Hello, didya miss me? Details to follow..
On Wednesday, Eleanor was back with a Flamenco evening at Sand's Films, olé! Advertised via the London European Club (LEC), booked through TunedIn London. Ah, it was so good to get back there again! I had another late meeting, but had to skip it, once I realised that, despite being blocked for an hour on my calendar, it was to run for another half hour after! Never mind, just another all-company quarterly report - nothing of importance. And at least getting public transport again would save my leg.
So, I actually ended up leaving nice and early - of course, buses to Rotherhithe are always a nightmare, so I was to need every minute I had. I was in good time for the bus to London Bridge, which was where the trouble started - first thing was to find my next bus stop, in this maze of passageways. Well, Google Maps was good enough to direct me there. Down a great big flight of stairs - poor leg. Unfortunately, the Bus Countdown app completely failed to recognise the stop, so I couldn't check bus arrival times - and it was to be one of those long waits, for the #47. To my immense relief, it eventually came. Now, it's a long time since I was down in this direction - or I might have remembered that the #381 would also have done me. Which would have been handy, considering that it would have dropped me much closer, and also that two of those came while I was waiting for the #47..
I did eventually get there - got a seat after one stop, too. And when I got off, I limped my way to the venue. Now, I was hungry - our office kitchen still hasn't been built, so I can't feed myself before I leave - so when I was passing The Ship, I headed in there. True to its name, it's full of nautical knicknacks - model ships line a shelf that runs the length of the room! I got a packet of crisps, which I sat to eat - whereupon I noticed a food menu. Never mind, I really wouldn't have had time for much more.
The whole trip had taken me about an hour and a quarter up to now, so despite my leaving quite early, the venue was open when I got there, and I gratefully took a seat in the cafe - you can get free tea and coffee here, but they don't do much by way of food. I wasn't there long before we were summoned - Eleanor's small daughter is really growing into her role at Front of House, as she unceremoniously cried to us that we should all be inside, as the house was open! Oh, and she was observant enough to catch me as I slipped by, and insist that I had a flier. Had a quick word with Eleanor before I went in, selecting the most comfortable-looking chair I could see. In due course, I was joined by another group member - relatively new to the group, and whom I hadn't met before. We had a nice chat.
..Before Lola arrived. Eleanor had described her music as "provocative".. we were soon to see what she was hinting at, as Lola entered wearing a high comb and mantilla, which she soon dispensed with. Along with much of her outfit. The next song saw her lose even more! but then, she had a costume change with practically every number. Personally, I liked the flat cap she donned towards the end, teamed with a mini-skater dress. But of course, mainly it was about the music.. as we'd been told, this wasn't traditional flamenco, it was her personal take. More jazzy than the traditional format, it was warm and hypnotic. I was completely transported. She also performed two dance numbers - and though I couldn't properly see her feet from where I was, it looked and sounded wonderful.
Her band were from assorted countries, they had cds for sale, but as usual I had no cash. Never mind. Hey, we also got to learn the difference between flamenco shoes and tap shoes - she informed us that tap shoes have a plate on sole and heel, whereas flamenco shoes have nails hammered into them. And the toes have to be reinforced, as tapping is done with the toes. Ah, another great night at Sands Films, and educational too.
Afterwards, I limped out, just in time to catch a bus. And nearly froze my tush off waiting for the second one - what with that and my sore leg, I was pretty miserable by the time I got back home.
On Thursday, I was booked with London Literary Walks, which are getting more frequent again - last week, it was Krays, Chaucer and Matches.. Predictably though, I had to cancel; my leg was still just too sore. I decided it'd be nice just to stay in and rest.
Now I'm back in Ireland for the long weekend. Funny thing happened on Friday.. Now that I'm flying Ryanair, I have mobile boarding passes all the time. Well - after changing gates without any announcement (we happened to notice it on a departures board), we all rushed over to the new gate. Well, some of us went quite slowly. Anyway, sometimes they scan your pass themselves, sometimes they make you do it. This time, he did it - and as he handed me back my phone, he accidentally swiped it, and my boarding pass closed. I didn't think anything of it - until I discovered that my internet reception was so poor that I couldn't get it back! I was still trying when I entered the door of the plane, and explained the situation to the attendant. Happily, I remembered my seat number - she reassured me that we'd sort it, but warned me that she needed to see it!
Never did come back to look for it, mind. Despite the fact that I got a burst of internet during the long time we waited to take off, and managed to display it in the end. Anyway, point is, at that point I realised that my leg didn't hurt any more! The stress of all that scared the pain away, I guess. Well, it's still very sore, but the limp is pretty much gone, thank goodness. And now I'm loving just having a few days to recuperate and reset. Stop the world, I want to get off, as they say!
I've also finally had a chance to think about the week ahead. I fly back tomorrow (delays permitting - boy, was I lucky with it being a long weekend!), and was thinking about a film for Tuesday - the film list was the main reason for the delay in blogging, as usual. But what came up didn't appeal much - not Bollywood for once, but The Trout, a documentary about the preparation for a classical concert. It's free, and being in the Southbank Centre, is of course followed by a performance of Schubert's Trout Quintet. Nothing on Meetup either, typically. However, another check of the website of my £3.60 club revealed a whole new range of offers, since I last checked.. so now, instead, I have a ticket for the TriOperas at the Peacock. More expensive than normal for them, at £5.40 it still represents a terrific saving on the cheapest official ticket price of £15. Very cloak-and-dagger collection process though - I have to get my ticket, between 6 and 7pm, from the Pret across the road, from someone with a pink clipboard! Oh, and as usual, say the club name in a whisper..
On Wednesday, more opera - the LEC has advertised the Pop-Up Opera's performance of a Mozart Double Bill, in St. Mary's Islington. Just like last year, it's part of the Soul in the City festival - and it's free! Tickets necessary, and available from Eventbrite - and now sold out, predictably. Sadly, it seems that London Literary Walks have moved next week's walk to the same day.. well, too bad, I just can't bring myself to miss Pop-Up Opera. It's another of the signs of summer! And it's hilarious, and it'll give my leg some more time to heal.
On Thursday, London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night (therefore Funzing) have an interesting-sounding talk about Black Tudors: Three Untold Stories. Seeing as how I missed a Funzing talk a while back, because I couldn't find it, and they offered to book me on another for free.. albeit it was weeks ago.. I've emailed to see whether the offer still stands. Watch this space.
And on Friday, back with the LEC for yet more music! The London Jazz Meetup also has an event on that night, but the LEC's sounds better on YouTube - part of the Songlines Encounters Festival at King's Place, and they're doing the double bill for the evening, which scores a 20% discount. (30% off if you book for three events in the festival, but I'm unlikely to do that.)
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