Tuesday | 19 June - Windsor Castle, Great Windsor Park, The Long Walk, Phantom of the Opera

The group that went to Windsor.

Windsor was great. Went to Waterloo to meet Milton at 9.45am, and Shawn and JIA LUN came along. Joel joined us later.
We got tickets cheap - a 2 for 2 offer, so we paid half price at £3.90 each for the return journey. The 50 minute trip there was passed by playing cards - Bridge, Dai Dee and Egyptian Rat Race (which I keep winning).

Today happened to be the Royal Ascot Races, held at Ascot which is a short drive from Windsor itself. The Queen was in attendance, and she was probably at Windsor Castle at her royal apartment.

Upon arriving at Windsor, I got maps and we went to Windsor Castle. £6.50 entry, and we were in to explore the place. Really big and beautiful and there were many intersting things inside - Queen Mary's Doll House collection, the Royal Art Collection (featuring works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo and more), the Royal China Collection (porcelain tableware), Armour and weapons, the St. George's Cathedral, and the castle environs.




Afterwhich, we went to grab some lunch at a cafe (I had a stuffed potato with tuna and corn, and an ice cream) and clever me went to buy two 2l of drinks for £2.60!! This shop had a one for one offer (: Pretty good deal, considering a 500ml bottle of coke at the cafe cost £1.30 (:

Then we went to the Great Windor Park. Gosh, it was so beautiful and massive - the Long Walk is so simple with the boulevard of trees gracing each side of the road path, and that was beauty in itself. The 3 mile road leads to Windsor Castle. The group of us sat under a tree and ate our lunch while we talked. After lunch, we passed the time playing cards and enjoying the lovely breeze and summer weather, while Jialun made sketches for his sweetheart. I'm kidding, but Jialun was drawing whatever he saw. Very remarkable interest and means of expression, and I really admire Jialun's drawing ability.

Then the moment we'd all been waiting for - PHOTO SHOOT! Took lots of scenic shots of the Long Walk, Windsor Castle, and also us with the lovely scenery. We took cool shots as well - I enjoyed it!




After the Great Park, we made our way back to the train station, with 30 minutes to spare so we walked around Eton for a very short while - not enough time to visit Eton College though. Well it was good enough fun, and we went back from Windsor via the train to Waterloo, grabbing dinner at McDonalds' before catching the Tube to our various locations for musicals. JIalun and Shawn went to watch the Lion King while Joel and myself went to catch Phantom of the Opera with Bird, Yanling, John and Milton.

Phantom was quite an awesome musical. The set was great - very elaborate and well designed and thought of. The thing that kinda grew stale after a while was the constant use and re-use of the same tunes, with lyrics changed accordingly with the situations and dialogue. Nonetheless, the strong melodies and themes held true - song like Music of the Night and That's All I ask of You were really well sung. The performers weren't bad, singing and dancing well. And there was much use of pyrotechnics and explosives - flames and firecrackers were used for effects, the phantom would escape using a small thunderflash and a shroud of smoke. The smoke machine was very cleverly employed for the water scenes (:

it was training on the outside when it ended. So we waited outside for the rain to simmer, while we took some photos of ourselves. Then we headed home via tube, along our own separate routes.

I found myself at Green Park at 10.45pm, with a train that would depart from Victoria at 10.52pm (though it actually departs at 10.50pm). So with great determination, and really couting every second, I hopped onto the Victoria line train, alighted as soon as it arrived, ran and cut through the crowd like a meandering stream, dashed up the escalaor, tapped out of the gantry and ran up the stairs into the Victoria station, made a quick check on the Departure boards to confirm my train's platform, dashed through the gantries and boarded the first carriage of the Orpington line train as soon as I saw it..

Ten seconds later, the doors closed and the train departed. Thank goodness - it would have been a 30 minute wait for the next train just because of that 10 seconds lapse.

I'm going to have a shower before hitting the sac. Going to update the photos asap (:

I'm meeting my friends at Westminister tmr, and then going to watch the Changing of Guards again. Then we'll see what there is to do before going for dinner at Edgware Road for dinner at night.

The Week in Retrospect..

Time to take stock of what I've done this week. It seems week well spent..
with the awesome company of good friends, and visiting great places.
Thanks alot Grace, and your mom, and Aunt and family. It's been great travelling with you!
And much thanks to Cat too - thanks for showing me around (:

Saturday
British Museum & Library tour with Cat
Royal Albert Hall
Italian Dinner with Cat
Kensington Gardens to watch rollerhockey (meeting this guy named Alex)

Sunday
Church service at Salvation Army, Penge Corps
Lunch with Aunty Cynthia and friends at home
Afternoon with Aunty Cynthia, Uncle Robert and Andrew
Dinner at Aunty Cynthia's house

Monday
Picadilly Circus with Grace to shop at Lily Whites
National Gallery with Grace and Jenny
Tea at Covent Garden
London Transport Museum
Travelled around (attempted to go Tower Bridge), went to Waterloo
London Eye
Video arcade!!

