You probably know my day-after-trip routine by now: grocery run, sort through trip photos, catch up on emails and finances, and rest!
I did run a couple extra errands today. One involved picking up a new travel notebook. It’s a little 4×6 book with lined pages that I use to write down whatever comes to mind (insert joke here). I seem to need to do this more often as I get older. It also comes in handy as I’m preparing these journal entries. The notebook I’m using now I bought at the beginning of the Hawaii trip in 2022. It’s served me well!
My workstation! You can see my current notebook on the left with the pen holding the pages open. The new black notebook is next to the laptop.
Thursday, February 29 – Harrow on the Hill
Happy Leap Day!
How am I spending this bonus day? Mainly working on the journal entry for the Sarajevo trip. I tried to go for a walk, but somewhat failed. It was drizzling when I left, then started raining harder. I had an umbrella; was still getting rather wet though, so turned back. Lame, I know!
Friday, March 1 – Harrow on the Hill
I’m back to Christie’s auction house today for another viewing. And this is not for just one auction, but four! (of similar type) The auctions are:
The Christie’s building was jam-packed with artwork. It was like walking through a maze of nooks and crannies just see it all. Amazing! A wonderful opportunity to view masterpieces that may never be seen in public again. I won’t bore you with a ton of photos; just a few of my favorites. You can use the links above if you’d like to see the entire catalog of each auction.
Renoir, Sur la falaise. Estimate: $1.9 – 3.2 millionEstimate: $16 – 23 millionEstimate: $19 – 25 millionA Hirst flanked by two WarholsMiro, The Escape Ladder. Estimate: $3.5 – 4.4 million. And……it’s painted on burlap!Estimate: $38 – 63 millionEstimate: $0.8 – 1 millionWarhol, Campbell’s Soup I. Estimate: $1.1 – 1.5 millionBansky, Keep It Real. Estimate: $190 – 250 thousandThis Monet is to be auctioned at an upcoming New York auction in May
What a treat to be able to view such a wide range of amazing artwork! And as you can see by the photos, it wasn’t very crowded! These auction viewings are something tourists aren’t generally unaware of. To the benefit of “us” locals. Haha!
This evening I went to a screening at the British Film Institute (BFI), located on the Thames by Waterloo Station. The film was a new documentary about Frank Capra (director of films such as It’s a Wonderful Life). It was very good, and there was a Q&A afterward with the director and producer, which was a bonus.
The theater was probably 1/3 full by the time the film started.
Saturday, March 2 – Harrow on the Hill
Not too much exciting to report today. I went for walk, worked on this journal entry, and prepared for my trip tomorrow to Bucharest, Romania. I’ll be gone until Thursday night. Again, no laptop, so expect my next update to be posted on the weekend. Have a great week everyone!
Friday, February 23 – transit from Harrow on the Hill to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
I have an early departure from Heathrow again this morning. However, I’ve figured out that without checking any baggage, getting there 90 minutes before takeoff provides plenty of time to make it to the gate. (I’m a little dense, but eventually I get it sorted!) My flight’s at 7:30. That means getting to the airport around 6:00. Okay, catch a bus around 5:00. Well, sadly that’s too early for my beloved SL9. But I can grab the N140 (N stands for Night service), which travels the same route as the SL9, but is not an express. (Footnote: the 140/N140 was my go-to bus to Heathrow when I lived here; the SL9 didn’t exist). And surprisingly, the bus was pretty crowded!
I’m booked on Lufthansa, connecting through Frankfurt to Sarajevo. The cost of the round trip was $235. Both flights were on an A320, and each took between 60-90 minutes. The flight to Frankfurt was 1/3 full; the Sarajevo flight was packed. Popular spot?
Travel Note: Both the unloading and loading of the planes in Frankfurt was not direct to the terminal, but via a bus transfer. I hate that! But here’s a tip: No need to be in a rush to get off the plane, because the last one on the bus is the first one to exit!
We landed in Sarajevo around 2pm (they’re 1 hour ahead of London). The immigration process was about as simple as you can get: no questions at all (like how long are you staying, where are you staying, etc.)! I read that there is a tram service available from the airport to the city center where my hotel is located. Well, when I asked the person at the airport information desk about this, he basically said it would be too confusing for me to figure out how to find the tram stop, and that I should just take a taxi. Whatever. He’s probably getting a commission from the taxi companies! And we all know how much I dislike taxi drivers, so the heck with it, maybe I’ll just walk to the hotel!
I need directions to do this though. And of course the helpful person at the information desk didn’t have any maps. Also, the Europe eSIM I purchased apparently doesn’t have coverage in Bosnia and Herzegovina (referred to going forward as B&H). I say apparently because I didn’t know this when I bought it; only discovered the fact when I tried to get service upon landing in Sarajevo. (Do your homework Tim!). And my cheap self is trying to avoid any AT&T daily roaming costs (even though it’s only $10/day!). Maybe the airport offers free WiFi? Nope. However…I do see that a nearby Porsche dealership has an unsecured signal available. Mmmmm. I’m on it!
I’ve described before the process of downloading directions in Google Maps when on a WiFi signal, and then simply using the GPS capability of the phone to track your location without having to rely on cellular service. Well, that’s what I did here. The walk to the hotel was a pretty straight shot, 9km long, and took about two hours with stops for photos. And truth be told, I was looking forward to the walk because I was feeling guilty about my last two days of being a lazy slug and not leaving the flat!
Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics (I’ll have more about that later…)Fuel Price Check!: 2.71 BAM/liter = $5.68/gallonInteresting architecture. Might even fit in Doha?Much of the walk from the airport was along the Miljacka RiverFestina Lente. Cool bridge! Designed by students of……the Academy of Fine Arts, which is appropriately located at the foot of the bridge.There were of few of these sculptures suspended over the river. Clever!The Latin Bridge; it played an important role in world history (that I will discuss later). My hotel is the yellow building that you can see through the trees to the right of the bridge.Ornament Hotel. My room has the balcony on the right.$54/night, including breakfastThe currency is called the Konvertibilna Marka (BAM). 1 USD = 1.8 BAM.
After getting settled in, I took a stroll around the nearby old town (called Bascarsija)…
There were a LOT of pastry shops in Sarajevo……I’ll mention this again later.This is a spot in the Bascarsija where it is said that the civilizations of the East and West collide, touch and connect. Market Hall (I’ll have an interior picture later on…)Sacred Heart Cathedral (c. 1887)Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos (c.1874). Note the full moon in the background.
Saturday, February 24 – Sarajevo
General Sarajevo and B&H Notes
The population of B&H is a little over 3 million. Of that, roughly 50% are Muslim, which I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t realize that it was that significant.
I read that visitors should not drink the tap water, and the hotel staff confirmed this. Interesting.
The locals were generally friendly; a nice improvement over Sofia.
Like Sofia, there is a LOT of smoking in Sarajevo. Kind of depressing. Fortunately the hotel is smoke-free.
I was wondering if Bosnia and Herzegovina had the longest country name in the world. It’s not even close! Not even in the Top Ten in fact. Number 1? United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Huh? Here’s a link to the list, if you’re interested.
It’s been nearly 30 years since the conclusion of the civil war here. And it appears that the country is still suffering, based on my observations of the buildings and infrastructure. That’s a shame.
A common question from the locals I spoke to was, Why would someone from the United States want to travel all the way to Sarajevo? Funny!
The hotel’s breakfast selections (sadly, no stuffed grape leaves)……and the dining area.Not bad!
Today’s plan is to do one of my favorite things when I visit a new city: Just wander around. Let’s go!
