This is the first of the three full days of my visit to London but I cannot believe that anything will match the overall experience of yesterday.
I wake around six am after a night where I cannot remember having to get up, I make myself a cup of coffee and have the croissant. Later I have the Danish Pastry and a second coffee. I log on check emails reminding that I must remember to buy Eurodraw lottery tickets before I set off for the day and then confirm that there was no play for the third day in succession in the match between leaders Durham and Nottingham. There have been no additions to Britain's Medals at the Olympics for two days. Has the national bubble burst? There have been several disappointments. It is make or break weekend.
By eight o'clock there is brilliant sunshine outside and feels that it is going to be a warm day. It raises a question about spending too much time in doors including going to the cinema but I need to pace myself to do what I want to do. On Thursday morning I made extensive notes on the film Bridget and before commencing this writing I considered if the attention given had been justified. It was a film which fitted nicely with the earlier viewing Toyko Eyes and to some extent Elegy as all three are about the human condition in which we try and balance our need for relationships with independence and a continuing sense of freedom.
The heroine of Bridget has no respect for herself, a feeling which is well justified by her previous behaviour and she focuses her life on regaining her son, rightly removed from her care by the authorities. What we learn of her life now, which confirms her unfitness as a parent and yet we quickly come to sympathise with her predicament and wish her well. I did not grasp, from my experience of the film, the cause of her delinquent and subsequent criminal behaviour as a young women. We learn that she was an erotic dancer and a tart and the mastermind of a successful million dollar bank heist which involved her first and her second husbands. The first reappears, a black man called Black who shoots and kills her second husband and injures her in front of their baby son. He wants the money which she insists she does not have or know what happened to it. Late in the film we learn she lied when cashing in the money in attempt t buy him off. The son is fostered with a Manhattan couple and their other children. A couple who are willing to allow contact visits for a thousand dollars a time and to let Bridget have the son's care without the knowledge of the authorities for half a million dollars. In England this would be lead to the foster parents being sent to prison but it would not lead to mother regaining the care of her son, unless she could show a transformation of her own behaviour over a period of time.
I thought of this when on the train to London later in the morning. I had four seats to myself when the train arrived for the 9,34 departure at East Croydon station. Then two young women with two adorable looking girls aged under five years I guessed but both capable of recognising words for children's books. One, who sat next to me with the two girls read a story with an American accent and I was struck by the intensity of the attention to two girls gave to the reading. A couple of stations before reaching London Bridge Station the other mother who had sat on one of the adjacent quartet of seats came for her daughter and explained to the other girl who enquired that they could not be together to day because she was taking her daughter to be with her daddy for the weekend, thus signalling to the train compartment and me that the parents were not living together. I knew nothing of them and their lives as couples or as parents but the strength and nature of the relationship with their daughters was such that it was evident they were exceptional parents. This did not mean they were exceptional adults who had exceptional adult relationships but I knew it would be surprising if this was not so. The North American sounding lady apologise for having spent the time reading and I briefly indicated my approval. She therefore responded when her daughter requested another story and the rest of the compartment fell into silence as it was read with some feeling, capturing again the attention of the child whose facial expression was a joy to behold. As the film begins Bridget works as secretary and performs sordid and dangerous tricks at night. She and a friend party with a group of masked men who persuade the girls to do naked press ups while they bed which will continue the longest, without telling the girls that whoever gives up first will be shot dead. Bridget is released, hands tied, blindfolded and naked, later into the morning and as a consequence loses her job. Given her background, lifestyle and intentions she does not advise the authorities and we are not told how she manages to extricate herself from the situation without their active involvement. Perhaps this situation is as uncommon in New York as it would be in London. Bridget losses her apartment ad well as her job and symbolically is forced to take a grotty room for around £75 a week in the house of a teacher, perhaps a few years older, and who turns out to be lesbian. Earning six dollars an hour as a supermarket check out girl she needs to sell her body in some way if she is to continue to see her son. She is constantly approached by customers with offers. I wonder if this also happens generally in the Big Apple and here in the UK. She take a job providing serves for the father of a customer and I may have understood the situation because I thought she was to move in in a form of marriage to the widower. She continues as a check out girl, is kind to a young man who is educationally challenged and consequently immature and accepts the offer made to her by his father. That she formally marries and lives with his son for five years, after which if he remains alive she can walk away and receive half a million dollars banked without interest, but not beforehand , although if the son, like his father, who has a heart condition, dies