Monday 18 December 2017

Nürnberg Christmas Market - Day V

Well, last Monday - having taken the day off work - I was booked for the Barbershop Chronicles. At the National. But of course, my flight back from Nürnberg was cancelled because of snowstorms in Stansted, and we couldn't get seats on a replacement flight until Tuesday. So, another couple of days in Nürnberg beckoned - which was just fine with us, as we hadn't seen everything yet!

Our day started with some light entertainment on WhatsApp, from the people who'd taken the bus at 9pm the previous day - which, as it turned out, wasn't without its problems:

07:27 Guys @ Paris, our bus is delayed and new departure is at 10.00.

..but they did, apparently, have a nice breakfast while they were waiting. On our side, after a stop at the rather excellent tourist information office - good for buying souvenirs, as well as gleaning information, for local cultural events as well as sights - we started church-hopping again, with the church of St. Klara:


(Lots) more photos here. We swung by a police station:


..and finally made it into the Frauenkirche, the church overlooking the Christkindlesmarkt:


Seeking lunch, we headed for the attractive building we'd already passed several times, which turned out to be the Goldenes Posthorn, and quite touristy:


..where the schnitzel was recommended to us by an American lady at the next table, and did turn out to be quite palatable. Afterwards, we wandered for a bit, and returned to the hotel to chill. While, of course, keeping up with the news:

16.01 Are you home now?

(They should have been, half an hour before.)

16.07 No. Now stuck 60km from Calais with the motorway shut due to the snow. Unlikely to move until 10.00pm and home in the early hours of the morning.

Jeez.. and it was to continue:

22.02 We might be moving in 20 minutes.

And for us, dinner in Maestro, which is cheap and cheerful, but the pasta could be tastier. Then to bed. On Tuesday, I booked a Funzing talk - Interviews With a Serial Killer, courtesy of London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night. For which, with their new loyalty scheme, I earned £10 credit! Not so shabby.. But it wasn't very Christmassy, all the same, and I subsequently booked an evening at Keats House, with London Social Detours. Where they explored Christmas in the Romantic era - ahh! Sadly, not now possible.

Back at last, and on Wednesday, my last visit of the year to Sands Films - finally advertised on Meetup, through the World Music MeetupTunedIn London had a concert by Plastikes Karekles, a Greek group. The friend I've been persuading to go to the Crick Crack events had suggested that night for a nostalgic trip, by some of us, to Top Secret - I would rather do that, but unfortunately he couldn't get anyone else to agree, so we postponed the idea.

On Thursday, my friends who came to Soho a while ago were headed to Wilton's Music Hall, for something called The Box of Delights. And for once, I let them decide for me, and went myself too.

On Friday, my final trip of the year to the Crick Crack Club - Jan Blake was performing Masters of Hex at the British Library. Along with Ben Haggerty and TUUP. Same friend going with me as did on the 29th, and Helen too - and the same lunatic. Who would probably avoid us, and good enough for her. On Saturday, I flew back to Ireland for Christmas - a good chance to get my head together, with everything that's going on!

Flying back to London on the 2nd of January, and on the 3rd I've booked to see Stewart Lee at Leicester Square Theatre. Determinedly not in the front two rows - not for a comedy show!

On the 4th of January, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats (Happy New Year to them!), who are off to see Hanna, at the Arcola.

On the 5th of January, I thought Time Out threw me a curiously interesting event - so I'm going on this Space Descent VR experience, at the Science Museum. I'll have to leave work early for it - there are timed slots, and it consists of wearing goggles, and living the experience of a descent to earth, with the astronaut Tim Peake narrating in your ears.

On the 6th of January, Crick Crack is back! Happy New Year to them too. The story of When Time Began is being told at King's Place. Creation myths. And wouldn't you know it, we're being treated to a host of performers - the husband and wife team, Emily and Nick Hennessy, and co-founder of the club, the amazing Ben Haggerty. Accompaniment provided by the wonderful musician, Sheema Mukherjee.

On the 7th of January, another Happy new Year - this time to Let's Do This (LDT), who are off to an art exhibition. Gilbert & George: the Beard Pictures and their Fuckosophy. Sorry, but that is the title. Showing at the White Cube Gallery. Honestly, but for the group that's hosting, I wouldn't bother..

And finally, more art on the 8th of January, which I'll probably enjoy more. I'm taking the day off to go see Reflections at the National Gallery - an exhibition of Pre-Raphaelites, which, with a free day, I can peruse at my leisure. As inspired by a walk by the excellent London Literary Walks - roll on the summer, and a return of those! Oh, and just today, LDT advertised another trip to the excellent Vintage Swing Jazz evenings at Wilton's - for the evening of the 8th. And why not, indeed? So I booked that, too..

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