Because we had accommodations in Kensington on our first London trip, we had bypassed visiting the West End, as we concentrated on the museums of Cromwell Road and then the sights of the City (St. Paul’s. and the Museum of London, Westminster Abbey, Cabinet War Rooms, and British Museum), all of which were "must-sees." On this second trip, we walked over Westminster Bridge twice to visit the National Gallery, one of the world’s finest museums, now with free admission. On both walks, we enjoyed exploring the streets in and around Trafalgar Square because to do so is to take in a feast of eighteenth century architecture. This is one of the busiest spots in all of London, full of monuments and statuary and a concentration of imperial memories. Recently, in February of this year, London’s "red" mayor levied a tax on traffic in this area in an attempt to relieve its intense congestion and encourage the public to use alternative means of travel to and fro this section of the city. Applause is due for this measure as we observed double-parked vehicles and some rather angry-looking drivers on both occasions that we were walking the area.
Overwhelming at times to the visitor the majestic buildings, theatres, and shops of the West End typify the "character" that IS London to me. When we were there, the impending world premiere of the first Harry Potter film was blazoned at the theatre where it was held during our stay and we avidly watched TV for clips of the attending celebrities on opening night. Here, we finally figured out the bus signage and took a ride in a red double-decker bus, and snapped photos of the scene from the moving bus.
Unfortunately, we took no photos of the National Gallery during either of our two visits. This museum is a "must-see." Even two visits don’t exhaust its splendors. For me, Hogarth’s Marriage A-la-Mode paintings, which were models for his engravings, were unforgettable. Satire in art has great appeal, and Hogarth was a master of this rare talent. The museum’s Turner collection also turns me on (horrid, though accurate, pun).
Even in two trips we saw only a fraction of this vast collection that includes Velasquez’s "Rokeby Venus," Holbein’s "The Ambassadors," Jan van Eyck’s "Arnolfini Portrait," and da Vinci’s "Virgin of the Rocks." Lover of museums as I am, I have learned that three hours is a visit limit because I simply get "maxxed" out. In great museums, after I reach saturation point, the experience becomes diluted as a result of sensory fatigue. Both times, we lunched in the cafeteria-like café for about $8 apiece for a hot entrée and drink, inexpensive by London standards, and highly recommended as the food is good, though not fancy, and the break allows the mind to refresh for further viewing.