Ah, London

       It was hard to bid farewell to Europe, but it made it a little easier to know that we still had an afternoon and evening in my favorite international city, London! We Eurostarred back at 11, again with very smooth transportation, and got everything safely back to our hotel above Fuller's pub. How long it felt since we'd been there just a few days before! We happily partook of their fish and chips once more before mama and I set out on our adventures around town. First stop was the Courtauld Insitute of Art again, because mama was wanting to see it! They were putting an ice rink up in the courtyard of the Somerset House which was fun to see, and we went in the shop and looked around. It is a lovely place and I have to say that I did enjoy seeing it one last time before we came home--you never know, right? It will be time to apply there only one year from now!

View up the Thames from near the Temple Tube stop (right near the Courtauld!) 

        We then decided to make the long trip back to St Pancras Station stop to visit the British Library, which has a collection of illuminated manuscripts as well as hand-written Beatles lyrics! That was a real trip to see. They had "Michelle" "Hard Day's Night" "Yesterday" "Ticket to Ride" as well as two unfinished songs in George and John's handwriting. The manuscripts and Tudor documents were also wonderful, though Sally was right that the English manuscripts were a bit pushed aside to make room for other cultures' stuff, particularly Eastern manuscripts, which I found a little irritating. Marginalizing their own local heritage for the sake of political correctness did not enhance the exhibit. But there were still many wonders to see!
         Hurrying through rush-hour Tubes, we made it back to Westminster just in time to pick up Daddy and set out again for Leicester Square. The night before we had last minute booked tickets to see the musical Once on the West End. It is the most award-winning show of the year and based on a 2007 film that Daddy in particular enjoyed, so we thought it was a perfect choice! The Phoenix Theatre is very intimate, and the stage itself was set up as a Dublin bar that literally became a bar for the audience before the show and during intermission, which was a lot of fun. Our seats were in Row B so we were nice and close, though the theatre was so small I don't think there was a bad seat. The performers and staging were wonderful--with minimal props and set changes they really brought the story to life. Most of the actors stayed on the stage the whole time! At the end it was a well-deserved standing ovation.
        On Leicester Square there was a slightly dodgy Halloween Party going on, and the costume of the year seemed to be to wear your normal clothes and just paint your face white--who knows why.
       With my suitcase thoroughly taped up to survive the trip home and everything stowed away, we were ready to board the plane in the morning. It was hard to go--certainly a bittersweet departure. But it felt like time to go home. As I said goodbye in my heart to Europe, I knew I'd be back.

p.s. on the plane on the way home I got a whole row to myself!