Canaries and Witches, oh my! London, Day 4

April 2, 2019

Detail from a building I saw today

Today I felt the cold that I've been fighting for awhile starting to settle in--probably the lack of sleep.  So I let myself drift back to sleep a few times before I got up to take a shower and start my day.  By the time I was done eating a very late breakfast, it was almost 1:00.  Someone had recommended the Museum of London Docklands.  I've been to the Museum of London twice--each time it has been a great experience, so I hoped this would be as well.  It is located at Canary Wharf (named for their traders from the Canary Islands--which were named for the latin name for dog, which is Canis).  I looked it up on Google Maps and it was only an hour plus walk, so I decided to enjoy the walk today.  Ok, first it was raining for 2/3-3/4 of the way there.  Second, Google maps must have been having a cyber hiccup.  It took me an hour and 45 minutes to get there.  Could be the heavy traffic, could be the cyber hiccup which also had Sora (my Maps voice--Siri's little sister) telling me to turn right, then to turn left--at the same intersection.  I eventually was able to turn off Google Maps and use street signs to get there, which worked much better.

Crossing Tower Bridge

From the bridge

The Tower of London

A selfie I took for my students and decided to share with you!

my long walk

along my walk

This was on the side of a house--must be from Wales!

On my walk

A sculpture in a park approaching Canary Wharf

Finally found the museum, it is a more than a bit out of the way on the West India (Indies) Quay.  Thankfully I found a street map posted to find it.  The walk there took me though some really run down, seedy areas with a lot of trash and no other pedestrians.  When I got closer to Canary wharf, however, the buildings became much nicer, with nicer parks, and more people--very pleasant.  

Flowers in a park at Canary Wharf--you could smell the hyacinths!

Tulip flowers!

a fountain

detail from a building

a sculpture--the embrace

another sculpture

The museum itself is very nice.  It is free (as are many London museums).  It takes up the entire four floors of  the old warehouse.  You start on three and make your way around and down.  Great displays, lots of information.

I spent way more time there than I had planned, so the second half of the museum I just did bits of.  I had tickets for Wicked tonight and had to get home and change, get dinner, and get to the show using two different subway lines.   So I decided to take  the tube home (no time for a 2-hour walk even though the rain had cleared up).  I bought a day pass instead of three separate tickets.  There were huge glass office buildings and very well-dressed people getting off from work as I approached the Canary Wharf station. Eventually, I got home and changed.  I needed to wear my nicer shoes to go with my dress (the shoes that gave me the blisters), so I took out the insoles from my boots (I have insoles that I bought for the boots).  That made them a little looser, but it was manageable.  I walked toward the station about half a mile, waiting until a place to eat stood out.  I stopped at the Bermondsey Bar and Kitchen and they had a burger that sounded great.  I walked in and asked the hostess if I would be able to eat a meal in half an hour.  The kitchen had just opened, so she had to ask the kitchen if they could make my meal within my time frame.  The could, so I sat and  read my book until it was ready.  Wow--I think it is the best burger I've ever had.  I' didn't recognize all of what was in it, but it was really good!  With my check I got a small tubular shape that had been rolled in cocoa.  I ate it and she asked me if I liked it.  I said that I did and gave some positive feedback and she said that it was something new they were trying out.  It was chocolatey and dense, moister than a really good brownie.  Very yummy!  Then I paid and was on my way to London Bridge Station.

This is a coffee shop very near where I'm staying.  The name says it all.  The signs in the window are funny too!

  I took the Jubilee line to Green Park, where I took the Victoria line to Victoria Station.  The trains were packed!  I had to wait  for a second train at Green Park because the people kept pushing in, but finally it was filled.  Our bus the day before had picked up the couple at Victoria Station and I saw the theater, the Apollo Victoria, and it appeared to be around the corner.  Well, I exited the station and looked around, hoping for a sign.  No sign, so I turned on Google maps.  I walked a few feet, realized that I was going the wrong way and turned around.  I looked up, and saw this:

Well, i put my phone away and walked across the street to pick up my ticket at the "Collected" window.  I was too early to sit down (it was only 6:45 for the 7:30 show).  Around 7 they opened the doors and I found my seat in the stalls--row ZC, seat 6.  There were open seats in our area of the theater, so there was no problem seeing.  Loved hearing "Defying Gravity" right before intermission.  It was all I could do not to start swinging my arms out and dancing and singing like I do at home!!!  At intermission I bought a program (they don't give out any programs, they only have the souvenir ones) and a magnet for my refrigerator.  They guy tried to talk me into buying some sort of package, but I declined and returned to my seat.  It was clever how they tied it in to the Wizard of Oz, though  I had to laugh at some of it.   I missed having someone there with me to talk about it on the way home.  Joshua and I had a great discussion on the way home from Book of Mormon.  The theater showing Hamilton was just around the corner--made me wish I was going to that as well.  I tried to, but couldn't find information about it. It was raining on the way home as well.  So glad I brought my rain jacket!  

The outside of the theater at night

The stage before the performance.  The gray thing at top is an animated dragon that moves around and blows smoke at times during the performance.  The yellow in the middle is a map of Oz.  There were clocks and gears and such all over--very Steampunk.

Then I took my subway journey in reverse and got back at 11:00, just in time to write this before going to bed.  Lots of coughing and blowing my nose.  I brought cough drops with me, but I'm almost out.  Maybe I'll sleep in a bit tomorrow as well--90% chance of rain tomorrow!  Oh, and the insoles worked--no sore feet!  Now to bed at almost 12:30.