London 2012

Dr Anne has been to London for the first of many trips this year.  There was heavy rain when she left Aberdeen Airport but she arrived to sunny but bitterly cold weather.  

The first stop was lunch at Fortnum and Mason.  What did she fancy today - Welsh Rarebit with tomato chutney and a glass of bubbly.  A pot of tea followed.

Dr Anne then crossed the road to the Royal Academy to the Hockney exhibition.  Dr Anne had tried daily to book tickets on line but they were sold out.  The queue was 20 minutes and was well justified.  The exhibition was a-maz-ing.  It reminded Dr Anne of the road from Inverurie to Portsoy via Rothienorman, one of her all time favourite routes in spring, summer, autumn and winter.  The colours were very Dr Anne. An afternoon to remember. 

Go if you are in London.

Dr Anne was walking back up the Strand to her hotel.  She passed the Vaudeville and saw that Tyne Daly was Maria Callas in Masterclass.  She had read all about it in this month's Saga Magazine.  She popped in and sure enough she could have a good ticket at a senior price.  

Tyne Daly was in Cagney and Lacey and here she was Maria Callas in late life giving master classes to the upward aspiring. There were the lessons but also the scenarios of what was going on in her own life, her perceptions and fears.  There was a very creditable standing ovation at the end.

When Dr Anne exited the theatre around 10, the snow was falling quietly but heavily.

Dr Anne had come to London for Orientation Training for the 2012 Olympics. She was up by 6.30 and out by 0730.  She took the Bakerloo Line from Charing Cross to Wembley Arena.  There was at least 4 inches of snow so the walk from Wembley Central Station to the Arena. was wet and slow.  4500 of the 6000 people arrived on what were poor conditions.  Jonathan Edwards was the presenter for the day.  Eddie Izzard welcomed the company.   The company was introduced to those in charge of 2012 organisation.  Each volunteer was given a workbook and homework for the next workshop.

British Airways cancelled all domestic flights to Aberdeen so Dr Anne had some bonus time in London. She went to see The War Horse at the Odeon in Leicester Square. The story was a bit of a fantasy but some of the scenes were spectacular.  Of note were the charge of the cavalry and the horse's escape.  Dr Anne's thoughts turned to Granda Hay around the time of WW1 leading the stallion from farm to farm. He decorated the clydesdales for shows and brought the ribbons home to mum and her sisters for their hair.  She also recalled her father whose first love was horses.  She remembered the stories from her childhood - breaking in the young horse, up at dawn to feed the yoke the horse, the horse drawn ambulance that took her dad to hospital when he had diphtheria and so on...  Dr Anne is such a sentimental soul at heart.