonial boats entry, and passageway through to the Luxor temple.

Because of these floods, after ancient times the temple was buried in silt for years and as they were excavated people grafittied their name on the giant stone pillars, some are now at a great height.

Then we drove out to Dendera, about an hour north of Luxor and the temple to Hathor, goddess of Love. This was amazing, the size and amount of this temple that has been preserved is amazing. The colours that have been restored in the first chamber alone were fantastic, being able to see the different areas that they had restored next to smoke damaged areas was very cool. The roof area of the temple with the smaller altars and temples adoring it were great, they also have a view of the scale of the walls surrounding the temple.

Also in this area were two other temples, Christian and Greek/roman both very distinct with the Corinthian columns and Cornish adornment in arches.

The last stop for the day was Luxor temple, the smaller of the two in Luxor at the other end of the avenue of sphinxes.

Surrounded by the modern city, and even visible from the dining room on board later in the day, this temple again has the grandeur and beauty of Karnak. An interesting part of this was where the Catholics had plastered over the original hieroglyphs and painted their own friezes over it, though due to time the plaster proved weaker than the stone underneath.

After a busy morning it was time for a relaxing afternoon on the cruise, a bit of a nap before dinner and another early night due to an early wake up call for a hot air balloon over the West Bank.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day One - Saqqara and Memphis

Arriving in Cairo I was greeted by someone from the tour agency, he guided me through arrivals and customs into a car to take me off for the day. Driving in Egypt is quite a chaotic experience, lanes and speed limits don’t seem to exist, and horns are to let someone know to either move for you or not to drive in to you.

We picked up my tour guide Marwa and made our way to the oldest pyramid, the Step Pyramid - I thought I’d get to go to the hotel first to freshen up but I’m rather glad I just went straight out.

Having not seen the Giza pyramids yet, not even from the air or driving around, seeing the step pyramid of Djoser for the first time was quite awe inspiring. It is part of a large complex that is still being discovered, with tombs and the like being discovered as recently as last year. Marwa took me through the entry gates and explained that the structure we were in would have replicated the palace - lost to history - but this version constructed for the afterlife has survived.

Less than 3 hours into my time in Egypt I was already stepping into my first pyramid, the burial chamber was at the end of a short passageway under the south entrance. The remnants of the wooden beams in the tunnel between the pillars assisted by new steel structures to support the immense weight of the pyramid above.

We made our way to the pyramid of Unas a smaller pyramid with an inscription of the book of the dead in an antechamber and a special block of alabaster in the tomb where if you shine light on it the outline of king Unas appears in the panel. We then went through Tomb of Seshseshet, which had recently excavated chambers that were made for her daughters.

From here we drove over to the Bent and Red pyramids, these two pyramids represent the changes the ancient architects made to create the true pyramids, the red pyramid being the first and then the Giza pyramids.

Starting with the red pyramid, this was built for king Sneferu as was the Bent pyramid, he would not ascend from the bent pyramid so ordered another be made correcting the errors made with Bent one. Descending into the burial chamber was a long backwards climb, inside the tomb were three chambers with high stepped ceilings.

We then drove over to the bent pyramid, the guide advised me that this one was a harder journey into the chambers with some passageways having to be crawled through. It certainly was, as the entrance was higher in the side of the pyramid the descent was rather long, with similar stepped chambers inside I made my way through the smaller passageways up to the burial chamber, complete with bats.

We then went to Memphis, which has been rebuilt over after many floods and silt build up, there is little left but in the museum there is a sphinx of one of the queens and a towering colossus of Ramses II.

After this it was time for a late lunch with freshly made bread, a very quick nap and freshen up at hotel and then I was picked up by Noor again to be taken to the train station.

Settling in to my cabin and a quick dinner I got off to sleep rather easily after a big first day in Egypt.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 18

Today I was heading up to Camden markets for a wander, a bakery and some time outside before a three show day.

