THEATRE? LONDON PART 1

OK, this is our night in London. This is a blog; you will really think is an  impossibility. I think I need a week, to really believe what happened.

We took a taxi to the train station. No trouble. Got on the train and went on our journey to the capital. Arrived in London and a taxi to the lovely Greek restaurant Lemonia. Oh if you go to London, please go there, some say there is a café with the same name, if so, and make sure you get the restaurant. The food is stunning. We had stuffed vine leaves, sorry for my Greek friends, I don’t speak the lingo…

Olives like you just can’t buy in the shops.  Humus that was the best I have ever had.   Halumi that was my favourite, a grilled cheese and a delicious Greek salad. Hub had salmon that he really enjoyed it melted in his mouth and it had a very crisp skin. The waiter was fantastic too and went over his job description for helping us to know what was on the menu and even took us to a taxi/black cab at the end of the lovely meal, that we ate outside.

Went to our hotel. It was the Hilton Waldorf.

    Almost before our cab stopped, there was a member of staff opening the door for us to depart the taxi.

He took us to the reception, well, that was funny, as he decided the stairs were not very good, so put us into a dreadful lift. You know one of those for wheelchairs?

We were the only two in the lift, apart from LC of course, well, the lift stood still. Hub and I just looked at each other.

Then above our heads shouted a guy

“Put your finger on the button?”

“What blooming button? Hahahahaha

Next thing I know, the walls are moving, and we are staying still

Oh God, let me out of here and give me the flipping stairs?

The receptionist was really helpful. We went to our room with an Australian. A  French lady took our details for the stay, a Polish lady asked us of our requirements, and I had to keep reminding myself, we were in England.

Of course we were in an American hotel, hence the jazz music, throughout the hotel.

Got to our room, the sink was cracked… Made sure we told them as didn’t want the bill for that…

I tell you, for such a high class of hotel, it was not very clean.

Lots to explore though. I love that.

Hub did his usual, made me a cup of delicious tea. A shortbread biscuit and a lovely chat.

 Then time to dress for our theatre. Now the fun begins.

 Managed with ease, to get out of our room, walk up the two sets of three steps turned left an right in the right places and LC, took us to the lift.

In there and in Braille, read ground floor. But, an American got in with us, and said he would help us to go down to reception. Very kind of him, though, we were doing OK on our own. Then it became too surreal.

American guy

“I shall help you to go to the ground floor, but can I just go upstairs first to the fourth floor?

I’m now thinking, well, what do we do whilst you are on the fourth floor? He then got out the lift saying it was nice to meet us, and he won’t be long to   help.

Just then, the doors closed and off we went back down. To the third floor.

Where we started.

Then at last the ground floor. We managed to find reception, and whilst Hub took LC, to pollute the streets of London even more than what they already are, I asked for a taxi at seven, as our show, Gypsy music Leola, spelt wrongly sorry, was to start at half seven.

I went down the steps to wait for Hub, as was concerned that he would not know when to turn into the hotel, as outside was sooooooo noisy.

He came back in like a clever man and we went to the bar in the hotel. We met two adorable old ladies. Real characters, slightly eccentric.

The sweetest souls. Sadly they don’t make them like that anymore.

We got up from there, and walked to the door, we got the taxi earlier, and thank God we did…

The driver dropped us off at the street where the theatre was. We got out and walked thirty steps as that is where the driver told us where the theatre was.

Went in, on the right we heard the bar. The middle seemed to have a glass floor. To the left, was a normal tiled floor.

Hub and I followed where we thought there was a desk.

We waited in a line. I was impressed as there was one of those awful rope separators and we managed to find the back of the line.

Got to the front, I was so surprised in our ability to find in a huge hall which was so noisy and full of people the desk.

Only to be told, we were in the cinema.

Oh God. How embarrassing.

The sweet girl told us, that she would take us to the theatre. I thought it would be the next door. Oh, no such luck. We walked and walked. In the rain.

Got to where we should be, I thanked the girl and we spoke to a lady. Big smile on my face all excited to see the production.

To be told the show, was cancelled.

 

Oh No! God!

My heart sunk. She said in a jolly voice, don’t worry, you can come free to see it another time?

I said we have come a long way to see this show. To cut a long story short, she said there was another show we could see.

Relieved, we said yes, though it was a lot more money.

Hub went to get out his card to pay, and she said

“You are going to have to go to another theatre.”

Nooooooooo!

Yesssssssss

We asked her to take us to a taxi and she spoke to her manager and came to our rescue. Telling us there was not enough time to take a cab, she would walk us there.

I know why now, she told us.

She was getting loads of grief from people wanting to see the production, so by taking us to the next theatre, she was escaping.

Five minutes later, in the rain again, we passed a sweet shop. She asked us if we wanted any sweets. I said I was OK and it was best we got there, and then we passed a burger bar. She asked if we wanted to go there, if we were hungry? I said no, best to get there ASAP.

She then told me to use my

Wait for this one?

“Wand” meaning white cane, to feel for the steps.

Well, by this point, we had been walking ten minutes and I knew that LC needed the toilet as we are not sure she went earlier.

Oh God, that is all I needed, Long Chops to sit down and show her tea to the lady and London.

OK, up steps, down steps, weaving through street café’s.

She told us we were two thirds there. We were walking at some great speed. Would we make the show we knew nothing about?

I asked the lady, did she know anything about it?

She told me the next blow to the head.

The star in the show, was someone from

“Sex in the city.  

  Oh that American cult shows on the telly. I blooming hate that show, oh God, what the heck were we going to see?

Got to the theatre, ran through the door and got to the desk.

We were escorted to our seats and I am not kidding, we sat for three seconds when it began.

Oh my Lord. What a show!

Part two to follow