Country v City...uh...Town?

There's a moral to this story somewhere...maybe...possibly...
...nah! Its just a story!!

Last time I lived in a town was when I was in College, and before that was as a teenager when I lived for three years on the outskirts of London. Which adds up to a total of...SIX WHOLE YEARS by golly!

So basically I am NOT a town girl, and never wanted to be.

Back in October I took the wee hoosie in town in anticipation of not being able to afford to run the Noddy car, ergo I needed everything to be within walking distance...ditto the present flat which I moved into before Christmas.

But d'you know what? I LIKE living in town!

In fact, I like it so much that I am very much afraid that I must be the most terminally nosey person in the whole of the West of Ireland!!
I like the noise and commotion of people all day and half the night.
I like watching and listening to the antics which spill out of the pub downstairs and the hilarity of people having fun.
I like listening to the pounding music.
I like hearing when crowds start singing and take over the riverside with their own entertainment.
I even don't mind walking into my kitchen and having the back wall practically bulging with sound from the Night Club adjoining my flat.
And I really like that when I am tired of my own company I can simply tuck my laptop under my arm, run downstairs, cross the river, through the door of my favourite cafe and carry on working, 30 seconds door to door....which is where I am right now!

Whoda thunkit?

The ultimate country bumpkin actually becoming a town mouse?!

(But I bought ear plugs too, just in case I need to sleep!)

Home again-jiggety jig!

We got back from London yesterday with no hitches, though I have to say that Aer Lingus' check in routines in Gatwick were a bit chaotic, but we found our way, really by Mum accosting people and asking. Then she was most put out when we went downstairs to go to the Departures gate to discover another level of shops! So she did a quick detour whilst we went on!

Monday we each spent doing errands, I had to buy new music for the School Nativity this Christmas as I have used up everything I own. I found two suitable books in Chappell’s which was great. I also visited John Lewis, Liberty, HMV, and then, as I had nearly two hours before meeting the others I headed to the V & A Museum, which is one of my favourite places! I visited the Theater Exhibit, Textiles and the gallery housing Owen Jones’ sketches. I took quite a few photos to work from, and lots of ideas for quilt patterns are milling around in my head. (Don’t you find Ideas take on a life of their own and the jostling can become fairly noisy and acrimonious? Sometimes I wonder who is in charge of the inside of my head- me or the Ideas?)

On Monday evening we went to see the Musical ‘Wicked’, a recent prequel to the ‘Wizard of Oz’. It was brilliant! Set design and costumes were phantasmagorical and intricate, and the technical side was spectacular. We were sitting right up in the gods and I think we lost nothing by being so far from the stage. I’d go again, and in fact it was the bro’s second time.

ceiling of the Apollo Theater, Art Deco design and very evocative of that era, I thought.

Victoria and Albert Museum
Theater exhibit- the detail on this was beautiful but the photo is not good; it gives an idea though.
part of the Theater exhibit
this and below, some of Owen Jones' drawings. They were meticulous, detailed, and the colours really vivid still- I'm going to research him further.

inner courtyard of the V & A Museum

chandeliers in Liberty. Its such a beautiful building.

galleries in Liberty

The Royal College of Organists by the Royal Albert Hall, I had to take a photo of that!

Kew Gardens

canna lillies outside the Palm House, just look at the pattern on those leaves!

the Water Lily House- it was beautiful and a lot of lillies were flowering.

agapanthus and phlox, can't remember which section

eucalyptus bark

rock pool in the Alpine section with the Princess of Wales Glasshouse behind

anthurium in the Palm House.

waterlily.

It was wet and windy at Knock, but more rain on the wind than lashing, if you see the distinction! I was quite amusing as the plane taxied to its place a loud and indignant small (English) voice exclaimed: 'It's raining!' Everyone laughed. Anyhow, as soon as Mom had the case, we opened it and got out jerseys and anoraks, before even leaving the baggage hall! Yes, well, we knew we were home...

Great time-mostly!

Isn't visiting London great? We arrived rather late on Friday after the brouhaha which closed Gatwick airport for a few hours, checked into the hotel where the folks were staying, and walked down High Street Kensington to find a place to eat. Lovely! Is it me, or does food I haven't prepared always taste better?

As I'm staying with 'the bro' we got the bus back to his place and stayed up talking for ages.

 Saturday was so interesting. Firstly it was a lovely sunny day. (The bro cycled,I went by Tube- Ilove the Tube, the hum and clack, the musty fumes smell, all the people, the old-fashioned architecture of it...) We took ourselves to Kew Gardens for the morning and early afternoon. I've taken a whole heap of photos (using Dad's camera, of course, which he has named 'The Camara-da'!!!) but I didn't bring the lead so can't upload them til I get home- just wait! There was so much to see, but we had to leave at 3.30 to be in time for the first concert. 

The first Concert of the evening was an Organ Recital on the Royal Albert Hall 'Father Willis' Organ... it had fantastic volume and range, was amazing! Imagine being the one to fill the auditorium with all that sound! I'd like some history and information on that particular Organ, but I'll look it up later.The Organist was David Titterington, the programme eclectic. My own favourite was the last movement of the Elgar Organ Sonata No. One, it was just perfect.

We galloped round the corner to a bistro for a quick but delicious supper before the main Prom. I think the staff were rather bemused by us, perhaps they aren't used to people dining so fast, and are more of an 'experience' place? Anyhow, the whole shebang lined up to wish us an enjoyable Prom, think I counted eight.

By the way, I'm using the bro's laptop and his 'H' is just a gap in the keyboard, which is rather disconcerting. Apparantly its courtesy of another sister, but he said she'll deny it.

The Prom was great.We had seats just behind and above the orchestra and it was pretty intense.

And then on Sunday morning at 5am the bug restruck so I spent until mid-afternoon in bed. I was really narked with my stomach! I missed the Columbia Road flower market, but the bro told Mum I would have cried anyhow as I couldn't have bought anything because of flying home!

I emerged about 3o'c and went over to High St Ken for a wander before meeting the others and going to another Prom. They were doing Holst' Choral Symphony- orchestra, organ, and the best part of 250 singers...it was an amazing sound and sight!

And now for Monday- I'm fine this morning, thank's be, and I'll head out at 9.30 as the Tube is off-peak then.

To be continued...

I'm off!

Hooray! Hooray! I'm on my way!
My London holiday starts today!

...paraphrase from the Berenstein Bears, if I recall, a favourite with my girls when they were very little, but still yelled every time they or us go away!

I'll try bring you back lots of photos, and be good whilst I'm gone!

I've left yous a story on http://heartwarmingtreasures.blogspot.com/ to keep you amused!