The Yellow Fortress or Yellow Bastion is a cannon fortress at the entrance of the Walled City of Vratnik. It was built between 1727 and 1739.Sarajevo City Hall, known as VijećnicaAshkenazi Synagogue (c. 1902)Kazandžiluk, nicknamed Coppersmith Street or Coppersmiths’ Alley, is named for the artisans that have lined the street since the 16th century.The Sebilj Fountain (c. 1753) in the center of Bascarsija SquareA Sarajevo tramThe Church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, also known as the Old Orthodox Churchc. 1539Ćurčića Džamija Mosque (c. 1483)A library donated by Qatar in 2014 (coincidental!)Gazi Husrev Beg’s Madrassa, a high school and college founded in 1537View of Gazi Husrev Beg’s Mosque from the MadrassaGazi Husrev Beg’s Mosque (c. 1531)View of the Clock Tower (17th century) from Gazi Husrev Beg’s MosqueGazi Husrev Beg’s Tomb
Gazi Husrev Beg was an Ottoman Bosnian known for his successful conquests and campaigns to further Ottoman expansion into Croatia and Hungary.
The interior of Market HallPlaying large scale chess in front of the Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos Building of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (c. 1886)This Eternal Flame is a memorial to the military and civilian victims of the Second World War
Sunday, February 25 – Sarajevo
I’m on an mission of Olympic proportions today! I’m going to head up Trebević Mountain to check out the abandoned bobsled and luge track built for the 1984 Winter Olympics.
There is a cable car that travels up to the site; however, something about it annoys me. The price of a return ticket for B&H citizens is 6 BAM ($3.30), for others it is 30 BAM ($16.70). Really? Heck with that! According to Google Maps the walk up there is 4km, with a 500m elevation change, and should take about 90 minutes. Onward!
Must have received a lot of rain overnight; the river has turned brown!The trek begins!Alifakovac CemeteryA view of the Yellow Fortress in the backgroundToday’s low clouds & fog obscure the view of SarajevoThe mountain is totally covered in clouds! They’re hard to see, but this is the route of the (black) cable cars.A close up of the cable cars.It is thick up here! It will be interesting to see what kind of view I have of the track.Hey! It’s clearing up.And there we go!The track ran 1,300m for the bobsled and 1,210m for the luge.
Following the Olympics, the track continued as a stop on the World Cup circuit until the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars in 1991 and Bosnian War in 1992. During this time, the position of the track on Trebević Mountain, looking down on the city of Sarajevo, made it one of tactical importance. The track was used as an artillery site by Bosnian Serb forces, and holes were drilled into certain corners of the track for use in combat.
Over the years, the track was abandoned and covered in graffitiI’m normally not a fan of graffiti, but in this case I kind of like it. And just like that, the clouds and fog are back! I caught a lucky break in the weather that allowed me to check out the bobsled and luge track. Thank you!
Google Maps nailed it – the walk up did take 90 minutes, but that included photo stops. Walking back down in the rain was a 60 minute hike. I enjoyed this! But then, I’m kind of weird. And I’m glad I did the walk rather than the cable cars, and not just because I’m cheap!
Tomorrow I was hoping to travel to nearby Mostar, the home of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Joining a group tour seemed to be the best alternative. However, the first two tourist offices I stopped by in town left me wondering if I would go. The small crowds of the low season that I’ve enjoyed so far on this winter escape worked against me this time. At both agencies I was the only person interested in going to Mostar tomorrow. That meant going on a tour wasn’t possible, or I would have to pay for a private tour. Nightmares from the Caribbean all over again! I decided to try one more shop before I gave up. Sadly, I received the same bad news there too. However, the woman I spoke to, Amela, suggested I take the train to Mostar. Brilliant! I can’t believe I didn’t consider that. I’m definitely slipping.
Amela turned out to be very helpful; giving me tips on Mostar, local restaurants, local cuisine, and the wines of Bosnia. We probably talked for half an hour. I normally would have felt guilty taking up her time, but on this quiet Sunday I was the only one in the shop and she seemed happy to have someone to talk to.
So, I have a plan for tomorrow – it’s the train to Mostar! And for dinner, I went with an Amela suggestion…
…an off-the-beaten path kebab shop, with the bonus that it’s open on Sunday!It hit the spot! Cost: $4.40
Monday, February 26 – Sarajevo
The train to Mostar departs early – 7:15am. It’s about a half hour walk to the train station from my hotel, so I’ll sadly be missing breakfast today. Oh well…
Early Monday morning in SarajevoSarajevo Train StationInside of the train station, and it stinks of cigarette smoke! Ugh!My round trip ticket. 22.60 BAM ($12.50)2nd class seating. Thankfully there was no smoking on the train!
The journey to Mostar took about two hours. The view along the way was pretty, but it was cloudy and foggy, so not the best for pictures. Plus, I’ve always found it hard to get decent pictures from a train. Window reflections and the train movement are the main problems.
I’m happy Amela suggested this. I’d much rather take a train ride and set my own itinerary, versus going on a group tour via a bus. Plus it was MUCH less expensive! Cheap in fact (my favorite word!)!
Mostar platform……and the stationThis is the star attraction in Mostar – the Stari Most (Old Bridge), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The bridge, which spans the the Neretva River, was commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century.
This seemed to be the most popular spot to photograph the bridge. However, I thought photos taken from the steps you can see on the other side of the bridge provided a better view. (photo to follow…)
Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (mostari) who guarded the Stari Most during the Ottoman era.
Views from the bridgeHere’s the view from the steps. Better, right?Mostar is kind of touristy, but I put up with it!I liked the artwork at this shop. The small pieces weren’t very expensive ($200), but when I went into the shop to talk to the artist, the cigarette smoke overwhelmed me! I was worried that the odor would be ingrained into any canvas that I bought. So I didn’t buy a painting, but……I did purchase this magnet! ($3)More views around town…This is Kriva Ćuprija, a small stone bridge crossing the Radobolja river. (c. 1558)Upriver view from the bridge……and downriver. This is also the spot where I had lunch. I chose the restaurant on the right, with the balcony overhanging the river.Views from my tableGrilled trout and a local white wine ($11.60). It was very good!Waiting on the Mostar platform for the train back to Sarajevo.
This was a fun day! But long. I left my hotel at 6:15am and got back at 7:45pm. I really didn’t need to stay in Mostar that long, but I was a victim of the train schedule. And it wasn’t that bad. It was a beautiful day to walk around and explore. Plus I enjoyed a nice leisurely lunch!
Tuesday, February 27 – transit from Sarajevo to Harrow on the Hill
My return flight wasn’t until mid-afternoon, so I had a relaxing breakfast and did a little more roaming around the city center.
I mentioned earlier that the Latin Bridge was site of an important event in world history. Well, the northern end of the bridge was the site of……the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Gavrilo Princip in 1914, which began the July Crisis that ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I.And a few meters from that site is this post office where I mailed Oliver’s postcard!
I had some local currency that I wanted to convert before I headed to the airport. There are a bunch of currency exchange shops in the old town, so I figured there wouldn’t be any issues. Well, I tried buying dollars at my first two stops, but neither had any. My third stop did have dollars, but their smallest denomination was a 20, and I didn’t have enough BAM for that. Mmm… What about Euros? Yes! They do have 10 EUR bills. So I had enough to buy a 10er, but still had about 8 BAM left over. What to do? Well…
…it just so happened that right across from the currency exchange is this pastry shop (I told you I’d return to this subject!). The clerk was very helpful; she ended up converting all of my remaining BAM into……baklava! Perfect!
Sidenote: I’ve always pronounced it bak-la-va. Here they say bak-lava.
Well, it’s about time to head to the airport, and you guessed it…
…I’m walking!
