Road Trip

Ever since its debut on Broadway the two of us have wanted to see “Wicked the Musical”. Today we realized that dream. In the Apollo Victoria Theater in London’s West End we were witness to the incredible prequel to The Wizard of Oz, the story of the Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

London’s National Portrait Gallery’s temporary exhibition, “Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens” presents an amazing collection of portraits, jewelry, personal effects, books, costumes, and more to illustrate not only the lives of the six women who married the second Tudor king, but the effort across five centuries to keep their memory alive.

The purpose of our trek to Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham in the southwest of London was to see a recently recovered bronze bust of the Emperor Caligula but we discovered so much more in the recently restored 18th Century “little Gothic castle” built by Horace Walpole.

London’s Imperial War Museum in Southwark founded even as the First World War raged offers insights into the myriad costs of the wars of the 20th and 21st Centuries. It was a most disquieting but valuable reminder of the myriad costs of war.

The two of us have long been fascinated with the history of canals and their role in the history of transportation, industrialization, and more recently recreation. This stay in London has given us new opportunities to explore and learn more about how canals contributed to the growth of this great city and how they are being used and preserved today.

It was a most educational visit to the newly renovated National Portrait Gallery at Trafalgar Square in Central London. We were intrigued with the contemporary approach to presenting British History.

It was at Bletchley Park that the Allied Codebreakers deciphered German military messages during the Second World War. A free guided tour gave us a good overview of the campus and the activities that occurred here from 1938 to 1945.

A lovely way to spend a Sunday in Hampstead. We visited the historic Fenton House to view lots of lovely collectibles, to listen to and learn about harpsicords, and to tour and linger in the garden before heading off to the historic Spaniard’s Inn for a most delectable Sunday Roast.

A visit to the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden gave us insight into the evolution and role of public transportation in the creation of London as a great metropolitan area.

Bath, England is an amazingly inviting place with deep deep history. One little day trip isn’t anywhere near enough but we did enjoy delving into the history of the Roman Baths, basking in the beauty of Bath Abbey, and topping our visit off with Tea and Bath Buns!