Home Again...

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home...

I must confess that even though it was hard to leave The Motherland, I am glad to be back. After an excruciating wait at the Atlanta Airport (which has to be the most inefficient airport in the country) our happy group arrived back in Bham around 8:00 or so Thursday night. I was, of course, exhausted, and slept a great deal. Last night was not much better, although I did make it to rehearsal, falling back into bed around 9:00 and almost sleeping the clock around. I think jet lag is almost vanquished now, and I should be back on a normal sleep pattern by Monday.

Our trip was delightful. I spent almost all of New Year's Day in Oxford, showing my friend Raymond around the town. We visited Wadham College, where I spent a glorious month as an undergraduate through the "Alabama At Oxford" program. The porter was nice enough to let us wander freely, and I revisited some old haunts. We then had lunch at The King's Arms Pub (next door to Wadham) and strolled the city. Like all walks down memory lane, it was a touch bittersweet, but mostly happy. I will, of course, be back...

The West End theatre scene was hoppin', of course. We saw 4 shows, MARY POPPINS, SPAMALOT, and AVENUE Q (all of which I loved) and THE LORD OF THE RINGS (which I have no plans to ever waste time on again.) I noticed that GONE WITH THE WIND:THE MUSICAL is set to open next summer...not sure if it's a new script or a revival of the 1970's flop. As a GWTW fan, I would be interested to see it if for no other reason than as a curiosity.

Since Raymond had never been to London, we hit most of the touristy spots, which was kind of nice. It had been a long time since I had seen The Tower of London, and I enjoyed seeing it again. Harrod's was crowded but fun, and The British Museum was just as grand as I recalled. My favorite spot will always be Westminster Abbey, and we went to Evensong there. Breathtaking...

Covent Garden remains another favorite, and I made my traditional pilgrimage to St Paul's Covent Garden, where Henry Higgins first met Eliza Doolittle. It was nice to see that the cart called "Eliza's Sweetie Shoppe" was still up and running. Continuity is sometimes a good thing.

Made a stop at King's Cross Station, where an "official" Platform 9 3/4 has been set up for us Harry Potter fans. There is a sliced-off luggage cart attached to the wall, which creates the illusion of entering the wizarding world...I also picked up a copy of Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone (called the Sorcerer's Stone in the USA.) I was tempted to buy the complete hardback boxed set of the British editions, but at almost 200 pounds (400 dollars) it was a bit out of my price range...oh well, maybe next time...

Etc...etc...etc... I won't bore my readers with excruciating details. Suffice it to say a good time was had by all. I believe a New York excursion is a real possibility for this year. I will start looking into it next week, as allowing a year to plan seemed to work well for everyone.

In today's News From The Motherland...an old man who has clearly taken leave of his senses...perhaps I could "take his place" in England...?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7172925.stm

Cheers!
FLT3