My return was booked via Lufthansa, but I’m flying Swiss Air via Zurich back to Heathrow. The first leg was on a small 2×2 configured plane, which was full. The trip from Zurich to London was on an A220. I don’t think I’ve ever flown on one of those. It’s like a 737, but has 2×3 seating. It was about 3/4 full. Upon arrival at Heathrow I grabbed the SL9 bus (pretty empty) and was back to the flat by 9pm.
This was a good trip! Sarajevo most definitively would not make my Top 10 List, but I’m happy I experienced it!
Travel Note:
I walked a TON on this trip. Probably a subconscious payback for my laziness in London last week! Here’s the daily steps breakdown:
Started the day with a leisurely morning. Followed that with a walk/grocery run and then sorted through my Qatar photos. That’s about it folks. Bedtime was early; feeling the jet lag a little, plus I had a busy weekend!
Wednesday, February 21 – Harrow on the Hill
It’s a rainy day; perfect excuse to stay in and work on the Doha journal entry. And it’s going to be a long one!
Thursday, February 22 – Harrow on the Hill
More rain…
…but that’s alright because I have more work to do on the journal entry from the weekend. I also need to do some prep for my next trip…
…Tomorrow I’m traveling to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. I’ll be returning on Tuesday night. Once again, no laptop. The next journal entry will therefore be posted in about a week. Sorry about that! You’re crushed, I know!
Thursday, February 15 – transit from London to Doha, Qatar
I have an 8:30 departure this morning from Heathrow. I’d like to be there by 6am, so that means leaving the flat around 4:45am to catch the bus. This is too early for the SL9 express though. I’m therefore taking the 140 to Hayes & Harlington Station and then hitching a ride on the new (for me; it opened in 2022) Elizabeth tube line to Heathrow.
Not very crowded on the train this morning!
I have a non-stop flight via Qatar Airways aboard the massive A380 double-decker. The flight took around 6 1/2 hours, and was very comfortable. Asian airlines are the best! We were a little late departing; I ended up exiting customs & immigration in Doha at 7pm (Doha is 3 hours ahead of London). Ruth was patiently waiting for me though, and after joining Kent, we were off to celebrate Ruth’s birthday at a Thai restaurant.
It was delicious!Happy Birthday Ruth! Kent & Ruth’s apartment building (that’s an Aston Martin dealership on the ground floor)Views from their 30th floor apartment…
Friday, February 16 – Doha
Our first stop this morning is the Al Shahaniya camel racetrack. Cool! There were no races taking place, but we were able to watch the camels training. I actually think this was better than being there for the races, because we were the only spectators!
Professional camel racing began in Qatar in 1972The racetrack is massive. And although shaded seating is available in the grandstand, we followed the camels by driving our car along the road that runs parallel to the track (as the locals would do, if anyone else were here besides the trainers!)These are remote-controlled, toddler-sized robot jockeys. The operator applies the whip antenna, commands the jockey to pull on the reins, and shouts encouragement to the camel via a built-in speaker.Racing camels can run at speeds of up to 40 mph in short sprints, and may continue at 30 mph for as long as an hour.
That was fun! Now we’re off on a desert trek…
We’re visiting a couple different spots in the desert. This is the terrain, yet……amazingly Google Maps can provide us with a specific route! Crazy!Beautiful wind-eroded sand formations…A traditional Qatari masjid (mosque), built in the 1940sWe’re approaching a desert art installation, with this associated warning.Titled East-West/West-East, the work consists of four gigantic steel plates that are located across a kilometer of desert on Qatar’s Zekreet Peninsula.Installed in 2014, this is the work of Richard Serra, an artist from the United States known for creating imposing metalwork sculptures.Each monolith is over 16 meters tall
Our next destination is the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim (FBQ) Al Thani Museum. But first, let’s make a stop at the nearby Al Samriya Autograph Collection Hotel for a light lunch.
The hotel groundsBeautiful lobbyThe exit from the hotel to the pool areaThe restaurant is on the leftZoufa Restaurant, specializing in Lebanese cuisine. Delicious!The FBQ Museum was opened in 1998There are 15 halls in the museum which accommodate a total of over 15,000 artifacts. It’s massive!All of the artifacts in the museum were collected by Sheikh Faisal over a span of 50 years.This is a Kiswa (used to cover the main door of the Kaaba, the stone building at the center of Islam’s most important mosque and holiest site, the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca). This example dates from 1910.Dating from the late 18th century, this Syrian house was brought to Qatar from Damascus and rebuilt in 2014.The museum houses a very interesting and eclectic collection!Just outside the museum is the leaning mosque of Doha
We also made a quick stop at a nearby Oryx reserve…
The Arabian Oryx is the national animal of Qatar
For dinner we went to The Belgian Cafe at the Intercontinental Hotel…
We sat outside and enjoyed this wonderful view of the Doha skylineI had a spiced hibiscus vodka sour and……Beetroot Risotto. Tasty!
Wow! What a day! And we’re just getting started…
Saturday, February 17 – Doha
We’re off to the waterfront this morning to checkout the boats and fish market…
Shark!Our next stop, Al Jassasiya, is one of a dozen rock-carving sites in Qatar.Discovered around 1957, the site may appear to be a deserted sandstone quarry, but it actually contains a total of 874 carvings, known as petroglyphs, the earliest thought to be 5,000 years old or more.The Al Jassasiya rock carvings feature various shapes, including rosettes, fish, ostriches and cup marksThe cup marks are believed to represent vessels used to store pearls or to play ancient board games known as Al Haloosa or Al Huwaila.For lunch, Ruth found us this great, off-the-beaten-path Turkish restaurant!It was very good!
Following lunch we made a short drive to the Al Ruwais Police Station…
The Police Station was built in 1955, and has now been converted into a cafe.Historically, police stations in Qatar were often constructed close to harbor locations to provide security, but they also doubled as customs posts and monitored the boat traffic entering or leaving town. (If you look closely, you can make out Ruth and Kent lounging along the seawall)I like this nearby house.Our next stop is Al Zubara FortIt was built in 1938 to serve as a Coast Guard Station (or maybe a police station?)The Fort was converted into a museum in the 1980sAdjacent to the Fort is the Al Zubarah Archaeological Site, a UNESCO World Heritage designee.Al Zubarah was a walled coastal town that flourished for a period of 50 years in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.The town fell to forces loyal to the Sultan of Muscat and was mostly destroyed in 1811.At the height of its prosperity, Al Zubarah had trading links with the Indian Ocean, Arabia and Western Asia.Al Zubarah was ultimately abandoned in the early 20th century, after which its remaining rubble stone and mortar buildings collapsed and were gradually covered by a protective layer of sand blown from the desert.Only a small part of the town has been excavated. My guess is that the work on this massive site will be going on for decades!
Another wonderful day in Doha! And it’s not quite over…
We had this amazing view from the apartment of fireworks set off at the conclusion of the Qatar TotalEnergies women’s tennis tournament held at the nearby International Tennis and Squash complex.
Sunday, February 18 – Doha
This morning we’re visiting Souq Waqif, which translates to Standing Market. The souq was founded over a century ago, but gradually fell into disrepair. A major restoration and rebuilding effort was completed in 2008.
The diversity of products offered here is mind-boggling!
In this shop you can buy fabric in any color you want, as long as it’s white! (thanks for pointing this out Ruth!)SpicesDatesBreak time!This shop was amazing…BeautifulWhite Gyrfalcon. Wow! Many thanks to the shopkeeper for allowing us to take pictures inside, and for removing the hood on this beautiful bird of prey.This is The Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M. Pei. Opened in 2008. (thanks for the pose Kent!)Beautiful view of Doha skyline.The museum is built on an island adjacent to this harbor.17th century garden carpet16th-17th century Moroccan arch15th century backgammon board12th century Iranian stucco panelDamascus residence13th century armor
The museum was very impressive – both the design and the contents!
