Today, I decided to trek to the Tate Modern Art gallery to, hopefully, get a ticket to the Edvard Munch exhibit.  Munch is an artist from Norway and is most famous for his painting “The Scream”. I am certain you are all familiar with it. I was first introduced to him when I was in Norway on my European trip in 1978.  I visited his museum there and loved his work.  It is so expressive with minimal facial expression….you can feel sadness, anger, fear from his work.

After I got an Oyster pass – a card for unlimited, week long underground and bus travel, I hopped the “tube” to the Blackfriar area, where the museum is.  The que to get a ticket to the various events was a mile long. I should have ordered it online!  Possibly I can see it later this week. It depends on what David wants to do.

I am not a huge fan of modern art.  Often times, I just plain don’t “get it”.  For example, today there was a mirror hanging in one of the exhibits.  I just stood there looking at it trying to figure out what the artist wanted me to think about his work of art, all the while wondering how much was spent for this “piece of art”!!  I don’t care for Cubism…there was a couple of Picasso’s work from his Cubism period. There were some interesting pieces that I would consider to be more “folk art”, though.  One artist used granite slabs and tied them together with wire to form an enclosure.  It was interesting.  Another artist used natural items from wood, farm implements and even sheep dung, he found in Scotland to create his art work.  There was another exhibit about violence in the home which was 12 screens running videos of actors sitting down to a meal and having it escalate in to a fight.  I guess it is considered art because it provoked you to think about something that often happens too frequently in the world each day.

After leaving the museum, I encountered a group of people who were trying to educate the public about how the environment is affecting animal habitat.  They had high powered scopes on a Peregrine Falcon. It was amazing to see.

Near the museum is the Millennium Bridge, a new suspension pedestrian bridge that crosses the Thames River.  The bridge was opened in 2010. I crossed over it and there was St Paul Cathedral was on the other.  I went inside and caught the tail end of the service and heard a beautiful organ piece at the end of it.  I also heard the choir, which was beautiful as well.   I lit a candle, said a prayer for everyone and left.

My walk back to the hotel took me past some great architecture and beautiful flowers. I clicked pictures all along the way.  The buildings here are amazing….for example, the Royal Courts of Justice.  I eventually walked to the theater district which was really exciting as I definitely want to see Jersey Boys this coming week.

My wanderings brought me to Covent Garden, which was a happening place.  It brought the memory to mind of the time Perry and I were there together in 1984, when I came over to visit him while he was an exchange student in Winchester.  He convinced me to buy a tape (it was that many years ago!) of a street performer who was saxophone player.  He was playing in Convent Garden.  I had very little money at that point and really didn’t want to part with it for a tape of an unknown artist.  However, I am glad I did as I listened to it frequently after our return. Actually, I still have it!!!

There was a great street performer singing popular songs from U2 and The Fray today.  He was really good!  It is a fun place to hang out, so I imagine that David and I will go there again when he gets here.  He is in the air as I write this….it has been 8 weeks since we have seen each other. I am taking the Heathrow Connector at 4:40 tomorrow morning to meet him when he arrives at 6:00!!  I AM SOOOOOO EXCITED TO SEE HIM!!!!

So, on that note, I am closing this and getting some shut-eye….it is going to be a very early morning!