The markets weren’t too busy by the time I arrived with some of the stalls still setting up, I wandered through most of the markets and past a few vinyl shops. Then it was off to the important part of the day, the bakery for coffee and a pastry. I was tossing up between two and I think I chose wrong, the coffee was good but the brioche was just alright. I walked up Primrose hill to take in the lovely sunny morning and eat my brioche. The park was quite lovely with a view out over the city which was still in a bit of cloud cover from the overcast morning.

In peak good planning, I made my way back down the hill to a bagel shop for a bit of early lunch taking another seat in the park this time not at the lookout to avoid the gathering crowd. I then made the short walk to the station to grab a train out to Wembley for Starlight Express. The train was busier than I was anticipating but not packed, there was a festival on at Wembley which explained everything with thousands of people descending on the arena.

Starlight Express was so much fun, from the moment you walked in the doors of the foyer it was like another world, full of disco balls and bright neon lights. Inside the arena staging was so cool, having booked in a ‘carriage’ was just at the foot of the main stage area on the middle runway. The rig was intense and boy did they show off what the tech could do. Basically the entire stage and auditorium had the ability to light up as each of the trains raced around. The costuming was a more modern take but gave the performers full ability to freely skate around the arena. The overall performances were great, with some great vocals to match. Such an enjoyable show and with so much tech, impeccably delivered.

After a wee while on public transport I was off to ABBA Arena out by the Olympic park for ABBA Voyage. The setup out there was a different world of intense, with no photos allowed during the performance which was a great call. It was so bizarre and unlike anything I’d seen before but so fun to ‘see’ ABBA perform so many of their hits. It sounded and looked great again with immense technical prowess fully on display.

For the final show of the day I headed to Kings Head Theatre just down the road from where I was staying. This was a first performance of a piece called The Pink List. A really lovely piece that takes us through a trial, and flashbacks, of a persecuted gay man during the Nazi reign in Germany. It would be interesting to see how the piece progresses, but it was a really touching way to end a very very flashy day.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 17

Another bakery, another bus and a second trip to Greenwich. Heading back to check out the Maritime Museum this time and The Queens House.

The maritime museum was interesting, and had a lot of information. There was a lot on the slave trade and British shipping which isn’t really of the most interest to me. The models were pretty cool though, and the naval battle history was rather interesting. The layout was very confused as part of the museum is under renovation, I seemed to enter every gallery at the end.

I then went basically next door to The Queens House, a now gallery that has the Armada portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. A beautiful building with the Tulip Staircases, and the original setting for the Gentileschi roof panels with a new Richard Wright design. Quite a striking interior with a view right down on to the Thames.

Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder was a lot of fun, the less than ideal leg room was tough but the show was great. A high energy new musical with a cast of 7, the score was catchy and with clever staging and minimal set, the ‘chairography’ was great. The story was two true crime podcasters get embroiled, voluntarily, into their idols murder in their local town. It was nice to see a show that focused on the relationship between friends and fame.

After a quick few slices of pizza it was off to Mean Girls. A slightly altered version of the show for this new production, some of the changes worked but I did miss a few of the original numbers that were reworked or cut. The choreography was still a highlight as it really fit in the world that they were creating. My main let down was the actress playing Janis, her voice was awesome, but she looked to be nervous or uncomfortable the entire time often slipping back into British quite a bit. The show still hits the good spot between being a movie adaptation but not being just the movie on stage.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 16

I started another day with another bakery, sat down by the Thames having a very good croissant and cinnamon bun. Then it was off to Charing Cross for a Hidden London Transport tour of the station.

I was expecting it to be interesting, but I didn’t expect it to be as cool as it was. Starting off in the closed Jubilee Line platform we were told a brief history of the station and the reasons for the platforms closure. It was interesting to hear that the platforms here are used to test out new initiatives for other stations, and also for emergency training. There is also a lot of filming that takes place in closed stations, the one that was most recognizable to me was Skyfqll - and we got to go in the air conditioning vent where Bond goes and through the vent door he comes out of into the masses.