Our next stop is The Pearl – a man-made island featuring marinas, residential towers, hotels, dining and shopping. Very exclusive.
A distant view of the Doha skylineThe Yacht ClubThis wonderful day is coming to an end…
My last supper in Doha was at a Georgian restaurant that is a favorite of Ruth & Kent…
…an unbelievable meal with unbelievable friends. The perfect conclusion to an amazing long weekend in Doha with my wonderful hosts, Ruth & Kent!
The Architecture Of Doha
I was really impressed with the architecture of Doha. Very diverse and distinctive. Here are a few examples…
The Al Wahda Arches (also called 5/6 Arch, Qatar Arch, Gateway Arch)Dugong by Jeff KoonsLusail Stadium (used in the 2022 World Cup)Stadium 974 (used in the 2022 World Cup). It received its name from the 974 that is the international dialing code of Qatar and as well as the fact that 974 shipping containers were used in the design.Marina Twin Towers, and next to them……Katara Towers, which is divided between two hotel brands, the Fairmont and the Raffles. Each occupies one half of the building, which is designed to resemble a pair of Qatari crossed scimitars.Lusail TowersA 30 meter art installation of a whale shark, called Al Nehem, suspended between the four Lusail Towers.
Monday, February 19 – transit from Doha to London
I have an early afternoon flight today, and before dropping me off at the airport Ruth did me the huge favor of stopping by the post office so I could mail a postcard to Oliver. Thanks Ruth!
Doha Post OfficeCool stamp commemorating the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar!
As you would probably expect, the Doha airport is pretty nice. Here are a few pictures…
There is a nice walking area below amongst the greenery!
My return itinerary had me on a Qatar Airways flight to Frankfurt (via a Dreamliner 787) connecting to a British Airways puddle-jumper (2×2 seating) to London City airport. The flight to Frankfurt was around 6 hours and it took a little over an hour to go from Frankfurt to London. I hadn’t flown into (or out of) London City before, so that was a new experience. It’s a small airport, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that they had the same automated immigration system that is in place at Heathrow.
From the airport I used the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) to connect to the Underground and make my way home. I got back to the flat at 10:30pm.
Funny (Interesting?) Travel Note: When connecting in Frankfurt I didn’t need to go through immigration, but passengers were required to submit to another security screening before entering the British Airways gate area. Well, something on me raised an alert during the body scan, so I was diverted for a pat down. As the agent was feeling my lower chest / upper abdomen through my shirt, he asked, “what is this hard thing?” Um, that’s my rib cage!
Trip Footnotes
I was blown away by Doha. The museums, architecture, dining, infrastructure, and sporting event options are amazing. Plus it’s safe, clean, and the locals are very friendly. Weather-wise, this seemed like the perfect time of year to visit. Temperatures were in the 70s and 80s during my stay.
Of course, my enjoyment and impression of Doha has much to do with my amazing hosts. Thank you so much Ruth & Kent! Your itinerary and dining selections were perfect. And thanks for taking a day off from work Kent! What a trip!
In talking with Ruth & Kent, we seem to agree that it’s been nine years since we last saw each other (in person). That’s scary, and kind of sad. The plan is to not let that happen again! (hopefully I can return the hospitality when they visit Madison?) By my count, we have spent time together in five different countries (and four continents!) – United States, United Kingdom, Iceland (on vacation together – great trip!), Australia, and now Qatar. Pretty cool! And Kent and I worked together in Mexico.
I’m taking advantage of this beautiful sunny day (a little chilly though!) to make my way into the city and roam around the parks – specifically Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.
A few pictures from the stroll…
Kensington Palace & Queen Victoria StatueRound Pond – Kensington GardensThe (Prince) Albert MemorialThe Serpentine Gallery
A beautiful day; very relaxing. And 21k steps later I was back on the Hill!
Tuesday, February 13 – Harrow on the Hill
We have rain today. A perfect opportunity to do some laundry, prepare for my next trip (depart on Thursday), and try to figure out what traveling I want to do in April.
Bonus Picture from Bulgaria
I forgot to show you the Bulgarian currency, the Lev. I picked up some cash using an ATM at the airport.
The Crown Auction Update
The auction has concluded, and it was a huge success. The 473-lot sale achieved more than £1.6 million against the pre-sale estimate of £525,000.
Here are some highlights…
Princess Diana’s green Jaguar (similar to), 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC 3.6-Litre Cabriolet. Estimate: £15,000 – £20,000. Sold for £70,250.A reproduction of the Gold State Coach. Estimate: £30,000 – £50,000. Sold for £56,280.A scale model of the Queen’s funeral procession; being sold as a complete set (over 500 pieces). Estimate: £8,000 – £12,000. Sold for £53,740.A reproduction of Saint Edward’s Chair (The Coronation Chair). Estimate: £10,000 – £20,000. Sold for £25,600.A reproduction of Diana’s engagement ring. Estimate: £2,000 – £3,000. Sold for £7.680.And finally, the NASA lot I was interested in (Estimate: £200 – £300). It sold for £832.
Wednesday, February 14 – Harrow on the Hill
I’ve finalized my travel plans. About time! Today I booked two more trips in April. Nice to have that sorted.
I leave tomorrow morning to visit my friends Kent & Ruth in Doha, Qatar. I’ll be back late Monday. No laptop again, so look for the next update to be posted about a week from now. Have a great weekend!
I going to try something a little different for this entry. Since I did not bring my laptop with me on the recent trip, what will follow is a full summary of my time away from London. Therefore, instead of a day-by-day account, I thought I’d break the trip down into categories. Let me know if you hate it and I’ll never do it again!
Tuesday, February 6 through Friday, February 9 – Sofia, Bulgaria
Itinerary
I departed Heathrow midday Tuesday, so no early wake up required! The nonstop flight on British Airways took about 3 hours. Return was on Friday night, also nonstop via BA. The round trip cost was £166 ($213). Both flights were on an Airbus A320 (like a 737). The flight to Sofia was jam-packed (I had an aisle seat). Less so on the return; I had a window seat with an empty middle seat next to me.
I landed at around 7:30pm in Sofia (two hours ahead of London). After taking the metro to the city center, and following a short walk, I arrived at my hotel about an hour later. Wednesday was spent exploring the city, which included a “free” walking tour (more on that later). For Wednesday evening, I booked a ticket to see the opera Tosca. I reserved a full-day tour for Thursday. Since my flight back to London wasn’t until around 8pm, I was a man of leisure Friday morning. The hotel did offer me a late checkout (at no cost), but it was a nice day, so I ended up leaving at 11am to do some more roaming around the city and just relaxing in one of Sofia’s many parks.
Transportation
Taking the SL9 bus to Heathrow. No problem finding a seat at 10:30am on Tuesday. In fact, I was able to grab this front row seat on the upper deck. Nice!
I took the SL9 back to Harrow on Friday night as well. I arrived at the Heathrow bus terminal at 10:30pm and it was very crowded! That surprised me. The SL9 originates at Heathrow, and it was basically like a scrum of people trying to board the bus. Crazy! I was able to get a seat though. And my stop in Harrow is the second to last on the route, so the bus was pretty much empty by the time I exited.
Sofia Airport (taken Friday afternoon)The check-in area.
I arrived at the airport 3 hours before departure. That was WAY too early! Especially since I had no bags to check. This is a small airport.
Metro station at the airport.Arrival in the city centerFor one-off trips, a paper ticket is issued for the Metro (which I used). A smartphone app can also be used to scan for payment at the station’s entrance gates. The ticket cost is 1.60 Bulgarian Lev (BGN). That converts to 88 cents. (I love not having to rely on taxis to/from the airport!)
