England

Wednesday, June 4

Now that the Medieval period is behind us, let’s move on to the late 1500s. The city became more civilized and the people finally had time for a few more pleasures of life. This is when William Shakespeare came to town.

Originally, he was just another actor presenting the plays of the time. Eventually, his troupe needed new material, so he began to write. He was truly unique in several ways. First, he mastered all genres of history, drama, tragedy, and comedy. Second, he reshaped the English language into pure poetry, and he invented hundreds of words and phrases we still use today. Third, he understood people from all classes of life. He was of a humble upbringing, but had a sophicated education. This allowed him to portray both vulgar commoners and ambitious kings. 

The image below is an authentic recreation of the Globe Theatre, where many of his plays were performed. 

I attended a production of one of his best-known dramas, Romeo and Juliet. This is what the inside looks like. 

Before the play, I decided I would keep with the times and go to lunch at The George Inn. It's one of the few remaining structures from that time. It's very possible that Shakespeare himself ate here.

Less than 100 years after The Globe, a cataclysmic event occurred that changed London forever. In 1666, a vast fire swept throughout the city and destroyed most of it. This is why "old" London is so difficult to find. The monument below was erected as part of the building process. It was a reminder of what happened, and to not let it happen again. New construction laws were put into effect to make the city more fireproof in the future.

One victim of the fire was St. Paul's Cathedral. An architect named Christopher Wren was assigned to rebuild it. It took 30+ years. This is the result.

The crypt below has many ornate tombs, like Lord Nelson's (the man who defeated Napoleon at Trafalgar).

However, Christopher Wren only has a small marker in Latin. In the ultimate flex, it says: "Reader, if you are trying to find my monument, just look around."

It was time to climb from the lowest point to the highest. It's 528 steps to the dome. Here is the first level: the Whispering Gallery.

The top level is a bit more treacherous to get to.

If you aren't afraid of heights, the view is well worth it.

Here's another photographer taking a picture of where I had just been.

My final expedition of the day transported me to modern times. It was time for the London Concours, an annual garden party of "luxury and motoring." As the website says: "A glass of champagne, a rare Ferrari, and the company of those who understand." It's like they were talking directly to me! I couldn't wait to share stories about my Chevys. First, it was time to collect my glass of champagne.

Then, it was time to look for the rare Ferrari they promised. It ends up there was more than one.

They were sure to include the classics.

This one was for sale for only 3 million dollars.

I carefully assessed my financial situation, then decided I would make an offer to buy one.

No, not the blue one. The red one behind it. Sadly, I couldn't afford that one either. The good news is that I did buy something to eat. It was way over my budget, but I think a second mortgage will take care of it.

Goodnight London!

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