Tuesday
Tate Modern
Millenium Bridge
St. Paul's Cathedral, Evensong
Fame, the Musical at Shaftesbury Theatre

Wednesday
Cambridge, with Grace and family
Dinner at Chinatown

Thursday
Oxford University with Grace and Jishan
Eagle and Child Pub - where the Inklings met up
Punting
G&D Ice Cream
English Tea

Friday
Natural History Museum
Science Museum

Saturday
Bath City & Environs
Roman Baths
Royal Crescent
Thornton's Ice Cream and Chocolate

Sunday
Church with Cat at Holy Trinity Brompton
(which started the Alpha Course)
Lunch - Four Seasons Duck Rice at Bayswater
Science Museum Part II

Daylight savings..

I finally woke up this morning with my handphone alarm sounding (the vibrations on the bedhead rather than the actual noise), and having a shocked response to the light pouring into my room, as if i'd slept in till 9am.

Turns out that it was only 5.55am, and I'm still an hour early for my meeting with Cat and Boris at London Victoria at 7.30am.

Daylight savings. Scared the living daylights out of me, but sure saved me from missing my field trip to bath. And 16 quid wasted!

So much for gaffering..

This Indian guy at Marks and Spencers walked by me and asked,

"Is that a Canon?"

referring to my camera.

So much for gaffering it up, to cover the brand names and the lens markings. He went on to ask me how much I got it for, and upon conversion I told him "300 quid".

"Wow! I'd give you that money now if I could.. Down here it'll cost me £500!"

Oh my son.

Friday | 15 June - a FOX in our gadren

I just saw a fox in our garden!

Didn't have my camera by my side that time, so I'm waiting with my camera by the window now for it to reappear. I saw it appear twice, though I think it might have been two foxes.

Exciting.

Wednesday | 13 June - Cambridge

Woke up at 8am today and met Grace and family at Beckenham Junction promptly at 9.45am, and made the 2-hour journey to Cambridge via the M11 Highway. Lovely views along the way. Cambridge was an interesting experience, seeing all the colleges, the town centre, and the river where they had the annual rowing competition.

Jenny is performing here with her band this week, as it's May Week - the week where they have all sorts of Balls, Formal Dinners, Parties, etc. as part of celebrations which mark the end of exams. Some of the undergraduates will be graduating in 2 weeks time.

We had a fish and chips lunch at one of the pubs there, and met up with Grace's mom's old friend Aunty Monica. Pretty good I must say. And I had the privilege of eating the peas and chips that Grace couldn't finish - (: . After lunch, we just walked and walked and walked around Cambridge. Didn't see much but the meadows alongside the river (where the rowing competition was held). Spent close to 3 hours walking to and fro, and finally got back to the car where we took another 2-hour drive back to London. Grace and I dozed off in the backseat, while her mom and friend enjoyed their conversation in the front.

Back in London, we went to Regent Park (slight drizzle there), before going to Chinatown for dinner. Had noodles at a small Chinese diner located within Chinatown, and it was pretty good (:

Aunty Monica dropped us off at Victoria, and we all got home. I'm gona hit the hay now. Only going to pack my camera and gear and upload photos tomorrow morning. Will proly leave at 9.30am to meet Grace and take the bus to Oxford (:

Saturday | 9 June - with Cat at the British Museum, Library, Royal Albert Hall, Imperial College, Hyde Park

Will update with photos in time to come.. but here are some from last Saturday:


Joe, this little friend I met on the tube on the way to meet Cat.

"Hello," I asked.
"Hel-lo," the little one replied.
"How're you?"
"Aw-right," in his child-like timidity.


The Crowded Tube (I've been in worse)

British Museum, with Cat and the Christian Fellowship at Imperial College

Joel, dressed in a long sleeve shirt, led the tour.


Guess who I met at the British Museum? Alvin Soon and Shermyn!




The Legendary Royal Albert Hall


Prince Albert Memorial ("Uncle Al" as the locals call him)

My Britain Experience..

has been quite a unique one!

