The
plan was to visit the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery (which
was subject to an industrial strike). I used the buses to get there and almost
get all the way back. There was a detour because of road works which meant a stop at a
unscheduled bus-stop and a walk into the unknown, following my instinct and a
basic tourist map. Getting back was even more difficult because the return
bus-stop simply was not there, so I walked to Hyde Park corner where I knew I
could catch a bus back to Pembridge Gardens. Luckily it was not raining.
The
Portrait Gallery was fully open and was worth the effort. The painting ranged
from photo-realistic to abstract (and even 3D sculptures). The National Gallery
was only partially open and what there was seemed to emphasize religious
iconography or historic landscapes. Cynically the only parts that were fully
operational were the concessions (restaurant and café) that were operated by
contractors.
I
walked/bussed back in time to grab a quick lunch/dinner and walk to the Albert
Hall to line-up for a Gallery ticket to the Proms. I got towards the start of
the line and for some reason a number of people did not come back to claim
their spots so I got an excellent rail position in the Gallery. Two Ravel
pieces, a modern cacophony, and Stravinsky’s “Firebird”: home by 10 pm but only after
a scare with my Oyster Card on the returning bus. False alarm (red light on
meter) as there was enough funds on the card, but the prospect of having to
walk home through Hyde Park at night was a recipe for disaster. I did a quick
visual check and there was no pedestrian traffic on the paths beyond the
well-lit gates.
A chat to some other inmates and then off to bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment