Two weeks ago I stood where Christabel stood.
This past week I stood where Cumberbatch stood.
On my third trip to London, I met up with W, one of the only people I actually knew before landing here. He was being very secretive about where he was taking me for lunch. It was the day after my 26th birthday (shut up you guys, those people don't know how old I am will believe it) and he made it a special day indeed. I kept my eye out for something familiar as we walked, trying to figure out where he was taking me. We were half a block away when I looked across the the street and saw it...
SPEEDY'S SANDWICH BAR AND CAFE!!!!!
This past week I stood where Cumberbatch stood.
On my third trip to London, I met up with W, one of the only people I actually knew before landing here. He was being very secretive about where he was taking me for lunch. It was the day after my 26th birthday (shut up you guys, those people don't know how old I am will believe it) and he made it a special day indeed. I kept my eye out for something familiar as we walked, trying to figure out where he was taking me. We were half a block away when I looked across the the street and saw it...
SPEEDY'S SANDWICH BAR AND CAFE!!!!!
That's right, the cafe right next to the door used as 221B Baker Street in the BBC series Sherlock. I had thought of going several times but couldn't bring myself to stand across the street and stare at it, while trying to stealthily take a picture. I was embarrassed and, lets face it, stealthy is not on my list of special skills. But now I was with someone and we were going in to sit down and eat! There were obviously others there for the same reason. The girls beside us talked calmly about Doctor Who and a middle aged man took pictures of the cast pictures on the walls. There were just enough photos to pay tribute and not turn it into a shrine.
"I'll have to take a picture outside," I admitted to W. "I know." He sighed understandably. And so I ate my first English fish and chips in the small, cramped, fantastic cafe. Food was good, but they probably could have served me rubbish and I would have been happy. We sat and chatted and looked at the pictures. Then headed out for our own pics and the rest of our day. And so I stood where Cumberbatch stood. |
We wandered through Russell Square Park and sat for an ice cream. I thought, Lindsay, you can't take a picture of everything. So I didn't, and only afterward did I realize it was the park that appeared in the first episode of Sherlock, where Watson bumps into his old colleague who introduces him to Holmes.
I've discovered that semi guided wandering of the city with someone else who knows some of it is really a great way to see London. It's casual, allows for impulse, and is informative all at once. We made our way to the British Museum. Once again, free! I realized it's a good thing to know where all these free things are, incase I'm wandering the city and need to use the loo. (Also, of course, because they are free and interesting.) I will spend many a day wandering this giant museum, but for now we popped through the Egypt section and headed to the cafe on the top floor and had a delightful afternoon tea.
I've discovered that semi guided wandering of the city with someone else who knows some of it is really a great way to see London. It's casual, allows for impulse, and is informative all at once. We made our way to the British Museum. Once again, free! I realized it's a good thing to know where all these free things are, incase I'm wandering the city and need to use the loo. (Also, of course, because they are free and interesting.) I will spend many a day wandering this giant museum, but for now we popped through the Egypt section and headed to the cafe on the top floor and had a delightful afternoon tea.
After a remarkably confusing trip to the loo, we were off for some more wandering. Eventually, W had to leave me for a work meeting This meant he couldn't join me for the rest of the evening, which was half of the fun of the day. Months ago, we bought tickets to Richard III at Trafalgar Studios starring Martin Freeman, of, you guessed it, Sherlock fame. Ok, so he's done some other stuff. Whatever. I had time to kill so I wandered back to the ever poplar Piccadilly Circus to take a few more Sherlock inspired pictures of places I'd wandered by my previous visit but hadn't gotten shots of. Why not make it a Sherlock Tour, like the Rebel Tour? So, here they are:
I made my way to Trafalgar Studios and met A, who has taken me into her home, and who gladly took the extra ticket, being a theatre fan herself. Of course, my phone died just before I got there so I couldn't get a picture! "A camera! And camera! My kingdom for a camera!" So, I stole this one from Trafalgar Transformed's twitter profile.
And it was wonderful. The small venue meant we were all close to the action. Director Jamie Lloyd's mission to bring Shakespeare to the young folk was evident in this production. Script cuts meant a quicker pace, most deaths occurring on stage (splatter zone included) meant it was more visceral, and lights and sounds demanded your attention. Of course there were things about it that weren't my favourite, but I really did enjoy it. And Martin was great. Different, and not everyone's cup of tea, but I loved watching him and the others do their thing.
A moment came is the second act, when Richard is really hitting his evil stride, where I was struck by how amazing the moment was. Sitting in London's West End, watching Martin "the Hobbit/Watson" Freeman being thrilling on stage 8 rows away from me, and I thought of how lucky I am. And what an opportunity this is. And all of the people who got me here. Who believe in me and this crazy chance I'm taking. Who want me to succeed as much as I do. And suddenly you were all there with me. And I may have cried a little bit. And then blood splattered over the first row and I was back into the action.
So thank you, everyone back home, and here in England. I take each one of you with me.
A moment came is the second act, when Richard is really hitting his evil stride, where I was struck by how amazing the moment was. Sitting in London's West End, watching Martin "the Hobbit/Watson" Freeman being thrilling on stage 8 rows away from me, and I thought of how lucky I am. And what an opportunity this is. And all of the people who got me here. Who believe in me and this crazy chance I'm taking. Who want me to succeed as much as I do. And suddenly you were all there with me. And I may have cried a little bit. And then blood splattered over the first row and I was back into the action.
So thank you, everyone back home, and here in England. I take each one of you with me.