Vast & Amazing
(Sign outside the Victoria and Albert Museum: London, UK)
I have never seen this sign before, but it made me grin on my approach to the V&A entrance. The letters inside the clear tube are relentlessly turning, pausing for a mere second so that from either approach to the door, every person reads ‘V&A’ after a few seconds. The V&A is one of my very favourite London haunts – this time, as well as seeing the fantastic Diaghilev exhibition, I spent much more time than usual on the upper floors. This was partially to escape the traffic jams on the ground floor. They are rammed with sitting students sketching the Roman statues and making notes on the fashion displays, or rows of tourist cameras, capturing every movement of their group and then the obligatory gapers. These are the individuals that stand directly in front of any glass case, completely oblivious to other visitors and they remain there, staring into the soul of the item in the case for so long that I feel like a stalker. I decided against running the gauntlet of the visiting melee, or coughing or nudging the gapers, and instead moved into unexplored territory upstairs.
I discovered the stained glass rooms and the painted miniatures but best of all, the theatre and film galleries. I never even knew these existed until I studied the map for several minutes, putting a pencil ring around each room I planned to visit, just like my parents used to do for television programmes in the Radio Times. I spent ages there, imagining the costumes fleshed out with actors and the moquette sets full size, but also just picturing how the plays, ballets and films must have been at the time. There was so much there; footage of various plays and ballets and films, music video props, a wild collection of hats – it is a must see, I suppose like everything else within the V&A’s walls. That trip inspired me to bite the bullet and book a ticket for ‘War Horse’, a play I have been desperate to see since its release, but more on that another time.
Yesterday I managed to do almost nothing. This is a very rare occurrence for me as usually I am achieving something, even if it becomes apparent at the conclusion that it had no point. I am a generally doing as many activities at once as I can – I am rarely truly bored as I always have something to do. I would say that aside from organising paying council tax, watching a couple of films and writing a few emails, I have really just lain prone in bed, resting through a rather nasty ear infection. I do now have some prescribed medication and you can rest assured I am finally on the mend. As usual, winter has caught me unprepared and I have been doing far too much running about. I am now taking care of myself, (for the attention of mum).
– Today Rosie will not be kidding herself, but she will hopefully make it to the fireworks in Glasgow, UK –
I trust you’ll be wearing a hat if you go out. I knew you weren’t looking after yourself properly. Kids!!!!
Oh dear. Getting nagged on your own blog. Exactly the reason why I don’t have one.
In other news, you saw War Horse!? How was it? Tell us more!
Ha ha! Ying, you’re right… well, more on war horse when I think of a picture to put up with the blurb…