I then made my way just up to the London Transport Museum, which again was more interesting than I had anticipated. I did just want some more socks really. The exhibition of transport posters was really cool to see, some unused ones that were either offered or commissioned. The museum was really interactive and had a lot of old trains and busses around.

After finishing there and only getting 1 pair of socks I met Jonnie and Georgie in Covent Garden. We went off to another bakery, the one where their wedding cake was off for a pastry and an orange hot chocolate. A love good catch up and a great dinner at a flatiron steak place before The Hills of California.

The play was excellent, all of us going in basically blind was a nice rarity. A family coming back home as the mother is close to passing away, four sisters navigate the emotions that come with grief and reflecting upon their childhood after years apart. Set between the present and when the girls were young. The young girls practicing the Andrews Sisters Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy for a church concert and talent agent with their mother, and the present returning home to be there for their mother’s passing. A beautifully paced performance with a stunning set. All the performances were great with the familiarity of the familial ties immediately apparent.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 15

A quick stroll to a bakery to start the day and off to the Postal Museum. Basically because they have a train ride. The museum was not busy which was ideal, nice and quiet. It was more interesting than I’d anticipated with the history going back to when only royalty had access to post.

The ride was excellent, in the old mail rail tunnels a small carriage took you through an old railway loop, past a ‘station’ and was really informative at the same time as being a fun ride.

I then headed to the Charles Dickens Museum just a short walk away. Set in one of Dickens’ residences it was a nice glimpse into the life of a great author. Featuring a lot of insight into how the house ran, his marriage and his entertaining style.

Then it was off to Donmar Warehouse for the matinee of The Cherry Orchard. A beautifully staged production, simplistic in design and impeccably portrayed by the company. Dealing, or not really dealing with the sale and probable destruction of the beloved cherry orchard the family are forced to come to terms with the inevitable outcome.

Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York was really fun, a mostly catchy score gave this two hander some really lovely moments. Sam Tutty sings so effortlessly it was just joyful to see, with Dujonna Gift balancing the performances with some really strong vocal agility. Together the pair gave the rom com a great pace and humour traversing the ever rotating stage with ease.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 14

Starting off the day with another bakery, awfully close to where I’m staying as to how good the pastries were, I then made my way down to the Natural History Museum.

This was more of a want to go to see the big Blue Whale mission for this morning. Though the museum was rather interesting it was just so busy, unsurprisingly. Highlights were definitely the Whale, dinosaurs and plesiosaur fossils and casts. The Vault with precious, semiprecious stones and meteorite pieces was quite cool to see up close. After a lap of the Volcanoes and Earthquakes area I made my way up the road to Harrods.

People, Places and Things was a beautiful piece of theatre. Staged in traverse with three rows of seating at the back of the stage - of course I booked for here. The piece was about a woman self admitting to rehab, relapsing and re admitting. The end of the piece was slightly unexpected with her parents not receiving her repentance and promise to do better, not wishing her ill, but definitely not the redemption that usually would be expected. Denise Gough in the lead role was amazing, her complete transformation from the initial scene where she is acting in the upstairs of a pub, into a complete breakdown through withdrawals and group therapy was pure brilliance.

After a breath of air in Trafalgar Square I made my way down to the Gillian Lynne theatre for Standing At The Sky’s Edge. I didn’t realise that this was technically a jukebox musical, drawing songs from Richard Hawley’s catalogue. The piece was based in Park Hill, a housing estate in Sheffield. Set over three different time periods in the buildings past we see three different lives play out. The impressive set was striking and was used very effectively - the three level static balconie structure of the complex towering over the floor plan of the apartment. The stories were interesting and except for the modern day’s ending quite different and touching. The music however didn’t add anything, if anything it muddied the narrative and slowed the piece down. It was long and felt long, the last half hour was the best with the heavier book scenes and more inter grated music.

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Day 13

Another day, another bakery, and as the Van Gogh Lightroom wasn’t open on Tuesdays I had a quick wander around Spitafields Markets before hopping a bus to Greenwich. I did not know there was a footbridge under the Thames, but it was an interesting way to get to the other side of the river, especially with the part closest to the Isle of Dogs being damaged in the war.

