A weekend in London - not just Big Ben
A West-End musical is a classic London experience
London: exciting and crowded city.
It is always lovely to visit London, this cosmopolitan city, where we meet lots of people from India, the Middle East, China, Korea and Brazil. Yes, in everywhere we listen to the people speaking in Brazilian Portuguese. I love looking at people with different haircuts bringing the most unusual colours to their head and bodies. It shows me they are free to wear and to do what they want, without following strictly conventions and fashions.
The bad side of the metropolis is the construction works spreading into the centre, the sudden evacuation alerts in the train stations and, above all, the rudeness and impoliteness of the rail employees. I had watched a shameful scene: a desperate lady asked me to let her be served before me at the customer service in Euston Rail Station. She needed to take a train in that time, but she did not know in which platform. She had asked about the platform in more two places at the station. But when she went to the indicated platform, she realized her train was not announced in that platform. The attendant asked her where and from whom she got information, the lady pointed out a counter near there, saying she took information from a woman. So the attendant said: - I can't see any woman there. You have to know who gave you wrong information to complain about that. Believe in it: the attendant denied giving the right number of platform to the lady. It struck me as a bureaucratic nightmare rather worse than scenes inside Kafka’s Trial.
Going-and-coming.
The tube is the best, quickest and easiest way to move into the city. It is fun to discover the various combinations you can come up with to reach a place. Julio Cortazar, a great Argentinean writer, wrote a book about the options offered by the Parisian metro – in his story, he analyses if you took, for example, another way in certain night, you could meet a very special person who would transform your life, but you chose another way and were hit by a car at the station exit. Let it be this tragic imagination, because the tube is always glad, celebrating its 150th birthday. Each station is different from the others. A lot of them have artistic panels in different styles. Another was very famous, because it had a magical path for the Hogwarts train. In several stations, we can see exactly the form of the tube. In all stations, there are posters advertising the West End musicals, I feel I am on holiday there, when I can choose a new musical to read about and watch it.
On my previous trip, I drove in London. It is not difficult, although it is better to avoid the central zone – it is very busy, with an intense traffic, lots of bicycles and traffic lights, millions of pedestrians from everywhere in the world. I do not know why, but there are not motorcycles. You can rent bicycles and return them anywhere in the city – very nice this eco-action. Though, I do not think it is safe to ride a bike in somewhere so busy. There is a new system of rental car – Zip Car – you have to become a membership paying 6 pounds per month, but it seems very interesting for who usually rent cars – you can pick-up and out the car in a wide range of places and pay a little amount by hour of using.
No museums.
My daughter told me she is tired of spending all our travel days visiting museums. As she has just finished her exams, I let her have her way. So we went to find out something more exciting for our time out.
In the first evening, we watched Billy Elliot, which we loved. The dancer boy is fantastic. All the actors are excellent. It is very beautiful the story telling about the miners workers in Ireland and the fighting for better work conditions. There are all the stereotypes: the Irish strong personality, the prejudice about men dancing ballet, the memory of his late mother. However, it all works very well. British artists know how to make musicals and how to manage the stereotypes. As always, I left the theater with a feeling of plenty joyful, with a secret desire to sing and dance like the artists. If you have not watched this musical, follows one tip: do not waste your time and money buying the tickets before hand – they are cheaper at the venue, and they have better seats there.
My teacher asked me if I had understood what they said. Sincerely, I could understand part of they said. Besides I knew the story and the sequence is quite obvious. But I had not understood certain jokes like most of the audience. My daughter understood them, she and a few other people laughed and cheered in those moments.
So, on the second and last night, we took several tube connections and arrived in Chelsea, at a very intimate and traditional jazz club, with a cool atmosphere. There was a performance by Gwyneth Herbert, a fantastic singer, in an electrical performance.
What a pity we missed the beginning of the show, since I did not realize how far way the club is from where we were. As well as we had to leave the show early, because my daughter had a test next morning.
I am sure this is one of the best places to listening music in London – note: www.606club.co.uk. Divine music, enjoyable food and drinks, good value.
