Happy Boxing Day!!!

Our day began early with a stop at Apostrophe for a little coffee, quiche Lorraine, a banana, and internet connection to quickly check email and upload two entries to the blog. Shortly thereafter, a walk that included both Shakespeare and Dickens filled the rest of our morning. For me, history is only interesting when it surrounds literature, architecture, or art, and this, at the very least, included literature and architecture.

As brutal time in London, I don’t romanticize the victorian period as the economic, political, & the social class unrest were enough to get one into trouble. I know that I had lived in that period, my outspokenness would have gotten me either sold, hung, or eviscerated.

I’m so relieved that today was a clear and sunny day for sightseeing.

After a brief stop at a coffee shop, we moved on to a visit of the Westminster Abbey (adjacent to Big Ben) before it closed at 4pm. Crowded but fascinating, we’ll have to make sure that when we return, we include a recorded tour in the ticket. Evidently, photos were once allowed, but forbidden for the past few years within the structure. Whether it’s because of the devastating flash from the camera or post 911, I dunno, but I was disappointed because I couldn’t take the photos for which I hoped. The enclaves, niches, paintings on wood, frescos on stone, enameling on metal, I could not take away any kind of imagery today -even the museum shop was closed making any purchases of comprehensive photographic books impossible to take away. Psfth!!

Who wants to see great calligraphic plaques from the poets corner?? I know I want to pour over them at my leisure.

Meanwhile, we made plans to return to Harrod’s to pick up goodies for the extended family and ourselves. Alas, it was closed for Boxing Day.

Sigh. We’re leaving tomorrow for Edinburgh, so timing is bad. I’m sure we’ll find new gems on the last leg our of honeymoon.

Additional details forthcoming.