10.29-11.1.14 London Took the Eurostar (TGV) from Amsterdam and settled in a pleasant yet modestly priced hotel along Belgrave Road, a good location within close proximity to Victoria Station in one direction and the Tate Britain Gallery (TB) in the other. My perfect day started with the short walk to the TB and, after viewing the collection, taking the Tate Boat up the Thames past the House of Parliament and Big Ben to the Tate Modern (TM). After viewing the collection and any worthwhile special exhibitions at the TM (In 2011 I saw a large Gauguin/Exhibition here.), I had a nice lunch (fish and chips) in the TM restaurant. Leaving the T M, I loved the walk across the Millennium Bridge, down Victoria Embankment alongside the Thames to the Courtauld Institute Galleries and, later, the walk down Strand to the National Gallery (NG). Comments on the art in these galleries shortly...[(During this trip I read and mostly enjoyed 'A Memoir: Country Girl' by Edna O'Brien and I was taken by her fifty year old cover photo showing her as a nearly underaged girl drawing on a cigarette as she looks questionably towards the unknown. With bios and such memoirs as this, I usually speed read thru the author's early years but not with Edna's as I loved her writing on her years up to marriage. Then, for me, her story becomes arduous in the chapters describing her split, divorce and aftermath. The reading drags with narration of her celebrity and name after name droppings. Recently I purchased her just-published volume of short stories:'The Love Objects' and read a bit of the first story 'Irish Revel' but I've put the book aside for now or ever. Not to be misunderstood, for I know she's a great Irish writer. I have Googled Edna O'Brien and have learned much of her life and writings. Here is the link to an interview of her I came across in the Paris Review and the admonition she gives ( left) and one interpretation thereof ( right).]
One God to love and serve
One Eternity to prepare for
Death will come soon
Judgement will follow, and then
Heaven-or Hell-For Ever!
One God to consider
Have fun!
Death will come soon, and then
Nothing but Eternity!