By Vera Nonaka
It is always lovely to visit London, this cosmopolitan city, where we meet lots of people from India, the Middle East, China, Korea and Brazil. Yes, in everywhere we listen to the people speaking in Brazilian Portuguese. I love looking at people with different haircuts bringing the most unusual colours to their head and bodies. It shows me they are free to wear and to do what they want, without following strictly conventions and fashions.
The bad side of the metropolis is the construction works spreading into the centre, the sudden evacuation alerts in the train stations and, above all, the rudeness and impoliteness of the rail employees. I had watched a shameful scene: a desperate lady asked me to let her be served before me at the customer service in Euston Rail Station. She needed to take a train in that time, but she did not know in which platform. She had asked about the platform in more two places at the station. But when she went to the indicated platform, she realized her train was not announced in that platform. The attendant asked her where and from whom she got information, the lady pointed out a counter near there, saying she took information from a woman. So the attendant said: - I can't see any woman there. You have to know who gave you wrong information to complain about that. Believe in it: the attendant denied giving the right number of platform to the lady. It struck me as a bureaucratic nightmare rather worse than scenes inside Kafka’s Trial.
Going-and-coming.
The tube is the best, quickest and easiest way to move into the city. It is fun to discover the various combinations you can come up with to reach a place. Julio Cortazar, a great Argentinean writer, wrote a book about the options offered by the Parisian metro – in his story, he analyses if you took, for example, another way in certain night, you could meet a very special person who would transform your life, but you chose another way and were hit by a car at the station exit. Let it be this tragic imagination, because the tube is always glad, celebrating its 150th birthday. Each station is different from the others. A lot of them have artistic panels in different styles. Another was very famous, because it had a magical path for the Hogwarts train. In several stations, we can see exactly the form of the tube. In all stations, there are posters advertising the West End musicals, I feel I am on holiday there, when I can choose a new musical to read about and watch it.
On my previous trip, I drove in London. It is not difficult, although it is better to avoid the central zone – it is very busy, with an intense traffic, lots of bicycles and traffic lights, millions of pedestrians from everywhere in the world. I do not know why, but there are not motorcycles. You can rent bicycles and return them anywhere in the city – very nice this eco-action. Though, I do not think it is safe to ride a bike in somewhere so busy. There is a new system of rental car – Zip Car – you have to become a membership paying 6 pounds per month, but it seems very interesting for who usually rent cars – you can pick-up and out the car in a wide range of places and pay a little amount by hour of using.
No museums.
My daughter told me she is tired of spending all our travel days visiting museums. As she has just finished her exams, I let her have her way. So we went to find out something more exciting for our time out.
In the first evening, we watched Billy Elliot, which we loved. The dancer boy is fantastic. All the actors are excellent. It is very beautiful the story telling about the miners workers in Ireland and the fighting for better work conditions. There are all the stereotypes: the Irish strong personality, the prejudice about men dancing ballet, the memory of his late mother. However, it all works very well. British artists know how to make musicals and how to manage the stereotypes. As always, I left the theater with a feeling of plenty joyful, with a secret desire to sing and dance like the artists. If you have not watched this musical, follows one tip: do not waste your time and money buying the tickets before hand – they are cheaper at the venue, and they have better seats there.
My teacher asked me if I had understood what they said. Sincerely, I could understand part of they said. Besides I knew the story and the sequence is quite obvious. But I had not understood certain jokes like most of the audience. My daughter understood them, she and a few other people laughed and cheered in those moments.
So, on the second and last night, we took several tube connections and arrived in Chelsea, at a very intimate and traditional jazz club, with a cool atmosphere. There was a performance by Gwyneth Herbert, a fantastic singer, in an electrical performance.
What a pity we missed the beginning of the show, since I did not realize how far way the club is from where we were. As well as we had to leave the show early, because my daughter had a test next morning.
I am sure this is one of the best places to listening music in London – note: www.606club.co.uk. Divine music, enjoyable food and drinks, good value.
By Vera Nonaka