London weather is fickle, one minute a cloudless blue, blink, and there’s an icy wind and sleet. April Fool, indeed.
Nothing went the way I expected, the way I planned, but everything worked out.
My first stop was the Virtual Veronese at the National Gallery. I was excited for this. I pictured gazing around aged stone walls flicking in candlelight and seeing the rich colors of the painter’s hand in vibrant detail. Nope. Total Fail.
To be fair, I’ve never had any kind of virtual experience. Between wearing progressive lenses and having limited vision in one eye, I wasn’t the best candidate for this. Inside the headset I couldn’t see anything well. The virtual monks explaining why the painting was commissioned did not improve the experience . The goggles pressed on my sinuses and the Velcro caught in my hair. The virtual environment looked like an unconvincing Hollywood set. Let’s just say I’m glad the experience was short.
Yet directly afterward, walking into the galleries of actual paintings felt like being embraced by a cherished and trusted friend. And the quality of the art! Ye gods. Gallery after gallery, room after room of iconic masterworks.
I recognized many of them which added to the pleasure.
In honor of April 15th, Two Tax-Gatherers.
I paused at this painting because so many elements spoke to me; drapery, education, terracotta pots, watering. My people! I took a seat, started drawing, and began to settle down, be present, to look and really see. Time flew by.
The museum caption for this one reads in part, ‘Cupid, who holds an arrow suggestively.’ A fine example of British understatement.
Clouds were boiling up in the sky when it was time to leave to see something of the Lambeth Palace gardens. The clouds spit rain, then hail. Though I doubt there is much in bloom this time of year, it’s only open to the public for three hours on the first Friday. Made it to the Garden Museum just in time. Glad I didn’t hurry too much because entry to the Lambeth Palace garden was postponed until May.
Just outside the Garden Museum entrance was a warning to not walk under large trees because of the danger of falling limbs. It was posted directly underneath just such a tree. Talk about mixed messages.
Inside the Garden Museum’s garden is the final resting place of Captain Bligh, who brought back Breadfruit to England. The Captain Bligh of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. Yikes!
Being a passionate gardener myself I found the hand-drawn garden plans, the implements, the oral history and the special rose exhibition compelling.
I was delighted by vintage photographs celebrating the rose across genders and social ranks.
Walked back alongside the Thames River.
There I discovered an unexpected memorial to Covid victims along the southbank, between the bridges. Hundreds of hearts with hand-drawn notes of remembrance and grief, all the different signatures of loss.
Halfway back I knew I’d overdone it. It’s hard to enjoy the delights of London when your body is calling you an idiot. Tomorrow will be better because I will make it so by not walking further than my wonky leg can comfortably handle.
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