I have..
- seen both the City and the suburbs (Sydenham Hill and Beckenham, Kent)
- seen a road rage fight
- seen a nude cyclist protest
- lived in a London City hostel
- visited King's and Imperial College
- visited the British Museum and Library
- fed a pigeons off my hand
- had 2 pigeons on my head
- been to two of the art museums
- been to two churches, attended a service at St. Paul's Cathedral
- played in a video arcade
- watched a musical
- seen a male drag artist in a pub

Areas I have been to..
- Tottenham Court Road
- Oxford Street
- Soho
- Covent Garden
- Chinatown
- Picadilly Circus
- Trafalgar Square
- Buckingham Palace - St. James Park
- Westminister - Parliament House, Westminister Abbey, London Eye
- Waterloo
- London Bridge - London Bridge, King's College, Tate Modern, Millenium Bridge
- South Kensington - Hyde Park, Royal Albert Hall, Imperial College
- Knightsbridge - Harrods
- Outskirts of Kent - Beckenham, Penge
- Sydenham Hill


Hope to travel outside London in the days to come! Cambridge tomorrow!

Tuesday | 12 June - Millenium Bridge, the Tate Modern, St. Paul's Cathedral, Oxford Street, Fame the Musical with Grace and folks.

Woke up a little later today.. 9.30am. Had a shower and fixed myself some breakfast, and talked to cousin Andrew for a bit before setting off just before 1pm.

Had originally planned to go to South Kensington today to see the three museums (Science and Technology, Natural History, Victoria & Albert Museum), but figured I'd go someplace nearer Tottenham Court Road where the musical was. So I went to Tate Modern. Quite an interesting place - big, spacious, and filled with paintings, scultpures, installatiion art, and other displays in various galleries and exhibitions.

Though modern art often is beyond me, the grapic designs are just so appealling - the colours, the patterns, bold statements.. I guess there's some with 'meaning' and 'symbolism' or 'philosophy'.. But I believe all the same, they can be taken intuitively, or at face value, and still be as pleasurable and, if I may, artistic.

Spent the afternoon at the Tate. Covered all the free exhibits (they have a very good layout) and thereafter proceeded to visit the Millenium bridge. This footbridge conveniently connects me to the St. Paul's Cathedral which is on the opposite bank. Saw the Salvation Army international headquarters there as well.

The Cathedral is currently under renovation, so some parts were covered by canvas and scaffolding. The facade was fine, and i had some photographs taken. I was just in time for the St. Paul's Cathedral Evensong Service. They welcome people to join them in worship, so I went in to observe. They had an all-male choir, which was very good. Their voices angelic and full bodied as it resounded in the catheral dome, throughout the grand arches of the church. This was the same for the pipe organ, which itself was quite a sight to behold. I was truly quite amazed at the architecture.

Left at about 6pm, and made my way back to London Bridge, to catch the Northern line to Bank, where I could take the Central line to Tottenham Court Road. Along the way, I got myself a £1.99 seven-inch pizza. Doggy bagged it, and made off for the Underground. Reached Tottenham court road just 10 minutes to 7pm! So i sank my teeth into the pizza and took a walk down Oxford Street to find Andrew's book. Which I couldn't ): Grace called me and told me how to get to the theatre, so I started making my way down. Turned out to be quite a distant walk. But Grace was nice enough to wait for me outside the theatre with my ticket.

And so at last I got to Shaftesbury Theatre in time, with 5 minutes to spare. FAME The Musical proceeded with gusto and youthful vibe, with a very talented and energetic cast. The music was tight and well arranged, and the whole performance was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

Ending close to 10pm, we took a walk back to Tottenham Court Road to take the Tube back to Victora to get our train back home. Along the way to Tottenham Court Road, I noticed a drag show inside a pub. And a policeman speaking to a street beggar. Alot of interesting things I've seen and done in London..

Saturday | 9 June - Beckenham, British Museum, British National Library & Royal Albert Hall

Today was rather rushed. Left London bridge at 7am, just after helping Yujia with her luggage and sending her off in her cab. Managed to get to London Victoria in time for the 7.52am train (: which saw me back at 8.10am. I had woken up Aunty Amy and Uncle Peter prematurely - they were clearly not impressed. Aunty Cynthia came to fetch me at 9.40am, so I had about an hour plus to pack and freshen up.

Beckenham is a nice town. It's a little busier than the place at Sydenham Hill, with restaurants, pubs, and lots of shops. The walk from the Beckenham Junction Station is about 10 minutes wheras Sydenham Hill is just a matter of crossing the road. Aunty Cynthia stays in a very lovely and cosy flat on the first floor. Arriving at her place at 10.10am, I unpacked and settled down before leaving at 10.40am - in time to catch the next train at 10.54am!

