London Trip
May 17-23, 1999
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Originally, I was going to London to meet up with several of the folks on the "James Horner Discussion Board" for his concert that he was giving with the London Philharmonic at the Royal Albert Hall. Well, when the concert plans fell through and it was cancelled, the four of us traveling via plane were stuck with non-transferable, non-refundable plane tickets. After discussing the situation, we decided to meet up anyway. It was an experience that I was greatly looking forward to. Not only would it be fun to meet these fine people face-to-face, but I had also never been overseas at all. Definitely an experience all around.
I left Minneapolis the night of May 17th and headed for Iceland where I would then change planes and head to Heathrow Airport in London, England. After a very long flight I arrived in London on the 18th and went through customs. Jonny, a guy from the board who lived in Sheffield, was to pick me up, and to my joy and surprise, he was there right on time. I was so excited to be in London! We talked for a few hours, and he was sweet enough to let me sleep for an hour at the airport. You see, Jonny thought we had to wait for Sheri and Tom (two more from the board who were coming in from California). I thought we didn't but neither one of us communicated our thoughts very clearly, so after running from terminal to terminal and not finding them, we decided to get a cab to the hotel. The ride into London was expensive, but it gave me a chance to see a lot of the city. We arrived at the Dover Hotel in the late afternoon and checked into the room. When Jonny and I walked into our room, which was supposed to fit five of us, we just about lost it! It was so small! There were four beds, one of which was a double, and they were crammed in this space made for three singles. The bathroom was tiny, as well. Initially, I was depressed about the size of the room, but after we met up with Tom and Sheri a few minutes later, I realized that we were truly "roughing it in Europe" and would get to know each other REALLY well! After Sheri and Tom arrived and we all unpacked, we headed out to catch a bite to eat.
It was great meeting Jonny and seeing Tom and Sheri again. The conversation was as rich as the food, and we all decided to hit a pub, St. George's Tavern, near our hotel. Jonny introduced me to a drink called Hootch. Oh god, I LOVE Hootch! After the drink, we came back to the hotel and planned out the next four days and called it a night.
The next morning was Wednesday, and we woke up early to get in everything we had planned that day. Our first stop was Victoria Station to get a daily tube pass for Jonny and me (Tom and Sheri and weekly passes) and to convert some travelers checks to pounds. We then headed to Abbey Road Studios where Dr. Horner had recorded such scores as "Braveheart" and "The Mask of Zorro" (oh, yeah, and the Beatles hung out there, too!).
We wrote all over the signs and walls about James Horner where others had written about the Beatles. We also did the "tourist" thing and crossed the street outside the studios, mimicking the Beatles. After Abbey Road, we walked to Baker Street and saw where Sherlock Holmes lived.
We were going to try to meet Martin for lunch around noon, but he got caught up at work, so we walked around Regent's Park. The park was a beautiful contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city.
After we caught a bite to eat, we headed to the Royal Academy of Music, one of the most prestigious music conservatories in the world (also, where James Horner went to school). We unfortunately could not get a tour of the facilities due to final recitals, but just being in the building was an experience.
It was such a beautiful building, and I could just feel the musical energy running through the school. Sheri decided, after this, to crash at the hotel for a bit, and Jonny, Tom, and I went on to Madame Tussault's, the famous wax museum. The characters were so great!
Hugh Grant, Anthony Hopkins, Alfred Hitchcock, Harrison Ford, Bill Clinton, Princess Diana, everyone was in there! Some were so realistic that it was almost spooky the way they starred back at you! After Madame Tussault's, the guys and I headed back to the hotel to get ready for the Springstein concert that night.
We had great seats, and I even got some pictures when the security guard wasn't looking. Bruce really put on a great show… he was quite the performer. The set was nice and long - almost three hours long! The E Street Band was in top form, as well. It was a great time!
The next morning, we had a bit of trouble waking up, and so we didn't get started on our busy day until right before 11:00. (Oops!) Our first stop was the Tower of London. The Tower has been the home of many kings and queens and was also a prison for some of the deadliest criminals.
Today, as with most of the historical monuments of London, it is a tourist trap. The crown jewels are kept within the Tower, as well as many other timeless artifacts. Sheri and Jonny went together on a whirlwind tour of the Tower, as they had to pick up Karsten, another guy from the board who was flying in from Germany, at Heathrow. After Tom and I spent a few hours at the Tower, we had fish and chips in a little joint by the Thames. After lunch, we headed for St. Paul's Cathedral. After only being there a short time, we both decided to come back on Sunday morning for the communion service.
After we walked around the Cathedral, we headed for Piccadilly Circus to the Hard Rock Café. I was amazed that no one seamed to know where exactly it was, so we got off at the wrong tube stop, and had to walk 20 minutes. It was a nice walk, nonetheless. Tom and I got a chance to get to know each other better and we saw Hyde Park. After getting our souvenirs at Hard Rock, we raced back to the hotel, nearly an hour late because of the walk. We all, then, got ready for that night's concert; a production of Verdi's "Otello" put on by the London Symphony Orchestra. After waiting a bit for Martin (the last of the party who worked in London as a programmer) and a mix-up with our tube passes, we arrived at the concert 20 minutes late.
I was so disappointed that we had missed the first of four acts, but when we got into the Barbican Concert Hall and sat down, all my frustrations were put to rest. Rather than a production of the opera, which is what I had expected, the LSO was laid across a massive stage with the vocalists in front just to the left of the conductor. I was so pleased that I would be able to see Sir Colin Davis conduct rather than just imagine what he was doing in the orchestra pit. The concert was glorious; never in my life have I ever heard an orchestra as spectacular as the LSO. The vocalists were outstanding as well, headed by Jose Cura as Otello. After the performance, I got some pictures of the orchestra (because, hey, when was I going to see this again?).
The six of us also got a formal picture of us in the lobby of the Barbican. We then headed out to SoHo to go clubbing. We found this place called "Equinox." I danced with Tom, Jonny, and Martin (Karsten didn't dance) as well as a few chaps I met there.
After the Equinox, we stammered home, exhausted.
The next day was a very late start. Martin had already left, as he had to work that day, so it was just the five of us again. We left the Dover about noon and went straight to Carnaby Street to do some shopping for our families and friends back home. After Carnaby Street, we went to Piccadilly Circus and Trafalger Square.
Jonny explained to me that Trafalger Square is where Londoners spend New Year's Eve. The four foreigners posed for a quick picture on the huge fountain in the center of the Square.
We then made our way towards Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. Along the way, we saw the Ministry of Defense and where the Prime Minister lives on Downing Street. Big Ben was so spectacular!
I loved the architecture of the whole city, but it was this area of London that really got me. We decided to not tour Westminster Abbey due to lack of time as Sheri and Karsten were going to another Springstein concert that night.
Tom, Jonny, and I headed back to SoHo for a bite to eat and a night on the town. London was beginning to get very busy as a giant soccer tournament was the next day. Tom and I decided to take Jonny to the TGI-Fridays that was there (I couldn't believe that there was a TGIFs in London!) and introduce him to strawberry margaritas (he liked it!). We then went to the IMAX cinema that was in a mall across the street. I had never been to an IMAX, so it was quite the experience. The film was about Mount Everest, and there was an outstanding animation short before it called "More." After the film, we headed back to the Westminster tube stop to meet up with Sheri and Karsten. We all watched Big Ben chime midnight and snapped a few pictures before heading back to the hotel.
Saturday was our last full day in London, and we still had a lot to do. Martin met up with us at the hotel that morning and we all went (except for Tom who wanted to stay back for some time alone) to Buckingham Palace.
There was a huge crowd lined up, and we were all really excited that something was going to happen. After waiting close to an hour, we had to leave, however, to get in all that we wanted to do that day. Our first stop was back to Westminster Abbey. We all went at our own pace, which was nice. I saw the burial places, among others, of Benjamin Britten, Shakespeare, and dozens of kings and queens. I was the first out, followed shortly by Jonny and Karsten. We sat on the cold marble benches outside the Abbey waiting for the others. The architecture, again, was simply breathtaking. Because of the upcoming Hugh Grant film called "Notting Hill," we all headed over to Notting Hill when the others emerged from the Abbey.
Notting Hill is just a little area of London, and we stopped at several cheap CD shops there. Our final trek of the London tour was the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal College of Music. RAC was where the Horner concert was supposed to take place.
When we got there, we hijacked a nice lady to take tons of group pictures of us in front of Albert Hall. We then hummed a few phrases of Horner scores before dashing off.
After a bit of looking, we found the Royal College of Music, the other world-famous music school in London (parts of the film "Shine" were filmed here). I kept wondering how talented one would have to be to get into the school. I couldn't even fathom.
