I had a lovely email the other week with an invitation to London and a visit to the National Gallery. I didn't need to be asked twice, so last Saturday three of us (all friends through the church) gaily trotted off for the day without a care in the world. My friend drove to Mottingham train station (don't ask me where Mottingham is as I haven't the foggiest idea, but it was a lot cheaper than catching a train from Maidstone) and we parked up and went to get the tickets. Our first piece of good luck happened when we discovered that if we were all going there and back (we certainly didn't have any intention of losing anyone if we could help it) we could get three tickets for the price of two! What a result; it meant that the return ticket was less than five pounds. Because we had actually got to the station nigh on fifteen minutes early for the train, a very nice man told us that we could catch the next train in and change to reach Charing Cross, which was our destination, just as easily. This man was obviously a font of train knowledge, although I think that he was a little challenged, but with his words ringing in our ears, we decide to do as he suggested.
It's been a while since I have been on a train, and I am sure they have shrunk. The aisle would be completely useless for any obese person to squeeze through, but they would stop you from rolling all over the carriage if the train suddenly started moving before you had taken a seat. It only seemed like a few minutes before we were pulling into the station where we had to change. I think it was London Bridge but please don't quote me as I really can't remember. However when we alighted and hot footed it to the next platform to catch the other train, my other friend had a bit of a "moment". I will call her S (for those of you who know her it won't come as any surprise, but for the rest of you, I don't want to embarrass her unduly). She suddenly looked up and saw The Shard practically right in front of her. I looked up too and had to quickly step back from the edge of the platform before I fell off. Once safely back from the edge and leaning against a wall for support, I craned my neck to see this edifice that had transported my dear friend into another world. She has dreamt of going to London to see it in "real life" for a while, and there it was in front of her and she became a little emotional. I can cry at the drop of a hat when I see bluebells, but a massive building that might have been an architectural masterpiece but looked a little out of place - well the jury is out on that one. It is impressive, I have to grant it that, but it is totally incongruous in a rather grimy London that is replete with beautiful old buildings. However I suppose it was no more out of place than the other strange shaped buildings that seem to have blotted the landscape in recent years. My friend was in seventh heaven and we hadn't even got to the gallery. We felt sure we were in for a great day. And it didn't disappoint....
The day was not very cold (considering that it was October it could have been a lot worse), and the sun was trying desperately to punch its way through the clouds. Luckily for us it did not rain all day although we noticed it a bit chillier in the mid afternoon. Our plan of action was to go on one of the free guided tours around some of the paintings, but because we had got there so much earlier than we had anticipated, we decide to stop in Trafalgar Square and people watch. Something was obviously going on because we had never seen so many police officers all in one place. We deduced that it was a demonstration against National Health Service cuts and it all looked very peaceful, albeit a little noisy. They were not allowed in the square itself, but did snake around the roads at the far side with no end in sight. L insisted that she treat us to hot chocolate (I don't like hot chocolate so settled for a cold drink instead) and we sat down outside the little cafe under the steps of Trafalgar Square and watched the world go by for a while. Those steps down into the square (or up depending where you are) are really most odd. Every step is on a slant downwards (unlike normal steps that are straight and flat) so as I descended there was a distinct feeling that I was going to tip forward. I am not very good with steps and stairs at the best of times so I had to find the hand rail and gingerly make my way down. A very strange experience indeed. Once sat (on only slightly damp benches) we chatted about L being a grandmother for the first time and decided that grandma was an acceptable name to be called.
After a while we deemed it a suitable time for us to wander into the National Gallery and powder our noses and have a look in the gift shop. I enjoyed that gift shop; couldn't find anything even remotely affordable but it did have some lovely things in it. And then it was time for the tour.....
The lady who led the tour was very knowledgeable and I learnt some fascinating insights into the history of the paintings. I can spend an entire day in a gallery (except the Turner Contemporary!) like The National and not know anything about the painting or the artist, so to have some time with someone who is obviously enthused was a pleasure and I really enjoyed the free tour. Not sure that L was as happy as I was; she prefers the landscapes and we were definitely only into pictures with people in them - and some odd people at that. But I think we all came away glad that we had done it. We then spent a pleasant time wandering around some of the other rooms and decided that as it was approaching early afternoon, we should really go and eat lunch.