After I checked out of the hotel on Friday I stopped by the nearby metro station to buy a ticket for my ride to the airport later in the afternoon. I bought the ticket using cash at a kiosk (an important point!). Later in the afternoon I decided to convert my remaining Lev to U.S. dollars before heading to the airport. I figured the conversion rate would better in the city center than at the airport.
Okay, that’s all sorted, time to catch the train. Well, I tried to use the ticket I purchased earlier in the day, and it wouldn’t work. Even after multiple tries. What the…?!? So, I spoke to the person at the ticket desk and she points to a little sign on the window that states “tickets purchased must be used immediately; do not buy tickets for later use”. Really? Would have been nice if that sign was on the kiosk too! Anyway, I now do not have a valid ticket, or any local currency. Mmmmm… Luckily (coincidentally?) there was an ATM right next to the ticket kiosk. And amazingly I was able to retrieve as little a 10 BGN ($5.50), with no transaction fee (although my Schwab card reimburses all ATM fees anyway). After buying the metro ticket I used the remaining Lev to buy some food from a stand in the metro station (I did this after I immediately used my ticket to enter the station!).
Fuel Price Check! The 2.75 BGN/liter converts to $5.75/gallon.
Hotel
The hotel might have been the highlight of my trip. Seriously! (I’m not sure if that’s good or bad!)
Art ‘Otel, in an historic building from the 30sThe booked cost was $109/night. However, I cashed in some booking.com rewards that lowered the cost to $80/night.I liked this sitting area! I was on the top (5th) floor and had two small balconies……that offered this great sunrise view!Sunset too!The dining roomAn amazing selection for breakfast (included)The eagle-eyed amongst will you will spot something special. That’s right, sarma! (stuffed grape leaves, for the non-Armenian readers). It is called sarmi in Bulgaria. On the left is banitsa, a traditional Bulgaria pastry filled with cheese, and served with plain yogurt.Also included in the rate was an evening happy hour! This is the bar area. I arrived too late on the first night, and was only able to utilize it briefly on my second night because I was going to the opera. But I took full advantage on the third night.Yes, that’s more sarma on the left!This is rakia, a traditional Bulgarian fruit brandy……and this is mavrud, a Bulgarian red wine.A glass of wine and three shots later I was feeling it! The photo was taken on the outdoor patio in the glow of the heat lamps.This was waiting for me in my room when I returned for my last night. Thank you!
At checkout the owner of the hotel offered me a voucher for a taxi ride to the airport. I thanked him, but mentioned that I was just going to take the metro. He then offered me some money. I tried to refuse, but to no avail. Obviously, I had a very enjoyable stay at Art ‘Otel. I’d return to Sofia just to stay there again!
Sofia City Center
The city center is easily walkable. I spent most of Wednesday and Friday doing just that! Here are some highlights…
Sofia City Courthouse. This was our meeting place for the “free” walking tour on Wednesday. The free is in quotations because the guide asked for a €10 donation. Now, the guide was very good and the tour lasted two hours. Very enjoyable and well worth the cost. The only issue I have is don’t call it free! (there were 14 people on the tour; more than I expected)National Assembly of BulgariaSt. Nedelya Church. It dates to the 10th century, but incurred destruction throughout the ages and has been rebuilt many times.In addition to the metro, there are also trams in Sofia.Regional History Museum of Sofia. This was previously a public baths building (1913-1986).Ceremonial guards in front of the Presidency BuildingThe Church of Saint George. It was built in the 4th century as a Roman bath, and was later converted into a church. It is considered the oldest building in Sofia.The Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker (c. 1914)Vitosha Boulevard – a long pedestrian-only street lined with stores, restaurants and bars.The National Palace of CultureThe park adjacent to The National Palace of Culture. I spent a fair amount of time relaxing here on Friday.Sofia Central Post OfficeI mailed Oliver a postcard on Friday. We’ll see how long it takes to arrive!Ivan Vazov National Theater (c. 1907)Saint Sofia Church (c. 6th century). In the 14th century, the church gave its name to the city, previously known as Serdica.St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (c. 1924). It is the largest cathedral in the Balkans. I took this picture shortly after sunrise on Thursday, as I made my way to meet the tour group. (The cathedral is not leaning; I took a crooked photo! Must have been sleepy!)Side view of the cathedral in the sunrise.Walking by on my way to the opera.The interior of the cathedral
Serdica Archeological Complex
During the construction of the second phase of the Sofia metro, remains of the ancient Roman city of Serdica were uncovered and are on display to the public. The complex covers an area of approximately 9,000 square meters, which once included eight streets, an early Christian basilica, six large buildings, mineral springs and a medieval church, all located at underground level. Dating back to a period from the 1st to the 6th century, early examples of a water and sewage system, as well as ornately tiled floors have been uncovered.
Here are a few pictures from the complex…
The Banya Bashi Mosque (c. 1566) is in the background
Tosca
On Wednesday night I attended only my third opera, Puccini’s Tosca. The other two were: a) Another Puccini, La Bohème, at the Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest, and b) Verdi’s Aida performed at the London Coliseum. All three were wonderful. The singing obviously was amazing, but I equally enjoyed the decorative sets of each production. I also like visiting the different theaters.
The Budapest performance was probably my favorite experience because I sat in a box with a Hungarian couple. The wife spoke a little English so we talked before the start and during the interval. That show was kind of interesting too because it was sung in Italian, however there were subtitles presented above the stage…in Hungarian of course! Fortunately I knew the basic story of La Bohème. In the case of Tosca, it too was sung in Italian, both but Bulgarian and English subtitles were presented. Thank you!
Sofia Opera and Ballet House (that’s the Tosca poster on the left)I stopped by in the afternoon on Wednesday to make sure I knew how to find it later that night!I got here kind of early! My seat is the second row of the balcony, immediately to the left of the seated couple (their right).The view from my seat (cost: $44). Coincidentally, the London Royal Opera is staging a production of Tosca this month. A similar seat for their production would cost £221. Seriously!A pretty venue. An enjoyable evening!
Rila Monastery
I booked a full-day tour on Thursday to visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites. The first stop will be at the Rila Monastery.
My ride for the tour. It was pretty much full (I did have two seats to myself though). I was surprised. There were three options for the tour: transportation only, audio guide, or guided. I went with the latter, which was the most expensive ($38). There were only seven of us who chose the guided option. Most went with the transportation only.
Sidenote: I’m thrilled that group tours are back as a way for me to visit various remote sites. It was frustrating (i.e., expensive!) having to hire drivers in the Caribbean last year.
Rest stop on the way to the Monastery. It was a two hour drive.Main entrance to the Monastery.
Rila Monastery is located in the southwestern Rila Mountains, at an elevation of 3,800 ft. The Monastery was founded in the 10th century, but was relocated to this present location in the 14th century. However, the arrival of the Ottomans in the following century resulted in its almost total destruction. It was subsequently rebuilt, but destroyed again by a fire in the 19th century. Most of the buildings in the complex now date from the 19th century rebuild.
The Main Church (c. 1837)The Residential PartTower of Hrelja – the oldest building in the complex (c. 1335)Beautiful frescoesSouthern Gate EntranceI’m going to try some Mekitsa – a simple Bulgarian deep-fried sweet bread.Cost: 55 cents. I may have added a little too much powdered sugar! Tasty!Stream water to wash down the Mekitsa. Very cold, and very good!
Boyana Church
The second UNESCO World Heritage site we will be visiting today is Boyana Church. It is located back in the outskirts of Sofia.