I started off with the Cutty Sark which was great, the dry dock was impressive and to walk under the hull of the ship was pretty astounding. The ship has been beautiful restored and in a slight relief not overfill of information and historical stories. Also, it is the only active theatre on a historic ship which is pretty cool.

I then made my way to the Greenwich observatory which was a lovely walk past the National Maritime Museum and Queens House. It was quite busy at the observatory and I have a feeling I skipped some parts as I seemed to get through it overly quickly. An unsurprisingly great vantage point to view the city, and seeing the Prime Meridian was pretty cool too. After this I jumped on another (much longer) bus back to the city for the Matinee of Operation Mincemeat.

This. Was. Excellent. Just excellent. Great storytelling, interesting and the perfect amount of self awareness. The score was catchy and the five actors were running the whole show. The design was so clever and the last number was impressive with the amount that kept coming out of seemingly nowhere.

Then it was off to the Noel Coward theatre for the evening performance of Player Kings. Ian McKellen was excellent as Falstaff with the entire company bringing a compelling performance of an epic story. The play running just over 3 and half hours did feel long, but with the performances relishing in the original Shakespearean and moden text I think it worked overall. The set was mainly changed through the effective use of curtains to conceal the amazingly quick scene changes from setting to setting. McKellan’s portrayal of the Flastaff was a masterclass. The bumbling compulsive liar is not exactly the hero of the story by any means, but was definitely the relatable completely unreliable narrator of his own story.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 12

Starting the day with a walk along the canal to another bakery for a coffee and a lemon curd bun, I then made my way to the Young V&A. Mainly aimed at children the museum was displaying the history of toys and such. A few interesting displays on sustainable options for toys or furniture and the development of technology through toys and games as well.

Then I made my way over to the British museum, about as busy as expected the line still went around the block. I started off in the Egyptian rooms featuring the Rosetta Stone, then made my way through the Greek and Roman rooms. The Parthenon sculptures were quite amazing to see. A huge and very busy museum, I went up to the print rooms on level four which were a lovely reprieve from the hoards of people elsewhere. I then spent the rest of the afternoon on the level one rooms going through more Egyptian, Greek and Roman history. There is just such an astounding volume of history in the building, finishing with the collection rooms detailing the desire for knowledge from the British explorers.

This evening was Between Riverside and Crazy at Hampstead Theatre. This was thoroughly enjoyable, a great play with an excellent cast. The theatre even had a tension wire grid! Set in a Riverside Drive apartment it was an interesting look at an unlikely family dynamic. A widowed ex cop and his son, the son’s friend and girlfriend, and the cops ex partner and her fiancée navigating an ongoing legal battle, and the father’s alcoholism.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 11

Finally heading off with a plan for the morning I walked down to Kings Cross Station to get the train over to Portobello Markets, and a bakery or two I wanted to try. A lovely morning walk through the markets and down Portobello Rd through Notting Hill, stopping at the second bakery for two too many scones. I sat in Kensington Gardens and enjoyed the pastry and a scone before some geese and swans got a little close for comfort, as in not in the pond anymore.

I continued my walk through to Hyde park and down the serpentine where I finished my second and third scones in the rose gardens. Sans a lot of roses as the beds were being refurbished, but still lovely. Making my way down the back of Buckingham toward The Other Palace for the matinee of Babies.

Babies was excellent, the cast were so tight and it was just a good show. A poppy score, a fun story and reasonably low stakes with a decent moral made for a really lovely afternoon. The high energy of the cast added to the enjoyment as the young cast and plastic babies whirled around the space, a great scenic design not bogging them down in realistic school and outdoor settings. The chore was effective and tight, and I need a full recording of the show please.

I then made my way to the Tate, Britain, to see some more art. Again choosing to not go for the paid exhibitions I made my way around the permanent galleries. Highlights were Hockney’s ‘A Bigger Splash’ the JMW Turner gallery with some Constable thrown in, and a Sargent painting of Monet painting. A lovely gallery covering many decades of British art it was a lovely way to spend the afternoon.