As it was getting late by that point, we decided not to go back to the hotel and trek right up to the Spaniard's Inn, a restaurant in extreme northern London that Tom wanted to visit. The food was delicious, the helpings were huge, and aside from the smoky room we were in, the meal was one of the finest I had in London. We all got back to the hotel very late, and stayed up talking until the wee hours of the morning. Martin had to leave to catch his train back to his house, so we had to say good-bye to him. That was sad - I had forgotten that I had to say good-bye to one of my new friends so quickly. After Martin left, Sheri pulled out Dr. Suess, and Jonny read Karsten "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish."
We then all begged Karsten to read the book to us in German. It didn't flow quite as well as it did in English, and when anything rhymed, we all freaked out! The rest of the night was spent talking and drinking wine from coffee cups.
Tom and I woke up early Sunday morning to go to church at St. Paul's Cathedral. Jonny came with us, as Tom had to pay him back from something. Before we left, we said good-bye to Sheri and Karsten. At Victoria Station, Tom and I said good-bye to Jonny. (God, I hate good-byes!) Tom and I then got to church pretty late. We only stayed about 15 minutes because we couldn't really get into the service due to our tardiness. We then went back to the hotel for a last breakfast of apple juice and dry toast and got our luggage. Tom escorted me to Heathrow on the tubes alone as Sheri had decided to stay an extra night and take Martin to another Springstein show! I said my good-byes to Tom and trekked to my gate. I got into Iceland a few hours later, and then back to Minneapolis after another six-hour flight. Though it was good to get home and see my family and friends, I missed my friends and London already.
Thanks to Jonny for being an outstanding host... and for the Hootch. ("I lost my fanny pack!")
Thanks to Sheri for her kind spirit and for keeping everything fun. (Keanu wants you, I know it!)
Thank to Tom for the long walk to Hard Rock and for hurrying through the Tower for me. (And for not completely spilling something that stains all over me!)
Thanks to Karsten for the dancing lessons and for the Dr. Suess. ("My God, these benches are cold!">
And last, but not least...
Thanks to Martin for always keeping me guessing and for always wearing that beautiful smile on your face. (And for the great book!)
From the First International James Horner Convention: "We Shall Not Be Thwarted!"
We wrote all over the signs and walls about James Horner where others had written about the Beatles. We also did the "tourist" thing and crossed the street outside the studios, mimicking the Beatles. After Abbey Road, we walked to Baker Street and saw where Sherlock Holmes lived.
We were going to try to meet Martin for lunch around noon, but he got caught up at work, so we walked around Regent's Park. The park was a beautiful contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city.
After we caught a bite to eat, we headed to the Royal Academy of Music, one of the most prestigious music conservatories in the world (also, where James Horner went to school). We unfortunately could not get a tour of the facilities due to final recitals, but just being in the building was an experience.
It was such a beautiful building, and I could just feel the musical energy running through the school. Sheri decided, after this, to crash at the hotel for a bit, and Jonny, Tom, and I went on to Madame Tussault's, the famous wax museum. The characters were so great!
Hugh Grant, Anthony Hopkins, Alfred Hitchcock, Harrison Ford, Bill Clinton, Princess Diana, everyone was in there! Some were so realistic that it was almost spooky the way they starred back at you! After Madame Tussault's, the guys and I headed back to the hotel to get ready for the Springstein concert that night.
We had great seats, and I even got some pictures when the security guard wasn't looking. Bruce really put on a great show… he was quite the performer. The set was nice and long - almost three hours long! The E Street Band was in top form, as well. It was a great time!
Today, as with most of the historical monuments of London, it is a tourist trap. The crown jewels are kept within the Tower, as well as many other timeless artifacts. Sheri and Jonny went together on a whirlwind tour of the Tower, as they had to pick up Karsten, another guy from the board who was flying in from Germany, at Heathrow. After Tom and I spent a few hours at the Tower, we had fish and chips in a little joint by the Thames. After lunch, we headed for St. Paul's Cathedral. After only being there a short time, we both decided to come back on Sunday morning for the communion service.
