Sandy Supposes....

From court to clock to kinky boots

PROMPT: Arrival in London, England

         Woohoo! Our brotherhood of backpackers has invaded England, and it was all so civilized; no bloodshed, no tears, and no capturing of flags. Well, there were a few tears. We did travel over The English Channel and its stinging salt water. We were a wee bit fatigued, and running on fumes. We did laugh until we cried. We did miss the continent, oh how European. We are realizing that the end to our memorable trek is in sight. Our' landing' involved reservations. The British anticipated our imminent arrival. This was no blitz attack.

         Ah, Great Britain, home to hilarious comedies, awesome writers, fantastic music, and masterful mysteries. A country that claims to be English-speaking. A country with a monarch, and a parliament.

         Not bad Lyn's a Witchy Woman , this Nadler Soho gets a nod of approval. This hotel bills itself as being an "oasis of calm"; we shall see. It does have undeniable location in the entertainment/theatre district. My backpack seems to like the ambiance.

          We waste no time today, we hit the street running. Well, okay, we weren't actually moving fast enough to ruffle our hair, but we were eager to explore. Our first tour took us through St. James' Park to Buckingham Palace, residence of Queen Elizabeth. No, I never caught a glimpse of Liz perhaps out walking her corgis, or reading in the garden, or waving from a balcony. Her Royal Highness didn't appear to greet me, or offer me a hot cuppa. Imagine tea and bickies/cookies with the matriarch/monarch. I bet she'd be a phenomenal conversationalist.

          There's no missing the Queen's Guards in their distinctive red tunics and bearskins,(hats). Do you suppose they practise balancing those huge furry hats on their heads? The red is very bright. Now I understand that old cry from their enemies, "The red coats are coming!" Red radiates bravado, confidence, an in-your-face colour. They serve more of a ceremonial role now. In theory and tradition , they guard the Queen, but in reality, there is a palace police force. Supposedly, their numbers at the front gate signify if the monarch is in residence or not. Four guards indicate her presence while two mean she is away.

         Westminster Abbey is impressive with its "gothic grandeur." In the College Garden are graves of famous writers such as Hardy and Dickens.

         At the Houses of Parliament on the Thames River, I immediately noticed Big Ben on the Elizabeth Tower. This symbolizes England. I learned it is the second-largest four-faced chiming clock in the world. Minneapolis City Hall boasts the largest. It is an engineering marvel that has withstood bombing blitzes during WW 2. In 2009, Big Ben celebrated its 150th anniversary. This sure beats the stamina of a Timex wrist watch! Maybe a certain clock should have had that slogan:'takes a lickin', and keeps on tickin'." We have all heard about British slang. SB Musing and I stifled giggles with this thought. So, do the Brits refer to a tall, reliable, punctual man as Big Ben??

         Supper and its fish and chips,oh, how very English. Even the name has an authentic Brit feel to it, Baileys. The food was delicious, and the malt vinegar was the best. I asked for peas with my meal, but not mushy peas. Peas are not a pretty vegetable, and even less so when mashed. Many moons ago, my hubby's maternal grandparents ran a fish and chip shop in Bath. We both wish we'd been able to visit it. I've been told there is a delicacy known as bubble and squeak, um, maybe I'll sample some while I'm here.This is a time when the English spoken differs from that at home. Chips in Canada and the States are known here as 'crisps'. Chips, fries. they are the same thing.

          I can't believe we are booked to see 'Kinky Boots'! I cannot lie, I am a fan of musical theatre. I regrettably missed the production when it was located in Toronto. I grew up listening to Cyndi Lauper music, and she is the composer/collaborator for this show. The mood at the theatre was one of high energy. The music was incredible and the orchestra was superb. Yes, it was fun and feisty. It was a hilarious production. Several times we had to be shushed and shooed back into our seats by smiling ushers. We couldn't help ourselves, we just had to dance in the aisles with our happy feet. NaNoKit SB Musing Sally WakeUpAndLive~doingNaNo'24 💙 Carly-wrimo 2024 and I swayed and stomped. We twisted and twerked. We were gob-smacked, yes, really, we were.Fivesixer had to be pulled to his reluctant feet. We weren't going to let him sit while there was great music to celebrate. One for all. and all for one...

          Some of us never dare to strut, or more accurately, hobble, in thigh-high stiletto boots. We understood the message of this feel-good show. As Lola, the cabaret performer/drag queen/shoe designer says, "Accept someone for who they are." We're loud and proud, aren't we? Our walking cast boots are 'klunky', not 'kinky', but we make them work for us. Maybe some red glitter could perk them up... Yes, this reminded me of Dorothy and 'The Wizard of Oz', 'cause we're not in Kansas anymore. Hmm, if we clicked our boot cast heels together would we be healed??

          Ta Lyn's a Witchy Woman ! This has been an unforgettable first day in London. In those pleading words from Oliver Twist, "Please, sir, I want some more."