I then made my way down past the Battersea Power station to the Turbine Theatre for Closer To Heaven, with music by the Pet Shop Boys, starring (original Fantine Frances Ruffelle) a very camp fun show… except that the music really didn’t lyrically let the actors do much. There were a few exceptions to this mainly in the second act however - and I did think it was a new piece, turns out it’s a revival - it needs work. The cast were all very talented and when given the chance to show it, were great. The piece held them back, not exactly knowing what it wanted to be and trying to be too many things at once.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 10

Starting another day with another stop at a new bakery I made my way down to the National Theatre. I’d decided to book in for the tour again which again was really interesting and definitely went places that were unavailable last time I had done it. The guide did keep getting slightly off topic but he had a lot of knowledge of the workings of the theatre and history of the National.

As the tour ended I was off for a short walk to the same building. Catching the matinee of London Tide, based on Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend. The show was quite striking, with technical elements galore, I found the constant movement of the lighting bars a bit overkill and distracting, not adding to the piece as they were constantly in motion. The ability to swell the deck of the stage like the river was impressive and sparingly used. This was a play with a few too many songs, something I never thought I’d say. It was an interesting piece with a good story but I found that the songs were disjointed from the text of the play and lyrically weaker. It could’ve done with a few less, or just the instrumental underscoring.

As I was back on south bank I stopped back into the Tate Modern to see one of the exhibitions - Yoko Ono, Music of the Mind. As expected it was beautifully bizarre, humorous and unexpected. Not knowing much about her work as an artist it was interesting to see the scope of her works in some chronology. The painting to be constructed on your head series was interesting, framed notes of what to imagine/do.

Stopping for a quick dinner by St Paul’s as the sun shone before the evening show of Kiss Me, Kate at the Barbican. The Barbican centre is enormous. Kiss Me, Kate was wonderful, it is just very clever and the score is excellent. I couldn’t help compare it to the memory of the Broadway Revival I saw a few years back with Kelli O’Hara. Stephanie J Block was such a different Kate/Lily with an excellent supporting cast, the choreography for It’s Too Darn Hot and Bianca were highlights.

The safety curtain/act drop in this theatre was unlike one I’ve seen, it was a wall that came up and down like a mouth.

[daysofsamdandtime]

Day 9

This morning I again, had no real plan of where to go for my morning, after a bakery stop of course. I did a walk by of the British Museum and as the queue had no end in sight I kept walking down to the National Gallery. I thought I had been here before but I don’t think I had, spanning such a time period of portraiture and historical works was an interesting start to the day. Of course my favorite were the impressionist rooms, they also had a very interesting exhibition on a Degas painting of Miss Lala.

I then made my way over to the Phoenix Theatre for the matinee of Stranger Things. At Jonnie’s wedding I met one of the cast members who had some funny stories about it. I hadn’t originally had this on my list as I wasn’t a huge fan of the tv series, but the show had been recommended and sounded very impressive. It seriously lived up to the praise, the stagecraft was so impressive, having a battleship on stage to start the show was spectacular. On top of one of the slickest technical wizardry the performances were quite extraordinary. The range that the company showed was impressive.

Seeing that Kala had just posted about seeing Stranger Things I messaged her about it and we had a lovely catch up for an early dinner debrief on what we’d just seen.

Then I quickly went down to the National Portrait Gallery, thinking that the six wives exhibition was on - it was not yet. But going through the gallery again was lovely, seeing a few of the Tudor portraits, Shakespeare and a self portrait of David Hockney.

I then made my way to the London Coliseum for Spirited Away. I’d seen production shots of the original production in Japan so, despite the price, it was quite high on my list to see. It definitely was a beautiful production, the puppetry and scenic design was magical to say the least. Having not seen the movie I didn’t know the story but it was easy to follow and the surtirles were easy and well inter grated into the sides of the leafy green proscenium. A beautiful production and a touching story that was pretty damn magical.