The church was built in three stages: in the late 10th to early 11th, the mid-13th, and the mid-19th centuries. The interior contains a total of 89 scenes with 240 human images depicted on the walls. (no interior photography was allowed)The (small) entrance to the church (watch your head!)The late 10th to early 11th section is on the right; the mid-13th section is in the middle, and… …the mid-19th century portion is on the left.
Today (Thursday) was fun. And long. I left my hotel around 8:15am and got back around 5:30pm. Just in time for happy hour!
General Trip Notes
As you can probably see, the weather was beautiful during my time in Sofia. Especially on Thursday at the Monastery. The high temperatures were near 60 throughout the trip. Lucky!
I’m enjoying this off-season escape! From the low costs, lack of crowds, and availability of events it’s been wonderful. Reviews of the Monastery tour indicates the crowds can be brutal during the high season. And I never would have had a personal Hard Rock Vault tour in the summer! (Ironically, the Wall Street Journal just published an article about the benefits of off-season travel)
In general I found the people of Sofia to be grumpy and unfriendly. That’s disappointing. Maybe there were other issues in play, like the language barrier. Exceptions were the folks in the tourist trade I encountered, but that’s to be expected. Two non-trade exceptions were the immigration officer I dealt with on arrival and a woman that sat next to me on the flight from London. Viara did not live in Sofia, but offered to assist me if I had any questions or issues. We ended up trading texts during my stay.
My UK eSIM data plan expired on the day I left for Sofia, and since I’ll be traveling over the next month, I renewed with a 30 day eSIM that covers all of Europe. The 3 Gb plan cost $10. Cheap!
There is a lot of smoking in Sofia. A LOT. Thankfully my hotel was smoke-free.
The population of Sofia is 1.4 million, but the city center doesn’t seem that crowded. I think it’s because the city covers a large area.
I don’t think I mentioned in the first Journal Entry for this trip that immigration at Heathrow is now automated for those with U.S. passports (along with other countries). Basically all that is required are a scan of your face and passport. I had no waiting on my initial arrival or on this trip’s return. Brilliant!
Saturday, February 10 – Harrow on the Hill
Sorted through trip photos, caught up on emails, updated financials, went for a walk, and REST!
Sidenote: Today is the Chinese New Year, and there is a parade and celebrations planned in the City. Also planned though are protests taking place from Parliament up to Trafalgar Square. So, I think I’m going to avoid that today. I actually attended the parade when I lived here. It was fun, but massively crowded. I’m sure it will be even more so today.
Sunday, February 11 – Harrow on the Hill
Made a grocery run, went for a walk, and worked on this loooonnng Journal Entry!
Sidenote: The Super Bowl will be shown here live, but it doesn’t start until 11:30pm, so I think I’ll pass. I can always watch the highlights (and commercials) on YouTube. Or maybe they’ll replay it on TV here at a normal time during the week!
Be forewarned, this will probably be the least interesting Journal Entry in the history of Journal Entries…
Sunday, February 4 – Harrow on the Hill
After a busy Saturday, I remained on the Hill today, mainly working on a Journal Entry.
How about a little London Underground trivia?
The shortest distance between two adjacent stations on the underground network is only 260 meters. The tube journey between Leicester Square and Covent Garden on the Piccadilly Line takes about 20 seconds, yet it is one of the most popular journeys with tourists.
Georgina asked me about the weather on the trip so far. I feel pretty lucky, as it’s been very dry. That’s the key to me. I’d rather it be cold and dry versus warm and wet. I think I’ve had one rainy day so far. The temperatures have been in the 40s and 50s.
The Crown Auction Update: With a little over three days to go in the auction, bidding on the lot of NASA items I’m interested in currently sits at £200. I’m out.
Monday, February 5 – Harrow on the Hill
I’m posting this rather lame JE today because I’m heading to Sofia, Bulgaria tomorrow and don’t plan on taking my laptop with me. I’ll be back late Friday, so the next posting will be on the weekend. Huge disappointment, I know! Anticipation is a good thing! The beauty of basing myself in one spot is that I don’t have to take everything with me when I go from place to place. For this trip, only a backpack will suffice (you know I like to travel light!).
I feel like I owe you a photo. I decided to look back and see where I was five years ago today, during my first winter escape.
I was on a full-day excursion to Isla de Chiloe in Chile. And this is a previously unpublished photo. You’re welcome!
Travel Note: London is pretty much cashless (if you want it to be). I love it! (Chuck would hate it!) The only cash I’ve spent so far is the tip I gave Ash on the Hard Rock tour. I went out today to pick up a small, travel-friendly tube of toothpaste. It cost £1. I put it on my card…
Have a good week. I’ll be back in touch on the weekend.
Taking the photo of the entrance to The Temple Church on Sunday made me realize that I had never visited The Temple complex (or if I did, I don’t recall). Not really sure why that is, probably just ignorance on my part! Anyway, my mission is to rectify that today.
Self-guided tours of the church are available throughout the day. Unfortunately, my timing was a little off though because a guided tour was on the schedule today too, but it started 20 minutes before my arrival. Ugh! I had even checked the church’s website this morning to confirm that it was open, and saw no reference to a guided tour. I mentioned this to the person at the entrance, and after checking the website she confirmed that the guided tour should have been listed, but was not. Anyway, she also told me that on Friday the Reverend and Valiant Master of the Temple would be giving a talk in the church, and highly recommended that I attend. Sold, I’ll be back on Friday!
I did some walking around The Temple complex, but it wasn’t a very photogenic day (overcast), so I decided to hold off on any picture taking, with hope for better conditions when I return on Friday.
The Temple is located on the north bank of the Thames, just to the east of Waterloo Bridge. Since I had some extra time on my hands I decided to take a walk along the Thames, heading up river to the west. Again, not a great day for photos. Sorry about that! I did make a quick stop at the Tate Britain however, and have a couple pictures from that visit.
Summer Sundown by William McTaggart (c. 1880)Study of Madame Gautreau by John Singer Sargent (c. 1884).
Not a great day for photos, but a good day for steps! 22k.
Travel Note: For those of you who’ve not been to London, you might find the photo below interesting. These indicators are provided at most major crosswalks, and are very helpful for those of us who are used to looking for traffic traveling in the opposite direction!
Thursday, February 1 – Harrow on the Hill
Not much to report today. I went for a walk and booked another trip. I now have four short trips planned – taking place this month and in early March. So hopefully you’ll have some interesting things to read about over the next few weeks!
Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Auction Update
The auction was held yesterday, and to quote the auction house, Christie’s, the results were “staggering”. The auction lasted more than six hours, and the proceeds totaled over £8.8 million ($11.2 million)!
The 1959 Gibson Les Paul with the highest estimate in the auction, £300,000 – £500,000, sold for £693,000 ($876,000), which was the auction’s top result.This guitar with numerous signatures had an estimate of £20,000 – £40,000. It sold for £403,200 ($510,000)! 100% of the proceeds are going to the Teenage Cancer Trust.And remember this 1983 Gibson Les Paul that was used to record Money For Nothing and Brothers In Arms? I thought the estimate was “crazy low” at £10,000 – £15,000. Well, it sold for…are you ready? £592,200 ($749,000)!!!
Friday, February 2 – Harrow on the Hill
Okay, I’m heading back to The Temple Church today for a tour and a talk (£5).
The church was built by the Knights Templar and was consecrated in 1185. It was heavily damaged by German bombing during World War II and has since been greatly restored and rebuilt.
And luckily we have a better day for picture taking…
The altarpiece was designed by Christopher Wren’s team in the 1680s. It was sold in the 1840s, but bought back after World War II.These effigies were heavily damaged in the Blitz of 1941 when the burning roof fell on them.This painting by Kathleen Allen depicts two of the effigies in the immediate aftermath of the bombing.