beforehand then the amount will be paid pro rata for the length of the marriage. They have separate rooms and she fends of his questions about the nature of marriage and becoming a parent. He is an adorable young man little different from the young girls in the train. While the film suggests she plays the role of a mother figure and playmate friend with enthusiasm, she still needs funds to continue to see her son in the meantime. She takes a job working as a peek booth girl stripping only to her pants and talking suggestively, but again this is only for a few dollars an hour so even with the two jobs and whatever financial support the son receives it is not enough to achieves her goal of a financial buy out. She is introduced to a Miami retired gangster who fixes for her to be a drug courier into the Lebanon. This involves taking in half a million dollars and bringing back the drugs. She hands over the money and is then told she is to be killed because the drugs are fake. She talks her way out of this situation and out of a capture by a border guard inside Israel. Instead of high tailing out of the country she spends time at the Wailing Wall and meets a Rabbi, who looks into her soul and says that whatever she has been her fortunes will change. On arrival home she hands over drugs which believes are fake but they are not, or at least the financiers do not say so, claiming they will be worth a million dollars on the street and reward her with twice the original feel of 50000 thousand dollars adding that the money was fake money anyway, as if they would trust such a sum with a stranger.It is at this point that the film moves quickly into its climax. She has been with the son now for four years and the father in law has died having a hear attack when at his request she turns him on at her continuing job in the peek booth. The relationship with the son also changes and they becomes lovers as well as friends. Then Black turns up for the money three months before the five years of the deal for half a million is due to be paid. She tries to get a part payment but the lawyer explains that arising from the death his role as executor is set and he has no room for manoeuvre. It is at this point she cashes in the million dollars from the bank job although we are not told if she hands over all or half the amount. I presume she uses the other half to buy her son and then plans to get away with husband and son, the half million from the marriage deal and whatever money the son is getting for his on going care from the estate of his father.The couple are woken as Black and two of his present gang break into the apartment and she kills all three before they kill them. She has also exacted revenge on the man who killed the friend in the press up game murder. The film ends as the three have got away to a beach side residence in a sunny paradise, She knows the situation is unlikely to last but she savours each moment of happiness and adolescent son and husband son enjoy beach life together and we have the impression is no longer having to use her body for money. But do any of us believe she can give up the excitement of the danger?
I left the Travel Lodge in time to buy two fresh Danish and a bottle of cold water which I transferred to the flask. £1.61 (175.42). At the station before I was able to buy the cheap day travel card but was able to do so to be on the platform in time for the first eligible train to London Bridge £7 (182. 42). At the terminal I made my way along he subterranean arcade created from a tunnel under the station where there are now various attractive food outlets including one selling olives which tempted me but at that point I was inclined to resist as still determined to get to the cinema at the Millennium Dome in plenty of time for the only showing of the 3 D edition of Journey to the centre of the earth. It is 8 years since visit's the Dome although last year on my to the Cineworld I left the Docklands Light Railway at the wrong station and was insight of the Dome. Like everyone else I had balloted for tickets and made a special trip to London and was impressed with what had been achieved and would have gladly returned again as it was not possible to see everything at the pace one would have wished. I was struck once more by the depth and vast space of the Jubilee Line stations at this part of the line. The exit to the Dome does not provide a good view the building despite a vast external concourse. This is because of building development work which is continuing on site and in the surrounding area. Because of the number of concerts at the arena which forms the central core of the arena there is a large bus and taxi area and some 2200 car parking spaces in four parks at a cost of £20 for over four hours. There the majority of people come by public transport and the underground although there is a regular and fast boat service from North Greenwich into central London about which I shall write about later. The entrance into the Dome does not indicate anything of what is within except the main entrance to arena which appeared to be four and five stories high and a large two three story building the left which housed ticket office a two storey American bar and Grill restaurant, a large area for buy merchandise related to specific events at the arena and immediate facing but at some distance in what is known as the London Piazza is the entrance to the 20000 seater stadium and where there are 10 food areas restricted to when there are events. To the left of this space there was my first surprise for here, covering two thirds of the perimeter to the arena but within the Dome is Entertainment Avenue, a wide thorough affair with three story permanent buildings closest to the sides of the dome and four tall storeys next to the Arena. These are impressive structures in their own right and whole refurbishing inside the Dome cost £350 million but for once I have no quarrel with the cost as the end result is impressive. Before commencing my visit having enquired that the Vue Cinema was within the complex, I had to go through a highly professional