Today I had my first Photography in Victorian Britain class, and it was strange but amazing! I've never been in an art history class, so this is quite a novel experience for me, and often, during class today, I had one of those out-of-body experiences: I sat there listening to myself harp on and on about how the positioning of the broom parallel to the line of the shadow in the photograph creates a sense of movement that contrasts with the random curves of the vines, as well as serves as evidence of Talbot's insistence on the creative aspect of photography. What? What am I talking about? I felt a bit silly, to tell the truth, talking about a broom like that! But at the same time, I do know how hard it is to compose a picture just right, so maybe it wasn't absolute rubbish!
We had a safety session with a real Metropolitan Police Officer later on in the afternoon, which was really very interesting. I think it was also very useful and relevant because I do like to wander around, and it's good to know all the pickpocketing techniques (to be aware of, of course!), and what to do in certain situations. Needless to say, I kept my backpack very close to me when I sat down at Gail's! I was going to go in and have some real lunch, but they had a bakery... They had cheesecake... They had cappuccinos... Who am I to resist true glorious beauty like that?
I sat there for the next three hours, doing my reading for class and eating my cheesecake. I think I probably made it last for about an hour! There waiters were very good-looking, and it was so funny watching people come in and ask extremely sweetly if there was space for them, or if they could have the menu, please.
An old married couple sat down next to me, and I wrote this:
They are silent. It's wonderful. I hope that one day I can also sit in a coffee shop like that, just sitting opposite someone and not having to say anything because mere words aren't sufficient for communicating important feelings like that.
Their iced coffees came, and this was their conversation:
"Shall we go home, then?"
"Well, it's only quarter to four."
"Oh."
"Well, Liz was saying that maybe we will have a walk."
"Oh I don't want to go, not with that dog slobbering around."
"Well, at least you've got a physical excuse not to go! I have to, but I get going and then I just decide that I can't be bothered."
And one other thought: why would you come to a place that has cheesecake, and order a fruit salad????? A poor deluded soul just ordered a fruit salad. I pity her.
After the long interlude at Gail's, I packed up and headed home, taking, of course, the circuitous route! I found an 1888 inn and another church, and I saw a plethora of beautiful old buildings, (again). I suppose that's kind of inevitable seeing as I'm in London!
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| The Church |
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| Institute of British Architecture |
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| Picturesque little alley |
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| Gorgeous red building |
Once I'd made it home, I made supper, which shouldn't have been difficult, but was made so by the poorly sharpened tin-opener! It took me a full ten minutes to pry open the wretched tin of tuna. But it was all worth it because I made a very yummy supper of tuna, mayonnaise, diced onion and apple, with lettuce and carrot, and chocolate from Kate for pudding. Oh, that reminds me: I heard a lady say "pudding" (meaning dessert) at Gail's today! Everyone in America looks at me funny when I say pudding, so I was relieved to hear it used *in its proper context* here. Also, the police officer who gave the safety talk was impressed that I knew about cricket.
After dinner, I remembered that we hadn't run the dishwasher since we've been here, because we don't have those dish-washing capsules, and I wanted a free coffee, so I gathered my phone and my money and set off to Waitrose. (I have been hand washing my dishes!) If you sign up for a card, you are entitled to one free coffee/cappuccino/latte/(hot water? yes, it's an option) every day! (!!!!!!!) So I went there, about a five minute walk down the road, and bought the dish-washing things, and a tupperware container to put my sandwich with left-over tuna in for lunch tomorrow, and my coffee. Well, I didn't buy my coffee. That was free. Did I mention that I get free coffee? FREE.
Then I came home again and did more reading and wrote my reading response and wrote this and now I must sleep because we're going to Greenwich tomorrow, to the Royal Observatory, and it's an hour-and-a-bit long trip, and so I have to wake up earlier than usual. BYE
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| Magnificent sunset |
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