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On our last day in London, we were a bit tired of sightseeing. Instead, we took a walk around Hyde Park and saw Kensington Gardens. It was very peaceful and relaxing. At one side of the park, we saw the Prince Albert Memorial, built by Queen Victoria. It's large and ... gaudy.
In the center is a large bronze statue of Prince Albert, and at each of the four corners is a sculpture of an animal representing each of four continents: a camel for Africa, a buffalo for America, an elephant for Asia, and a bull for Europe. Later that night we saw a play called Breath of Life, starring Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith. Judi Dench can currently be seen in Die Another Day, playing "M". Maggie Smith is in the Harry Potter movies as Professor McGonagal. During the intermission of the play, ushers came through the aisles selling small cups of ice cream. We had chocolate ice cream with chocolate chunks.
I thought the play was brilliant! (I picked up little "Englishisms" during our trip.) Judi Dench plays a writer working on a memoir who pays a visit to Maggie Smith's character on the Isle of Wight. Maggie Smith is the woman with whom Judi Dench's husband, Martin, was having an affair through most of their marriage. What ensues is a very funny and sad and moving story about women in "older middle age", career, family, and social responsibility. I highly recommend it. |