The train was fast and I arrived at Victoria just after 11am, and was able to meet Catherine at Holborn at 11.30am, what was originally arranged.

It was really really good seeing Cat after so long! Her hair's much longer, and she's looking forward to getting a haircut back home! Apart from that, she looked great, and I trust her studies are doing just as fine. We went for lunch at the nearby Subway (£4.75 for my footlong with drink and chips) and then went to look for the British Museum, for a Tour conducted by one of her mates at Imperial.


Cat and me, at the British Museum

Will write more later as we all have to sleep here at home! Church tomorrow (:

Love to all!

UPDATE - Back from King's College, Off to Beckenham, Kent

Bonjour!

I just got back from King's College at London Bridge after spending 2 nights there with Yujia (my friend from church). Got to see London Bridge, Millenium bridge, Shakespeare Globe Theatre, Tate Modern (will be going today).. and also Covent Garden and Chinatown at Leicester Square on Thursday. I left King's College at 7am, and managed to catch the 7.52am train at Victoria.. got back to Sydenham Hill at 8.10am!

I'm packing now to move off to Aunty Cynthia's house at Beckenham. Grace Ong (my schoolmate from ACJC, and now Medical School) is staying there with her aunt too, so I will probably go hang out with her. Will be staying at Aunty Cynthia's place until Sunday at least - have plans to lengthen my stay at Beckenham till Monday or Tuesday night, depending on Aunty Cynthia's plans.

Today, i'm going to Holborn to see the British Museum with Cat (my schoolmate at ACJC, now at Imperial), and probably have l lunch with her. Lynn (also from ACJC, now at University of Warwick at Coventry) and her sister will be joining us.

The British Museum

Thereafter, I'll probably roam London on my own (or with Lynn and sister). I have plans to see the Photographer's Network and the Tate Modern, and perhaps St Paul's Cathedral (across the River Thames from Tate Modern) if time permits..

Gotta run.. will update with photos from Beckenham.. Love to all at home.

jonk!

Thursday | 7 June - Covent Gardens with Yujia, Alicia and Grace, Dinner & Ice cream, King's College.

Met Yujia more or less on time at 4.30pm at Covent Garden. With my backpack and CompuTrekker, I made my way to Victoria, made a transfer at Green Park, and then to Covent Garden. Thankfully, I got out of Covent Garden station without too much trouble.

At Covent Garden, I met Laura, this British girl doing some work for charity. She's 20 this year, and is on her way to Brixton to study music. She told me about Camden Town where it's quite big on the pubs and music scene. I walked around and watched the Buskers perform. The statue performers are very good at what they do, and their costumes are nice. I also saw a mime, and magician, as well as musicians.


The street magician

A street musician


After I met Yujia, we went walking around while waiting for Alicia and Grace. We went to the Disney shop because Yujia wanted to get a soft toy for her younger sister.

The Disney Shop


The Group of us.

When we all met up, we went to have cookies and hot chocolate at this popular cookie-ery - Ben's Cookies. Sitting down, we talked about old times and what we've all been doing.



After hot chocolate and much chat, we went on to meet Sarah Lim, who is studying in London as well. In the meantime, I took the liberty to take portraits in the streets.

The Many Faces of London


Shortly after, we parted ways as we all had our own dinner programmes. Yujia took me to have a Japanese dinner in Chinatown.. Which she treated me. I then insisted that I pay for dessert. So we had Haagen Dazs (:


Kintaro, the Japanese Restaurant

Ice cream was lovely. In fact, I've been eating so much ice cream since I'd come to London! We took the bus home from Covent Garden, back to Yujia's place at King's.


Yujia and me, on the way back to King's College

I was really tired by the time we got back, so I had a shower and went straight to bed (or rather, the floor). Yujia went to check on some stuff online, and joined her friend who was baking kueh lapis (wow!).

The floor was really quite comfortable after all! Had no trouble sleeping, and woke up feeling quite good (:

MY FIRST HOT SHOWER IN LONDON!

okay. i normally take cold showers back home in Singapore.
now i had to take a HOT shower. not warm, but HOT!
my extremities were freezing - fingers and toes. and in the shower, they felt like pins and needles when the extreme cold and hot met.
anyway, it felt good feeling clean, brushing my teeth, and doing the paperwork if you know what i mean.
and calling home (:
don't think i'll be sleeping now. will go clean my lenses and plan what lenses i'm going to bring out today.
am definitely going to bring the telephoto, and maybe not the super-wide for the morning.
i'll be back at sydenham hill later to collect my stuff before going to Yujia's place at about 4pm, with all my barang barang.
looking forward to that!