Day 29 Old London and Shakespeare

We have tickets for Shakespeare at 2 pm today so we are exploring for a few hours. It is so interesting to see today's London with London of the past right in the middle of it. In America we would remove everything and start again. And eventually America will have no past to look at except in the museums.

Here is the Millennium Bridge, the first London bridge built in 100 years. What a contrast! St. Paul's Cathedral on one end, the 4th church on that site starting in 606 AD and Tate Modern, Impressionist to Modern art, connected by a bridge built in 2000.

And right down the Thames is The Golden Hind, a replica of an English galleon used by Sir Francis Drake to circumnavigate the globe from 1577 to 1580. It was so tiny for such a long voyage.

The Globe Theater has been rebuilt, half timbered and thatched, just like the original theater of 1599. Shakespeare continues to live here with plays performed year round. You can also tour the theater at different time everyday.

We had tickets for Romeo & Juliet. The ending was just as sad even knowing the story. The seats were hard wood but rental cushions were available. Yes, we did rent them! The play goes on no matter the weather even though there is no roof. It must be beautiful seeing Shakespeare performed with snow falling.

There were two ladies from Cornwall beside us who have been coming to a play every year since 1985. How lucky to come to London every year and just see the sites!

I made some notes for when I get back home. I want recipes for scones, and shortbread cookies and Mushroom Stroganoff. There hasn't been one thing we didn't eat. And another note-bring a few cold weather clothing items. I had to buy a sweater and would have bought gloves if they hadn't been out of season. We finished up today by walking over 7 miles. Tomorrow we fly back home.