Off we toddled to eat our lunch in Trafalgar Square and we were so lucky that not only did we find somewhere to sit, but it wasn't raining either. Such a bonus when one considers the dire British summer. After lunch we decided that we would walk along to Covent Garden where we roamed around the place; not really stopping anywhere in particular and deciding that maybe it wasn't as good as we had remembered it. I did ask to stop at the Swarovski (okay I admit to having to look up the spelling and I can't even say it that well!) crystal shop and so spent a happy ten minutes coveting some of the beautiful crystal jewellery and marvelling at the pretty animals and figures. Once we had done our little tour it was back into Trafalgar Square and we made the decision to just have a quick look around the National Portrait gallery. I have to say, in my humble opinion, that there is only so many portraits that you can look at without getting a tad bored! I suppose that it was simply that the gallery is much smaller than The National and it did only have portraits, so you couldn't go and have a look at something else and come back to it. It could have been too, that we were beginning to get a bit weary as well..... So, after a short stopover we decided that we had had enough and would make our way home.
A few minutes later we were searching the platform boards at the station to find the one that would take us back to the car at Mottingham and we had barely reached the platform when the train came in. It was all so simple and civilised; not like trying to get onto a tube train where everyone pushes and shoves.
And there you have it - our day out courtesy of L who picked us up and drove us home, and whose idea it had been in the first place. A wonderful cheap day out as I only paid out seven pounds (travel costs) and the cost of making my sandwiches at home. A bargain if ever I saw one, and one that I can certainly recommend.
I am just waiting now for someone to offer to take me out again. I could quite get used to the idea.... :)
The lady who led the tour was very knowledgeable and I learnt some fascinating insights into the history of the paintings. I can spend an entire day in a gallery (except the Turner Contemporary!) like The National and not know anything about the painting or the artist, so to have some time with someone who is obviously enthused was a pleasure and I really enjoyed the free tour. Not sure that L was as happy as I was; she prefers the landscapes and we were definitely only into pictures with people in them - and some odd people at that. But I think we all came away glad that we had done it. We then spent a pleasant time wandering around some of the other rooms and decided that as it was approaching early afternoon, we should really go and eat lunch.
Off we toddled to eat our lunch in Trafalgar Square and we were so lucky that not only did we find somewhere to sit, but it wasn't raining either. Such a bonus when one considers the dire British summer. After lunch we decided that we would walk along to Covent Garden where we roamed around the place; not really stopping anywhere in particular and deciding that maybe it wasn't as good as we had remembered it. I did ask to stop at the Swarovski (okay I admit to having to look up the spelling and I can't even say it that well!) crystal shop and so spent a happy ten minutes coveting some of the beautiful crystal jewellery and marvelling at the pretty animals and figures. Once we had done our little tour it was back into Trafalgar Square and we made the decision to just have a quick look around the National Portrait gallery. I have to say, in my humble opinion, that there is only so many portraits that you can look at without getting a tad bored! I suppose that it was simply that the gallery is much smaller than The National and it did only have portraits, so you couldn't go and have a look at something else and come back to it. It could have been too, that we were beginning to get a bit weary as well..... So, after a short stopover we decided that we had had enough and would make our way home.
A few minutes later we were searching the platform boards at the station to find the one that would take us back to the car at Mottingham and we had barely reached the platform when the train came in. It was all so simple and civilised; not like trying to get onto a tube train where everyone pushes and shoves.
And there you have it - our day out courtesy of L who picked us up and drove us home, and whose idea it had been in the first place. A wonderful cheap day out as I only paid out seven pounds (travel costs) and the cost of making my sandwiches at home. A bargain if ever I saw one, and one that I can certainly recommend.
I am just waiting now for someone to offer to take me out again. I could quite get used to the idea.... :)
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