The talk by Robin Griffith-Jones, the Reverend and Valiant Master of the Temple, was entertaining. He talked about the Knights Templar, and touched on the role The Temple Church played in Dan Brown’s book The Da Vinci Code. He wasn’t happy about the inaccuracies in the book, but as he said, considering the book was published in 2003, “its time has probably passed”.
The Temple Church sits amid a complex of other buildings that is one of the main legal districts in London.
Entrance to The Temple from Victoria EmbankmentThis is the entrance to The Temple shown in my picture from Sunday (note the London bus passing by the open door)The Temple Church Master’s House (where today’s lecturer, Robin Griffith-Jones, lives)Middle Temple HallWalkway to the New CourtElm CourtPretty bloom on February 2nd!Inner Temple GardenNice view of Big Ben (more on that tomorrow…)
Saturday, February 3 – Harrow on the Hill
Early on in my trip Ed suggested I take a tour of Big Ben. Great idea! Sadly, I should have consulted with him last fall, because these tours are hugely popular and sell out months in advance. When I checked the booking website, there was nothing available through the end of April, which is when I’m heading back to the States. I’m an idiot! However, one sentence on their website offered a glimmer of hope: If more tickets become available due to cancellations, these will be available on the booking page. Mmmm… Okay, so my path forward was clear: be relentless in checking for cancellations! And thankfully, an opening appeared a week or so ago for this morning. Yes! Luckily, the extended duration of my stay in London helped overcome my stupidity!
The tour (cost: £25) began at 10am. We were instructed to report to the visitor entrance at the Houses of Parliament at 9:30am to facilitate passing through the airport-style security search. Our group was 15 people (now I know why it sells out so fast!), which was great. No phones or cameras were allowed on the tour. It was claimed that this was for security reasons, which I can understand. But I have a feeling it’s also to avoid having people clamoring to get photos. I actually liked this aspect as well.
The tour involved climbing 334 steps, with stops at various levels on the way up. And it was timed so that we were in the mechanism room when the clocked chimed the 3/4 hour, and in the belfry at the top of the hour to witness the bells chime (we were given earplugs!). And as our guide pointed out, we were lucky to be on the 10am tour because that allowed us to see/hear the bell rung 11 times; whereas the tour group that starts at noon would only experience it once! Ha!
It was a good time to be taking the tour because the Big Ben Tower had recently completed a lengthy restoration (2017-2022), when it was shrouded in scaffolding. Some of the displays even smelled new! However, the bells were not restored, in order to maintain their patina.
The tour lasted 90 minutes, and was wonderful. Thanks Ed!
The view after passing through securityWe were allowed to take a look around Westminster Hall following the tourThis is in the floor of the hall. It’s hard to read; It is where Winston Churchill’s body was lain in state in 1965.
Sidenote: This was the second time I’ve toured Big Ben. The first time occurred when I was living here and Janet Earnshaw arranged for seven of us to tour the Clock Tower and the Palace of Westminster. Back then the tours had to be booked via a request sent to the House of Commons. And each of the visitors were subsequently vetted by the Metropolitan Police prior to being allowed to take tour. Quite the undertaking. Thanks again Janet!
A rigorous process!January 16, 2009 (Janet is taking the picture). 15 years ago. Wow!
A fun day, and it’s not even over yet! I thought I might try and see a show on the West End today.
Back when I lived here, if I was looking for theatre tickets, I would head down to Leicester Square to the TKTS booth to check on what discounts were available for that day’s performances. Well, I noticed when I’ve passed by the booth on this trip that there were hardly any customers. That seemed odd, because there always used to be a line of people waiting. Finally it dawned on me. It’s all done online now!
So, this morning I checked the TKTS website and found a 50% off ticket for the matinee performance of The Motive and The Cue. The play is based on the making of Richard Burton and John Gielgud’s Hamlet on Broadway in 1964. The synopsis, per the play’s website: Richard Burton, newly married to Elizabeth Taylor, is to play the title role in an experimental new production of Hamlet under John Gielgud’s exacting direction. But as rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel. The play is directed by Academy Award, Tony Award and Golden Globe winner Sam Mendes, and stars Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss and Tuppence Middleton as Burton, Gielgud and Taylor.
The 1964 production of Hamlet was a financial smash, achieving the longest run for the play in Broadway history at 137 performances. The run’s popularity was due in no small part to the attention Burton received for his romance with Taylor. Ironically, John Gielgud (who was a renowned Shakespearean actor) portrayed Hamlet in a 1934 production that took place in the same theatre as today’s play – at the time called the New Theatre, now named the Noël Coward Theatre.
Noël Coward TheatreA poster from when it was named the New TheatreBeautiful interior (difficult to get a good picture)My seat in the stalls (all seats were occupied by the time the curtain went up)
It was a very enjoyable performance. The fitting end to a wonderful day!
A footnote: spotted this as I was roaming around Covent Garden before the start of the play. Cute!
I’m back in the city today to check out the Frost Fair! It’s located just off the Thames, near the Tate Modern.Nice view of The Shard on the way to the fair.The artisan market at the fair. Many homemade goods and food & drink.A game of skittlesCarriage rides were offered too! (that’s the Tate Modern in the background)The horses were popular with the childrenThis was the highlight. A human-powered elephant! It’s getting ready to go on a short parade.On its way……followed by the Elephant Festival Troupe!
It was a beautiful day, so I did a little bit of walking around. Here are a couple sights from along the way…
St Dunstan-in-the-WestAn entrance to the Temple ChurchSomerset House (note all of the folks in the distance enjoying what remains of the sunshine!)Royal Courts of JusticeSt. Paul’s – a favorite
Monday, January 29 – Harrow on the Hill
Not a lot to report today. A little trip planning, a grocery run, went for a walk, and general laziness!
The Crown Auction update: With a little over a week to go in the auction, the NASA lot I’m interested in stands at £160. Probably going to be more than I want to spend. Oh well!
Tuesday, January 30 – Harrow on the Hill
Kind of more of the same from Monday. I did some additional travel planning, and now have three short trips planned for February. Where to? You’ll have to wait and see! And I also worked on this journal entry today. Not a total slug!
Steps Update: I’m trying to redeem myself this year after last winter’s disappointing average of 13.2k steps per day. Three weeks in and I’m averaging 15.5k per day, with a high of 25k. I’ll be happy if I can keep up this pace. A long way to go though!
That is the theme for today. Well, at least until tonight (more on that later)…
I’m visiting another auction house in London this morning. This time it’s Christie’s, for a viewing of The Mark Knopfler Guitar Collection. Hopefully you’ve heard of him? If not, he’s best known as the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the band Dire Straits. One of my all-time favorite guitarists, definitely top five.
He’s auctioning off more than 120 of his guitars and amps at the end of the month, and they’re on display for public viewing. Let’s take a look…
The entrance to Christie’sThis guitar caught my eye because of the autographs and the Teenage Cancer Trust logo. This is the UK charity that will benefit from the concert by The Who that I will be attending in March. The signatures on the guitar include Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Sting, Ringo Starr, Bruce Springsteen, and many others. The estimate is £20,000 – £40,000.This guitar has the highest estimate in the auction: £300,000 – £500,000. It’s a 1959 Gibson Les Paul. Note the original case behind it!To me though, this is the star of the show. Christie’s must think so too, because it is the only guitar hung on this wall, and it is displayed in its own room!It’s a 1983 Gibson Les Paul, but that’s not what makes it the star. It’s because it was used to record Money For Nothing and Brothers In Arms. The estimate is £10,000 – £15,000, which seems crazy low to me. It will be interesting to see what the hammer price brings.
