This post is Part 2 of our September journey across the pond, about the fourth day of our trip to London, England. You can read about the first three days in the post A Quick Trip Across the Pond.
Wednesday – The British Museum, 6 miles in Hyde Park, and A Man for All Seasons
After two day trips, our fourth day in England involved less travel, but we still had a packed itinerary. We started the morning with a visit to the impressive British Museum. With over 8 million works, the museum boasts the largest collection in the world. Knowing we could spend all day wandering, we perused the website beforehand to plan our route and make the most of our time.
On the top of both our friend’s and my list was the Rosetta Stone. It was fascinating to see such an important and iconic historical object which many only hear about in the States. Nate looked forward to seeing the Clocks and Watches gallery, which featured time pieces from the year 1300 to the present. Living and Dying in Room 24 included a fascinating installation called Cradle to Grave, describing the medical history of a man and woman in Britain through a visual timeline of pills and medical treatments.
After dining at the museum cafe and checking off the rest of the galleries on our list, we returned to our hotel where we intended to rest before our evening. However, Nate and I apparently believe rest is for the weary, because we decided instead to practice for an upcoming race by running a quick 6 miles through Hyde Park. But no good deed goes unpunished, because we got caught in a quick downpour!
Our evening brought us to the main reason for our visit to London: to see Martin Shaw in a production of A Man for All Seasons at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Our friend is a big fan of Martin and couldn’t miss the opportunity to see him live on stage.
Before the show, we enjoyed a unique culinary experience at the award winning restaurant Fallow. We shared plates including the burrata with caramelized onion and crispy chili dressing; the corn ribs with kombu seasoning; the Tandoori cauliflower with yoghurt, hazelnut, and Kashmiri butter; and the Mayan red chocolate cream from the dessert menu. The staff were courteous and attentive, and everything was delicious.
Then we made our way over to the theatre, which was a short walk from the restaurant. While we waited in the lobby for the house to open, our friend discretely pointed out another British actor who was there to see the production as well. We could tell she was excited as she led us to our seats, which were as close to the stage as possible in the intimate and ornate auditorium.
A Man for All Seasons portrays the experience of the British Statesman Sir Thomas More whose refusal to endorse Henry VIII’s divorce led to his execution. Martin Shaw played the lead role in an engaging and emotional performance. After the final curtain, we quickly made our way outside to the stage door so our friend could get an autograph. Unfortunately, Mr. Shaw was engaged with guests back stage, so she couldn’t meet him, but a crew member kindly took her playbook to be signed.
This trip almost didn’t happen for our friend, and Nate and I were so glad that she shared this experience with us. After she got her playbook back, we made our way back to our hotel where we’d rest up for our next adventure: a day trip to Eastbourne and the Seven Sisters Country Park. But more on that in a future post!
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