After we walked around the Cathedral, we headed for Piccadilly Circus to the Hard Rock Café. I was amazed that no one seamed to know where exactly it was, so we got off at the wrong tube stop, and had to walk 20 minutes. It was a nice walk, nonetheless. Tom and I got a chance to get to know each other better and we saw Hyde Park. After getting our souvenirs at Hard Rock, we raced back to the hotel, nearly an hour late because of the walk. We all, then, got ready for that night's concert; a production of Verdi's "Otello" put on by the London Symphony Orchestra. After waiting a bit for Martin (the last of the party who worked in London as a programmer) and a mix-up with our tube passes, we arrived at the concert 20 minutes late.
I was so disappointed that we had missed the first of four acts, but when we got into the Barbican Concert Hall and sat down, all my frustrations were put to rest. Rather than a production of the opera, which is what I had expected, the LSO was laid across a massive stage with the vocalists in front just to the left of the conductor. I was so pleased that I would be able to see Sir Colin Davis conduct rather than just imagine what he was doing in the orchestra pit. The concert was glorious; never in my life have I ever heard an orchestra as spectacular as the LSO. The vocalists were outstanding as well, headed by Jose Cura as Otello. After the performance, I got some pictures of the orchestra (because, hey, when was I going to see this again?).
The six of us also got a formal picture of us in the lobby of the Barbican. We then headed out to SoHo to go clubbing. We found this place called "Equinox." I danced with Tom, Jonny, and Martin (Karsten didn't dance) as well as a few chaps I met there.
After the Equinox, we stammered home, exhausted.
Jonny explained to me that Trafalger Square is where Londoners spend New Year's Eve. The four foreigners posed for a quick picture on the huge fountain in the center of the Square.
We then made our way towards Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. Along the way, we saw the Ministry of Defense and where the Prime Minister lives on Downing Street. Big Ben was so spectacular!
I loved the architecture of the whole city, but it was this area of London that really got me. We decided to not tour Westminster Abbey due to lack of time as Sheri and Karsten were going to another Springstein concert that night.
Tom, Jonny, and I headed back to SoHo for a bite to eat and a night on the town. London was beginning to get very busy as a giant soccer tournament was the next day. Tom and I decided to take Jonny to the TGI-Fridays that was there (I couldn't believe that there was a TGIFs in London!) and introduce him to strawberry margaritas (he liked it!). We then went to the IMAX cinema that was in a mall across the street. I had never been to an IMAX, so it was quite the experience. The film was about Mount Everest, and there was an outstanding animation short before it called "More." After the film, we headed back to the Westminster tube stop to meet up with Sheri and Karsten. We all watched Big Ben chime midnight and snapped a few pictures before heading back to the hotel.
There was a huge crowd lined up, and we were all really excited that something was going to happen. After waiting close to an hour, we had to leave, however, to get in all that we wanted to do that day. Our first stop was back to Westminster Abbey. We all went at our own pace, which was nice. I saw the burial places, among others, of Benjamin Britten, Shakespeare, and dozens of kings and queens. I was the first out, followed shortly by Jonny and Karsten. We sat on the cold marble benches outside the Abbey waiting for the others. The architecture, again, was simply breathtaking. Because of the upcoming Hugh Grant film called "Notting Hill," we all headed over to Notting Hill when the others emerged from the Abbey.
Notting Hill is just a little area of London, and we stopped at several cheap CD shops there. Our final trek of the London tour was the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal College of Music. RAC was where the Horner concert was supposed to take place.
When we got there, we hijacked a nice lady to take tons of group pictures of us in front of Albert Hall. We then hummed a few phrases of Horner scores before dashing off.
After a bit of looking, we found the Royal College of Music, the other world-famous music school in London (parts of the film "Shine" were filmed here). I kept wondering how talented one would have to be to get into the school. I couldn't even fathom.
As it was getting late by that point, we decided not to go back to the hotel and trek right up to the Spaniard's Inn, a restaurant in extreme northern London that Tom wanted to visit. The food was delicious, the helpings were huge, and aside from the smoky room we were in, the meal was one of the finest I had in London. We all got back to the hotel very late, and stayed up talking until the wee hours of the morning. Martin had to leave to catch his train back to his house, so we had to say good-bye to him. That was sad - I had forgotten that I had to say good-bye to one of my new friends so quickly. After Martin left, Sheri pulled out Dr. Suess, and Jonny read Karsten "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish."
We then all begged Karsten to read the book to us in German. It didn't flow quite as well as it did in English, and when anything rhymed, we all freaked out! The rest of the night was spent talking and drinking wine from coffee cups.