Here's the news-stand a few blocks from our flat. We usually pick up a paper two or three mornings a week. Otherwise, just read it on the internet.
Here in London, we have a choice of approximately 20 morning papers and at least a couple of evening ones. About three of them are real news -- with each having a definite and different editorial slant. (This includes in the news articles -- not just on the op-ed pages.) The rest of the papers are tabloids -- mostly gossip and star-sightings. You can also pick up free tabloids if you're on the train or tube anywhere near rush hour -- there are a couple of free ones that get handed out on every corner.
The weekend papers have great entertainment and book sections. Books are quite reasonably priced (although we patronize our local used bookstore). It's fun to read about all the theatres and we have gotten lots of ideas from the papers. But there are no comics! How do people live?
This is the Palace Theatre, built in 1891 as the Royal English Opera House. We saw "Monty Python's Spamalot". We laughed-a-lot and were glad we could see musical theatre instead of opera. It was lovely to see a real professional theater presentation that wasn't a road-show. And the theatre is beautifully ornate and entertaining to look at in itself.
It was a showery day and we got off our tube stop early. This was great because the theatre is near Charing Cross Road. As far as we could tell, that street is practically all book-shops. What a great place to spend a rainy afternoon as we waited for the theatre to open.
Here are outside pictures of two Art Galleries that we have visited, the Tate Modern and The Tate Britain. Inside photos aren't allowed, which seemed rather harsh. (We got spoiled by going first to the British Museum, where you are welcome to take pictures.)
We don't know a lot about fine art, but we know it when we see it. We're fans of art for the ordinary people. (Gee, do you think that's why Monty Python's first in this post?) But the galleries are lovely places to spend a day -- And, at the time that we're gazing at the walls there, it actually feels as if we know what we're doing. We pick our favorites, compare pictures, know which styles we like. And feel as if we've learned a lot. But couldn't begin to write about what we saw. There are websites and books for that.
These two Tate Museums are on opposite sides of the River Thames. It is possible to take a little boat from one to the other, but you'd have to be much younger than we are to want to do that much looking in one day. We made a day's excursion out of each, without a bit of problem.
This is the Millenium Footbridge, built for, obviously, the 2000 New Year celebration.
The bridge crosses between the Tate Modern and Saint Paul's Cathederal. We believe the symbolism of the bridge is to connect the old and the new parts of the city.
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