Queens Gallery & Apsley House
I got to check two more places to see off my list today while Sophie was at Nursery. First, I visited the Queen's Gallery, which boasts the world's largest art collection. Unfortunately, they only show a portion of it at a time, which I was unaware of. I thought they had a main collection and special exhibits. Apparently they only have special exhibitions. The current highlight of the collection is of The Art of Italy, Renaissance and Baroque. Of course the pieces were enjoyable, but there were only four small rooms exhibited them. I was in and out of the gallery in 30 minutes, and I listened to the audio guide on many of the pieces. So, yes I was a bit disappointed with this visit, in my opinion not worth the 8 pounds. If are are into Italian art then you would enjoy this exhibit more than I did.
The second stop on my morning out was at the Apsley House. The Duke of Wellington made the Apsley House his London home after a military career culminating in his victory over Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815. He made extensive enhancements to the house, adding the magnificent Waterloo Gallery (which was gorgeous!). The artwork in the house was incredible, there was also porcelain, silver, sculptures, furniture, medals and memorabilia. The family still resides in the remainder of the house which of course is not part of the museum. This visit made up for the disappointing Queens Gallery. Well worth the visit!
Slowly but surely checking off my list of things to see and do in London...
Our Flat is Officially on the Market!
We are within 8 weeks to the end of lease and our flat is officially on the market! It was viewed tonight by a couple who lives on the other side of the Heath. It is nice that you don't have to be out of your property for it to be viewed. Now we just need to determine when our house will be complete and finalize our exit date. I can't believe we are already at this point. We will keep everyone posted!
Sophie's First Ballet Show
Today, Sophie and I had lunch out with her best friend Margot and her mum at a local cafe, and then enjoyed their first ballet show. Put on by a local ballet school, the young girls and two boys, performed a show called Flower Fairies. Of course Sophie and Margot loved all the dancing and costumes! Sophie kept saying, "we can't go on stage though" she really wanted to be! She can't wait to be in the limelight, oh my what will the teenage years be like for me?
Cabinet War Room Visit
Today I visited the Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms with a friend from New York. We have both had this on our list of things to see in London so we made a morning out of it.
Shortly after becoming Prime Minister in May 1940, Winston Churchill visited the Cabinet War Rooms to see for himself what preparations had been made to allow him and his War Cabinet to continue working throughout the expected air raids on London. It was there, in the underground Cabinet Room, he announced 'This is the room from which I will direct the war'. It was interesting to see all the rooms, most recreated to the best of their knowledge, but a few, like the Map Room has hardly changed at all from war time. They had sirens going out in various locations, gave me chills just to think what it must have been like to hear those for real! I feel like I live in a small flat, but I could not imagine the cramped quarters they had underground in the cabinet rooms for 6 long years!
The Churchill Museum, the world’s first major museum dedicated to life of Winston Churchill, is a permanent exhibition housed within the unique setting of the historic Cabinet War Rooms. My friend and I were having a hard time with all the modern technology being used to teach us about the past. Some of it we couldn't even figure out! I enjoyed the displays and information about his personal life, family and hobbies that he enjoyed. Overall it was an interesting visit. Mr. Churchill was an impressive man!
We Will Rock You!
I went to see the We Will Rock You musical with Jeremy's cousin Jackie on her last night in London at the Dominion Theatre. What a great show based on the music of Queen and Freddy Mercury. The voices on the actors were amazing and the music incredible. I didn't really know much about the show before we went, but I really enjoyed it. The standing ovation at the end was unbelievable. The theatre in London is fantastic!
The photo is a picture of the statue of Freddy in Montreaux, Switzerland, Jeremy, Sophie and I actually saw this in person when we were driving around Lake Geneva. Freddy's famous pose...
Our 8th and Final Guest!
