What a day in London town!
I woke up an hour later than I meant to (whoops...) and started my day of flying solo. I started taking the Picadilly line back to Leicester square to pick up tickets for Wicked. 3 tickets at 24.50 a piece? Check! With that mission accomplished, I was on my way to Trafalgar Square.
The National Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery
The National Gallery is impossible to miss. It is a beautiful, white building that just screams
Europe. I wandered in, got an audio guide, and set off on a self-led tour of art through the centuries. I particularly enjoyed the Van Gogh collections, including this famous piece Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers. I also enjoyed a great variety from the 15th century to Monet.
After perusing the Gallery, I took a pit-stop in the cafe at the museum to grab a lunch. I made a good choice with a chicken, bacon, and avocado sandwich. Simple, uncomplicated, and delicious!
The National Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery's next door neighbor, was my second stop. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it! The Portrait Gallery is a very eclectic mix of works from the Tudor period through modern day photography. The display itself is set up in a way that takes visitors through British history,
making for a cohesive visit. I really enjoyed looking for historical figures I recognized, but I wasn't too comfortable with a bust that was made of the artist's frozen blood - ew.
I greatly overestimated myself and initially planned on going to the British Museum in the afternoon, but I forgot how long I actually take in galleries! After spending a solid 5 hours between the 2 galleries, I had to take the tube back home for a rest before our night out!
I was lucky to be able to talk with my mom for a while when I got back. I hope you had fun at the wedding, Mommy!
After showering and getting ready, I met up with Katelyn and Nargis. We headed out in the London rain to find the theatre! We took the Victoria line for 5 stops and got off at the Victoria station, where we instantly saw the huge Wicked sign above the theatre entrance. It showed at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, which is right by Buckingham Palace.
Wicked was awesome! It was my third time seeing the show, and it never fails to amaze me. I was really entertained by the mix of accents - Elphaba had a purely American singing voice, but her speaking voice had a British flair. Same with Glinda, who I think is originally American. Fiero, however, had a hard core British accent while singing "DAHHHncing through Life" - it really threw me off!
Katelyn and Nargis really enjoyed the show too. We are definitely going to have more West End nights in the near future!
Tomorrow is a bus tour of the city and then probably shopping. Keep staying tuned :)
Outside the Apollo Victoria Theatre excited to see Wicked!
The stage before the show