Besides being one of my favorite guitarists, Mark Knopfler is also the artist responsible for one of my favorite songs, Brothers In Arms. If you’re not familiar with it, take a listen here.
Continuing with the Rock ‘n Roll theme, my next stop will be the Hard Rock Cafe, to hopefully take a tour of their vault (of memorabilia).
A quick stop at St. James’s Square on the way to the Hard Rock.The first Hard Rock Cafe, still in its original location, near Hyde Park Corner.
The vault is located in the basement of the Hard Rock Store, which is next door to the Cafe. I’ve taken the tour previously, but it’s been many years. And I’m in luck! Tours will be offered today, with the first one starting in about 20 minutes. (the tours are free of charge)
What followed proved to be an excellent argument for visiting London in the winter – I was the only one on the tour! And it got even better! My tour guide, Ash, was amazing. He provided me with some great background information on the items in the vault, as well as some wonderful stories from the early days of the cafe. He spent a half hour with just me. Unbelievable. I was so grateful I gave him £20 as we were about to leave the vault. Well, now he felt obliged to spend even more time with me! Brilliant! We talked some more in the vault, and then he took me next door to the Cafe, showing me some more memorabilia there. Finally, after spending a full hour with me, one of the staff from the store came over to the Cafe to grab Ash because he was scheduled to give the next vault tour!
Here are some pictures from the tour…
The items are literally in a vault……a very small room packed with many items.A rare Tim sighting in the Journal! And could I look any more dorky?!? Ash had me replicate a Ringo Starr pose on the bench (legs crossed, peace sign).The pose (I had my legs crossed the wrong way!)We’re now over at the Cafe. On Ash’s phone is a picture of John Lennon wearing the item that’s in the display case above.Above the bar at the Cafe. (I’ll be seeing him play in March!)Ash showing a picture of Townshend coming back to the Cafe decades later, taking his guitar off the wall, and playing it!
What an experience! Thanks Ash!
My last stop on the Rock ‘n Roll outing will be at Savile Row, to pay homage to the Apple Corp. building were TheBeatles played an impromptu rooftop concert.
The photo is taken at an odd angle because the sidewalk and half the road directly across the street were closed due to construction.
For those of you interested in seeing some great footage from the concert and the events leading up to it, I highly recommend the documentary The Beatles: Get Back. Here’s a link to an excerpt from the concert portion of the documentary (runs 4 minutes).
Okay, time to head back to the Hill to attend a production of Jekyll & Hyde by the Harrow School boys. This is a free performance, but tickets were required, which Mary obtained. It was just her and me tonight, as Tony opted to stay home to watch football.
Another excellent performance by the students!
Sidenote: Benedict Cumberbatch is a former Harrow School student. It would have been fun to see him perform during his high school days!
Thursday, January 25 – Harrow on the Hill
I remained on the Hill today to attend a couple Harrow School events this evening. I’m trying to take advantage of all that they’re offering!
The exhibition brought together many items from throughout the world to illustrate remote places and societies. The objects on display were drawn mainly from the Harrow School’s collection. A fun event!
It wasn’t very crowded, which was nice. Wine was even offered!Chinese Imperial Table Screen, c. late 18th / early 19th century (Qing Dynasty)The Bodhisattva Guanyin, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)I really liked this early 18th century sketch of the Sphinx. It shows the base buried in sand, and also disproved the 19th century theories that it was Napoleon’s troops who had destroyed its nose by using it as target practice!Not related to the exhibition, but of course Winston Churchill deserves his place here as arguably the most noteworthy Old Harrovian.
Following the exhibition, I walked a couple of buildings over to watch the Singing Prizes competition in the Speech Room. For this event a total of 40 boys in three categories performed with the goal of being judged the best in their respective category (junior, intermediate, senior). The adjudicator was James Gilchrist, a tenor specializing in recital and oratorio singing.
The Speech Room prior to the start of the competition
So, there are 40 singers, and after each round of competition Mr. Gilchrist would give a short critique of each one and announce the winner. This is going to take a little while! But it’s not like I have to get up and go to work tomorrow!
The choice of songs was from composers I pretty much expected: Mozart, Schubert, Handel, etc. However, there were a few that went with selections from musicals like South Pacific and Man of La Mancha. One even choose Elton John’s Your Song. Again, amazing performances by the boys. But I have to say that to me the most outstanding performer of the night was the pianist (a member of the Harrow School staff) who accompanied each of the 40 students. Wow!
Friday, January 26 – Harrow on the Hill
I’m traveling to Dulwich (the ‘w’ is silent) in the South of London today to view an exhibition of paintings by Peter Paul Rubens at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. Getting there took about an hour, using both the Underground and National Rail lines. It’s a beautiful day, so I’m also going to take a walking tour of the area, using the book that Tony lent to me.
The entry to the Rubens exhibit required a timed ticket (£15; can you believe I’m actually paying for something?!); I set mine up for mid-afternoon to allow me to take the walking tour first. Here are some of the sights along the way…
Dulwich College, founded in 1619. These buildings are from the 19th century. We’ll see the original college buildings later in the walk. This is now a boarding school for middle and high school age boys.Dulwich College.
A funny story behind this picture. I entered through an open gate into the grounds of the college. Well, it turns out visitors aren’t allowed on the grounds, and one of the staff happened to come by after I took the picture. He was very nice about it, and we ended up talking for a few minutes. What really peaked my interest was his mentioning that the college has in its possession one of the boats from Shackleton’s exploration of Antarctica. He wasn’t sure if it was open for public viewing, but I’m absolutely going to follow up on that. Watch this space…
Dulwich Toll Gate (£1.20). This is the only toll gate left in London and raises thousands of pounds per year for the College estate. Fortunately pedestrians are exempt from the toll! Not many animals pass through the gate anymore!The Parish Church of Saint Stephen (c. 1868)Enjoying the sunny day!I’m now in the Sydenham Hill Woods nature reserve.Cool fence!Dulwich Park boating lake. Not very busy this time of year. Obviously the geese like it though!College Lodge (c. 1889)Old Dulwich College19th century grammar school
An enjoyable walk in a picturesque village. I think I may have to come back here, especially if the Shackleton boat is available for viewing. Now, on to the Picture Gallery…
The Dulwich Picture Gallery is the first public picture gallery in England (early 19th century)A walk around the permanent collection before entering the Rubens exhibit.I like this Canaletto depicting the Thames in 1750, with London in the distance.Rembrandt’s Girl at a Window (c. 1645). Wow!Marchesa Maria Serra Pallavicino (c. 1606)The Virgin in Adoration before the Christ Child (c. 1616-1619)After viewing this 2nd century sculpture, Rubens reused this pose in several of his works.Diana Returning from the Hunt (c. 1623)
Saturday, January 27 – Harrow on the Hill
A minor disappointment today. St, Mary’s church here on the Hill was planning on holding a fundraiser they called Spire Cafe Winter Warmer. Running from 11am to 6pm, on sale were to be “Hot filled rolls, homemade soup and cakes, mugs of hot spiced-apple juice, plus stacks of scones, fresh from the oven.” Yum! There was also going to be a talk inside the Church, Treasures of St Mary’s, given a couple times throughout the day. Well, I walked up there mid-afternoon only to find a note inside the church stating that the event was cancelled due to an illness. Bummer! Hopefully it will be rescheduled.
So, plan B for lunch turned out to be making a run to the aforementioned favorite – Wenzel’s.
Tuna salad baguette and a loaf of bread (£6.45)
I spent the rest of the day loafing (no pun intended!) around and working on this long overdue journal entry!
A couple random vehicle sightings…
I like this vintage Land Rover that is parked in the neighborhood.EV charging on the Hill!
