Threats of the horrible heat wave currently making its way across Europe eventually hitting the UK came true on Saturday when the temperature made it to 34C here in London. Of course this was nothing compared to the 45C weather in Paris but it was still enough to put everyone into a snit, including the railways and Underground system, which all came to a screeching halt due to buckled rails, heat-related signal faults, and a ‘trespass’ on the line at Clapham Junction. It’s not uncommon here for there to be a delay on the railways due to a ‘Body Under the Rail’ as they like to put it, but apparently this time there was a 'Nutter with a Knife' on the lines and he had to be subdued by a large police presence. They also had to cut power to the lines to get him off, and consequently put several million people out for the next few hours, including us. Knife crime in London has risen 16% so far in 2019 over 2018 and there have been 64 knifings resulting in death in London since the beginning of the year. It's gotten so bad that schools in the the Southwest are required to install knife arches (metal detectors) and the police are also using pop-up metal detectors on the streets in London, forcing pedestrians to walk through them if they want to go a certain way in the city. There have been two fatal stabbings in London since we have been here and reports of more in the rest of the country- it's an epidemic. I'll be happy to get to the countryside where the risks are somewhat reduced to cow-tramplings and swallow dive-bombings.
Fortunately, all this kerfuffling happened a bit later in the day and didn’t stop us from getting to our destination of the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond for a production of Terrence Rattigan’s While the Sun Shines, a wartime comedy of errors. The theatre was tiny and seating was on all four sides of the ‘stage’ which made it feel that we were in the room with the actors. Zoe and Georgia were perhaps the youngest in the audience but we all loved the production, and the air conditioning, and the little pots of ice cream that were served at intermission.
I had originally planned to attend some giant musical production in the West End but nothing really appealed to us. It seems that anything can be a musical these days: Shoe Laces: The Musical! (words and music by Donny Osmond) or Cough Drops: The Musical!(words and music by Rod Stewart) or Heavy Traffic: The Musical! (words and music by Angela Lansbury) and seats are 65 pounds each for a partial view where you may or may not have a tour from mainland China seated around you who may or may not be tired after flying in 5 minutes before the show starts and spending the majority of it snoring in your ears. Not that that has ever happened to me… So this was a better choice and the seats were cheap and the quality high.
Before we made it to Richmond, I dragged everyone to the Shepperton Design Studio, belonging to Andrew Ainsworth, who was one of the original prop builders working on Star Wars: A New Hope in 1976. He now has a studio in Twickenham, of all places, where he reproduces Stormtrooper suits, Darth Vader helmets and other Star Wars memorabilia. It was closed, but I tried not to let that ruin my day and spent some time looking longingly in the windows and wishing I could buy my own Stormtrooper suit, for several thousand pounds. I would even have settled for just a helmet but it was not meant to be.
After I got over my disappointment, we took the train (which was still running at this point) and considered just riding around in it all day to stay cool. By the time the show was over, we had plans to zip into London and meet some friends who are in town, but there was no zipping to be had as everything had by now shut down. We were able to take the Underground for two stops before even that shut down. A very grumpy conductor was yelling at everyone on the platform that ‘NO ONE IS GOING ANYWHERE BY TRAIN TONIGHT SO GO AND FIND ANOTHER WAY HOME’. So pleasant. So friendly and understanding!
We got the message and cabbed it into London instead, arriving 45 minutes late for dinner at Al Duca, a lovely Italian restaurant where the waiters actually were Italian. Or so it seemed. He was probably actually from Whitechapel and only put it on for the customers before reverting to Cockney Slang in the back:
Waiter: ‘Benvenuta Al Duca, Signora, some vino? Acqua? Prosecco? Molto bene!’
Me: ‘Water, please’
Waiter: ‘Of course, Signora’
Me: ‘Thank you, grazie’
Waiter: ‘Of Course, Signora. Una momento per favore’
Waiter: (goes to kitchen) ‘Anuva fisherman’s daughter for the new gooseberry puddin’ at table five. How am I going to make any bees and honey for me and the trouble and strife at this bloody rate. Cor bloody blimey what’s bloody wrong wiv a glass of plink plonk?’ (shakes head).
Waiter (returns to table): ‘Signora, your acqua, buon appetito!’
Me: ‘Err, grazie very much, Signor…’
Signor: 'no problemo'
It’s always fun to spend time with friends from home when you’re travelling and Susan and I have been trying to coordinate a visit for years but always seem to miss each other so it was great to see them all and help them to celebrate 30 years of marriage with their family.
On our way home, we passed by the back entrance to No.10 Downing Street, the official residence of the UK Prime Minister. Theresa May was not home at the time as she was at the G20 in Tokyo likely trying to avoid Ivanka Trump, but we did have a look for Larry the Cat who lives there regardless of who is Prime Minister. Apparently when Trump was here for his visit earlier this month, Larry took up his post under Trump’s armoured car and wouldn’t leave, delaying departures and upsetting schedules. Well done, Larry.
Obligatory telephone box picture.
By the time we made it home, it was well past 10pm and still a bazillion degrees out. We found one of the only stores still open in Twickenham at that hour and raided their ice creams (aka Ice Lollies) before retiring to bed at Ripple.
More tomorrow! Talk soon,
Jane
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