Tour: Wonders of the National Gallery

This morning, 9am (ouch), I had another interview with one of the companies I'm considering - I've put a hurry on them, on account of being at the final stages with their rivals. Had to be early, because in the middle of the day, I'd booked for another tour with Laurence and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners - Wonders of the National Gallery. Heading for lunch after to the Lamb and Flag.

Interview went well, I thought - and wouldn't you know it, the drilling started right after I hung up! Spectacular timing. No word back from them yet though, and they were supposed to get back to me this evening - well, no news is good news.. Anyway, I grabbed a banana and headed out. And given that I was getting buses there, I was on time, this time! Wasn't entirely sure where we were meeting, but as I rounded the building, there was someone I hadn't seen in an age - who spotted me. And sure enough, that was where we all grouped - Laurence in his summer hat again. I shall have to start calling him the Man with the Hat, if he keeps this up! So, so many people there that I hadn't seen in ages - and it was great to see them.

We trooped inside, and he gathered us together in the lobby for an initial word, attracting the attention of some passers-by. He explained that this was a private tour, and off they went - however, as he said, he couldn't really do that in the galleries. And sure enough, as we went around, lots of hangers-on benefitted from his wisdom as he delved into the finer points of famous paintings. I've seen this tour advertised before, but never been able to go - so felt myself very lucky today!

We started in the Middle Ages - with the Wilton Diptych! Now, most of what I ended up taking photos of were paintings I've actually seen before - and this is one. I've done an awful lot of reading about royalty over the years, and this is one picture of Richard II that I have seen - just not the whole artefact!

Just grabbed this next one in passing - thought it looked nice:

You know when you've hit Leonardo:

The mysterious portrait with hidden meanings:

I was faced with an absolute riot of paintings that I knew, when we came to the Hans Holbein section! The main focus was - naturally enough - on The Ambassadors:

but there were other old friends there, such as Christina of Denmark:

and the man she didn't particularly want to marry, Henry VIII himself, sketched in the corner:

On to more modern pieces, and a couple painted by Gainsborough - she was looking a bit shifty-eyed, it seemed:

We saw Turner:

Constable's Hay Wain:

and to finish, a couple of Monets:

and van Goghs:

(The obvious one to photograph here would have been Sunflowers. But I never took to it. Unlike the person with the face mask of that design!)

What a smorgasbord of amazing art to absorb. And all through the gallery, Laurence picked famous paintings to stand in front of and describe to us - their significance, their symbolism, their hidden meanings. I've always loved that in art.. wonder whether any of the casual listeners roundabouts the gallery got something from it!

Well, we got a lot from that, and I'm delighted I went - but it was somewhat exhausting, and we were glad to head for lunch.

Where the convivial host had reserved a section of the upstairs for us! and we were tastily fed - me on the steak pie, Laurence on the fish pie, others on salads, sausages, or sandwiches.. took a while to come out, but it was worth the wait. And after a most pleasant and relaxed lunch, as we were leaving, we took note of the Christmas menu. Yep, you read right.. watch this space!

Now, that had nothing to do with me missing my flight. Which I did. Blasted bus got mired in traffic, took forever to get to the station, and I missed the train I needed to get. The timetables are erratic, and the next wouldn't get me there in time - I tried Uber, but first the app insisted on being updated, and then took forever - I had to go back to street level to get it to work! Then it refused my card - and by the time I'd added my Irish card details, Uber couldn't have got me there in time either. Now, I know the flights are usually delayed (and indeed, tonight's was, and I should just have got the train after all, as it turned out) - but you can't depend on it. So I rebooked, at a premium rate, for the morning flight, and went back home. Bah humbug. And now I have to get up ridiculously early.

So TOMORROW I'm back to Ireland for the weekend - tried, once more, to get my car serviced, but for two days in a row, nobody was answering the phone. So, sod that - I'll get my taxi driver to take it for a service somewhere else. Which leaves me free to go to a film tomorrow afternoon - and what's coming up is Bullet Train, an adventure caper with a Japanese bullet train full of assassins, one of whom is Brad Pitt. Looks like fun - I've seen so many trailers for this! Ennis it is.

On Monday - yes, I am succumbing. Finally managed to get a decently priced (seated) ticket to Abba Voyage. Hell, I love Abba, and even if they have been replaced by avatars - it's supposed to be a spectacular show. Kind of has to be done..

On Tuesday, I've booked with London Classical Music and Theatre Group - Didi, from the group, who is herself a classical guitarist, is playing a free Summer Music Festival concert in the Holy Sepulchre Church, which should be lovely.

That evening, I'm at Chasing Hares, at the Young Vic. And wouldn't you know it, CT now has ticket offers for this..

On Wednesday, I'm with a new Meetup group - Soho Comedy Factory Shows and Socials, which organises free events on Wednesdays at the aforementioned Soho Comedy Factory. Unless something better comes along - I've had bad experiences with free comedy!

On Thursday, I've booked a free ticket with an improv group called Kid Smokers Improv! at Barons Court Theatre. (It's Pay What You Can, actually.) They're actually stepping in while Avocado Presents takes a summer holiday - they seem to have a residency here, now. Anyway, I've seen Avocado Presents before, and they're excellent - so I figure I'll give these people a shot! Avocado Presents, interestingly, have a Meetup group now - Watch Improv & Chat Comedy! which I've also just joined.

Next Friday, I've booked for the Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street Tour with Poppy's Events for 40s 50s and 60s, another new group to me. But Laurence has a walk that day as well - the Strange Tales of Old (and New) London Tour, which, you know, I'll go on if I'm free.. haven't booked it yet though.

On the 13th, I'm off to see The Ehrlich Brothers, a magic show at the Wembley Arena. This is with Friendly Frolickers 50+ Meetup Group - so I've joined them as well, making that four new groups in a row! I was - as often happens - rather frazzled when I booked though, and completely forgot that they have their own, discounted tickets! Blast - they do this specifically so that they can sit together. Well, I've booked my own - more expensively - and explained. Can't be helped.

And on the 14th, I've booked with the 45+s again - but not with Laurence this time! They do have walks guided by other people, and this one is of Brick Lane.