September 14 - Day 27

Woke to light rain.  The giant cranes are silently working outside our window and are amazing to watch.  We can hear the bells from the Ukrainian Church down the street.  There is hard evidence that this trip is taking its toll on us.  Harder and harder to get up and get going in the morning.  Down for late breakfast in the club, no sausages for the tardy but great fresh Greek yoghurt.  We are mostly Americans, a few Aussies and some Middle Eastern folk, one whose cell phone loudly plays the call to prayer when it rings.  On the tube returning to the Temple Church (sits prominently in the city’s center for law).  This time it’s much easier to find.  We see the Magna Carta exhibit, the original is in the British Museum. It includes the revisions and bill of rights that show how the MC evolved.  It went through many versions but basically it was the seminal document that quelled the powers of the King over the common people, gave protections and freedoms, taxation with representation and right to fair trial.  From all of this comes our Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights which are also part of the exhibit; an Englishman helped to write them.  The Temple church was started by the Knights Templar in 1100’s, think Tom Hanks in DaVinci Code.  Basically the Knights found a way to use religion to extract wealth from the Middle East through warfare and pillage.  This church was also instrumental leading to the law system the UK has today and model for the world.  This church has sarcophagi of various persons of fame whose bodies are immortalized in bronze.  The stained glass windows in the front and back are intricate, jewels, very beautiful.  This is an active church and mother church of all British barristers.  The high alter has the 10 Commandments, Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles Creed.  Besides the Magna Carta exhibit there is a history of the members of Inner Temple and their service in both world wars.  A hole in the floor is covered in Plexiglas showing the original floor and how over time the floor has been raised.  Pat climbs the twisting narrow stairs to the dome.  Not really good views but interesting original floor tiles in this area.  Exiting the Inner Temple, we are able to pass through the large, heavy doors that were locked yesterday, leading to the street.  We stop by the Royal Halls of Justice, Supreme Court, go through the security and are handed a self-guided tour map.  Map not very good and we decide not to waste time trying to decipher.  The main hall is very grand in terms of height and the nearly 300 foot long floor is hand tiled in tiny mosaics.  Head on to St Martin in the Fields Church on Trafalgar Square, the formal City Square.  The four huge black lion statue fountains circle the base of the Nelson Column.  This is a huge plaza.  The National Portrait and National Galleries are here and the large stone gateway to the Pall Mall leading to Buckingham Castle. We can just make out he spires of Westminster Abbey and Parliament.  St Martins is a long favorite of Pat’s.  This is a very progressive, activist church, working with local homeless and foreign concerns.  They have added an outside courtyard food area, very nice addition amid the chaos of the surrounding streets.   It’s a very plain church from the outside but they have built a new glass rotunda entrance to the crypt below. Have had many reasonably priced lunches here.  The crypt is high ceiling brick vaults.  The food is reasonable and good.  This area has become more sophisticated over the years.  The old gift shop and brass rubbing station is now an exhibit for sustainable environment and the Spinners guild.  The new gift shop and brass rubbing center is in the rotunda; shop still has nice things for reasonable prices but not quite like the old shop. We head upstairs for a free organ recital in the sanctuary.  This is one of our fave places. Think wedding cake.  Rococo cream on cream plaster, everything is rounded including the ceiling with curlicues, cherubs, shells, flowers and feathery Corinthian column tops.  This design covers the upper walls, ceiling and altar areas.  The high altar area plaster has been trimmed in gold.  This all contrasts with the very square Federal design of very dark stained wood of the upper balconies, walls and pews on lower level.  There is no stained glass at all, which given the design would detract from the simplicity.  The only color is found on the ceiling over the high alter, the royal coat of arms, rampant lion and unicorn.  There are huge brass Williamsburg type chandeliers.  A remarkably simple but effective large leaded glass window sits over the altar.  Clear glass that has a pattern looking like rays of light.  The leaded squares are linear until it gets to the center, then they curve and flow in a design. The center is a simple frosted oval of glass. It’s Christ on the Cross, but it requires the viewer to stop and contemplate the meaning, more provocative than putting a distinctive face on Christ.  Very well done.  The concert is amazing, better than St. Paul.  The organist is younger but still has an impressive resume.  One of his selections is called Animal Parade, each movement is a different animal and easy to recognize.  There are many free things to do in London, donations are encouraged.  We stop at the National Galleries, Pat always checks out the gift shops.  The galleries are huge and require longer periods of time to be enjoyed.  Have done some of them in the past, but not this trip.  We stop off at Covent Garden.  A large pedestrian brick plaza dedicated to shopping and entertainment.  The Royal Opera House is here and we are surrounded by the theater district.  A market has been here throughout the history of London.  Used to be mostly food for locals, now mostly tourist.  We happen into the Jubilee Market and we are just lucky to be there on the antiques day.  It is filled with old silver, china, jewelry etc.  Pat bought an old photograph of Edinburgh Castle viewed from Grass Market in the original frame here.  Also found that the little Victorian cut glass perfume bottle I bought for $2.00 and gave to a friend years ago, is now selling for $160.00.  Where was the Antiques Road Show when I needed them.  Hope friend is still enjoying.  Stroll over to the old glass covered Covent Market surrounded by stone columns.  High end shops in here and cafes.  There is quality street entertainment, we listen to an accomplished opera singer and then a quartet of strings and flute.  There is an overhead art installation of white balls looking with clouds, they light up like lightning striking. We stroll into Punch and Judy’s, a very old pub located underground, low vaulted brick cave.  Chuck wants to try a hand pulled cask beer.  The Underground for Covent Garden is only an exit.  Must walk down the street to Leister Square station. This is theater, entertainments and shopping area and crazy busy.  It’s rush hour, our worst nightmare on the tube.  We wouldn’t bother but we have a dinner reservation at Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant in the hotel.  There are so many people squashing into the train cars that sometimes they can’t get the doors closed until someone pulls their butt in.  Way too close and claustrophobic.  Thankfully, everyone seems to have bathed, especially when an armpit is in your face.  Thankfully it’s only a couple stops.  Can’t think about what would happen if the train had problems and stopped… in the dark…  Will not do this again!   Change and go to Ramsey’s Maze Grill at the hotel.  He has two restaurants here, Maze, is higher end and rated but we opt for the Grill.  It’s a very modern, minimalist design with windows overlooking Grosvenor Square.  The meal started off well enough, a big glass of complimentary champagne.  In the end, they messed up Chuck’s starter order and didn’t offer to replace, they brought the salads while we were eating the starters, no room on the tiny table so had to send it back.  Pat’s shaved cauliflower salad was interesting, but not over the top. The stars of the show were the Aberdeen Angus rib eyes and the California Cab Sauv.  We had 6 waiters and it was just chaotic.  Thinking how Ramsey’s food show is always about yelling at people who are incompetent, he should probably visit his own Maze Grill.  We declined dessert and coffee.  We’d spent enough on this ala carte menu.  They did remove a charge for Chuck’s starter.  Been there, done that.  But as stated by Samuel Johnson, if one tires of London, one is tired of life.  Infinite variety and constant stimulation and a good time if your feet and cash hold out.  LOL.  Nighty night.