Our last guest has arrived! One of Jeremy's younger cousins, on his dad's side has arrived for a nine day stay, then she is off to Germany for a week, she will return to London for a night and catch her flight back to Minnesota. Jackie just graduated high school, literally on Saturday night, had her all night grad party, and was on the plane for London on Sunday. She has really seen and done a lot so far, besides the items described below she has been to Harrod's, Tower of London, Tate Modern, Tate Britian, London Eye, two boat cruises, besides the bus and tube, walked by Big Ben, Parliament and Westminster Abbey, went out twice with my girlfriends nanny, to the playground and pool with Sophie, to the Heath several times to feed birds, and she still has 3 more days to go! She plans to go see the Trooping of the Colour and catch a glimpse of the Queen tomorrow on her way to the real celebration, then to see Wicked. Sunday she may got to Windsor Castle, and Monday, maybe British Museum and Camden Town?...Monday night we are going to see We Will Rock You, looking forward to that. Then Tuesday to Germany.
Sophie and I spent most of the day on Tuesday with Jackie. We went to the Natural History Museum and this time viewed the permanent dinosaur exhibit. Sophie started out terrified of the moving T Rex, but then grew brave and loved him by the time we left. I think we have finally seen the entire museum with this visit, which was our 3rd visit! The place is huge! Next we visited the Science Museum. Sophie enjoyed it but it really is geared to older kids. Glad we got to see it.
On Friday while Sophie was at Nursery, I finally visited the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square with Jackie. I have walked by loads of times, but had never been inside. It's a great museum! We spent about an hour and a half at the Gallery. My favorite pieces were the paintings from the 1700 to 1900's, primarily Monet, Seurat, Pissaro, and Van Gogh. It was a great visit, having not been in a museum for a few months.
I can't believe we are getting to the point of "lasts"...Jackie is our last guest...many more "last" in London to experience before it is all over though...
Trooping the Colour, Colonel's Review, Ceremony 2 of 2
The second ceremony I attended this week was the Colonel's Review of the Trooping the Colour, again at the Horse Guards Parade grounds. This was one of two "practices" for the official event to celebrate the Queen's birthday.
The troops participating in the parade are drawn of fully trained, operational troops from the Household Division. The Queen's Colour of a battalion of Foot Guards is 'trooped' (carried along the ranks) each year before the Sovereign. Only one colour can be trooped at a time, and the five Household Regiments - Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards take their turn each year. There were about 1,000 soldiers participating in the event!
The ceremony derives from two old military ceremonies, Trooping the Colour and Mounting The Queen's Guard. The origin of the ceremony goes back to the early eighteenth century, and possibly even earlier, when the guards and sentries for the Royal Palaces and other important buildings in the capital were mounted daily on the parade ground by the Horse Guards building.
The ceremony was unbelievable! The only thing that could have made it any better was if the Queen was there. This really was a very unique experience. There were so many soldiers and horses, it was incredible! Well worth the 10 pound ticket! I would highly recommend this event! I truly enjoyed it, as did the other three women that came with me. For more photos see our
Shutterfly account.
Jeremy unfortunately was out of the country for work and missed it, but he had his own fun in New York and got to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty. Two great experiences in two different countries.
Beating Retreat, Ceremony 1 of 2
The Hampstead Women's Club secured tickets to the Beating Retreat ceremony 2007 held at the Horse Guards grounds.
Beating Retreat or Beating the Retreat is a military ceremony dating back to the 16th century and was originally used in order to recall nearby patrolling units to their castle. It is a musical spectacle of sound and colour. On two successive evenings in June, London's famous Horse Guards Parade, off Whitehall in the centre of the city, resounds to the stirring sounds of the Massed Bands of the Household Division as they perform Beating Retreat, one of the major spectacles in the capital's ceremonial calendar. The event starts at 7 pm each evening with the salute being taken by Her Majesty The Queen or another member of the royal family, HRH The Princess Royal was at our ceremony, though I really couldn't see her.
The ceremony lasted about an hour and a half. It was fantastic! The music, the uniforms, the bagpipes, some cannons firing at the end, it really was enjoyable. For more photos, please see the
shutterfly account.
May House Progress
Recent updates on the house include: basement floor has been poured, dry wall has been hung and taped, one coat of paint on the walls and celings has been completed, and siding and brick on the outside of the house is in progress. Jeremy will be home to see the updates in person towards the end of June and hopes to help lay our patio as well. Right on track!
