2013 0816 London: Had continental breakfast overlooking the square outside the hotel. Gloomy day, so we took rain gear … and, luckily, it never rained. Had a few taxi rides today and in all but one we had wonderful conversations with the drivers. Very friendly.

Took a taxi to the Tate Modern, which is on the other side of the Thames opposite St. Paul’s Cathedral. Saw new bridges over the river. Never been in this new Tate facility. Spent from about 10:00 to Noon walking through the exhibits. Wonderful. Used London Card for first time to get free audio tours. Nice thing about this museum is that besides the usual placard beside a work of art, often there was another with “The Bigger Picture” about that artist or how a piece related to others of the period or in the room.

We had a Noon restaurant reservation in the restaurant here on the sixth floor … window table overlooking the river. Good food. Then back into the exhibits and then the shop. Left there around 2:15 with lots more we could have seen. Walked across a new pedestrian bridge to St. Paul’s and got a taxi back to the hotel.

Our dear friend, Shirlee Sharpe, met us at the hotel at 3:00 and we sat and had tea and visited for two hours. Great memories and lovely catching up. Haven’t seen her since 1998. So glad she could come in to be with us.

At a little after 6:30 we took a cab to the Cambridge Theatre for “Matilda.” Yowee! One of the best musicals we’ve ever seen. The London audience literally screamed approval of some of the numbers and rose to their feet at the end. If you have a chance to see, make sure you do. Lots of kids in the audience, but it’s an adult musical.

We walked a few blocks onto West Street to have dinner at L’Atelier de Joel Aubochon. Very Michelin and very good. Didn’t leave there until 12:30 or so and took taxi back to hotel. Lovely day!

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