security system, in which all bags with phones and M3 players went through one electronic X ray system and human forms another so there was no need for personal frisking. I made my way around until reaching the second Piazza area where to one side there is the Vue Cinema Digital. The is a three story staircase to the large entrance foyer and then there is a further soaring to the roof area with a tubular lighting feature with circles of coloured lights. You have the impression of moving to somewhere special and you are not disappointed. There is a clever marketing approach in that of instead of a box office you buy tickets from the counters selling drinks, ices, sweets, pop corn and the like. The prices are midway between outer London and West End. My concessions seat was £6 plus I had to pay £1 (189.42) for the special glasses these are a strong pair of uncoloured lens in a black frame. This is the hire charge as they are collected at the end of the performance. It is several decades since I watched 3D using a red and green pair of glassed set in cardboard which one took away. I have no memory of what the effect was like. Today the effect is impressive as you get the sensation of depth but more significantly of creatures, rocks and other things coming to within inches of you. However the dimensions of the screen changes to achieve these effects so you have a more personal and intimate experience where the rest of the cinema and its audience are removed and it you alone that is involved with the events before you. In fairness it also has to be mentioned so that the film can be enjoyed as an adventure film without the 3D effect. There is a good story as a scientist and his nephew successful make the journey to the centre of the earth on the basis of the Jules Verne book as if he ahs written an account by someone who undertook the original experience. The level of my involvement was unexpected. The toilet also enters a new area and the space age hand dryer has to be experienced.It was time to explore the rest of the building with my camera and note book to hand. First restaurant at the main entrance Piazza is Guacho, Argentinean and enclosed space on two floors with external atmosphere of sophistication which is likely to put off casual visitor especially as there are no outside table, or inside tables visible. There is a tireless young woman at the front attempting to attract customers to attract customers. To the left is Raan a bar and Grill but there was no evidence of custom. This was not the situation in the rest of the Avenues as many were busy especially the majority with there outside tables. The prices were West End Holiday Tourist although there were also several excellent bargains. On the right there is also the 2000 smaller venue for live performance Indigo2 where there is a mixture of sanding and seating at tables. Tapas Tapas on the left is Spanish with a selection costing between £14 and £20 although something can be bought singular with a drink. The Thai restaurant was offering a lunchtime special for under £6, There was the Slug and Lettuce English roadhouse without TV screen whereas it was the Thai showing the Olympics. Radizio Rico is Brazilian. The Pizza Express is self explanatory and the Sushi Restaurant Wasabi popular with adult s and young people. Nandos is Nandos as everywhere as was Frankie and Benny's to one side near the Vue. Café S and M had an English café style but on a large scale and selling traditional dishes. Zizzi was a popular Italian. Next to the Vue is a French Brasserie and Jimmy Morcoss a burger speciality. Spur is American with Steaks and Ribs while the Eater Margin offered a buffet for £7.50 unlimited 20 options and £14 in the evening for 40. Iquanas is Latin American. The next surprise was a large organised and supervised children's activity area where the parent can lounge in deckchairs and watch the Olympics. There were a few benches in the main thoroughfare where I was able to enjoy two rolls with crab pate and a the cold water. Here there is also Starbucks and a sandwich, newsagent and sweet shop and hen on the left is the Tutenkhamun Exhibition on several levels with its own security and escalators. There is work going on in he third of the pediment area not opened to the public and which suggests a further of phase in development in future. I suspect this area was hoped to be used as a Super Casino. I left around 2.15.2.30 and made my way to the ferry landing. This is a long walk under a covered ten like avenue and then on to the pontoon out into the river . I missed one cruiser and the next was taken out of service for a break but then two came together with everyone crowding to the first enabling the few who sensibly remain to get seats at the back.However be warned the boar is fast and functions as speed boat so there is spray and it is difficult to stand and take photo without having support. Because I had a Travel card I paid only £2.40 (191.82) proved to be a thrilling experience in what has become one fo the great City river trips in the world. I am not exaggerating and the river between Waterloo and North Greenwich has been transformed. So that one wanted to get off at anyone of the dozen stops and explore. The views of Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London and the other sites will be lasting although I intend to repeat the trip as soon as I can as well as walk along the river bank.It was soon after departing that Dave came up and introduced himself. Dave is an American, about my age he suggested recent diagnosed with Diabetes having the time of his life on a world wind trip doing London in a couple of days. He had seen a show the previous night not destined for the USA, The Tutenkhamun and on his way to Greenwich. He was so engaged conversation that he early missed his stop. I had time to tell him of my stay in Greenwich thirty years ago and mutual experiences of being old. I was tempted to join him for the rest of the day when he then headed for Harwich a boat to St Petersburg. It was very difficult to take photos when the boat was moving between stops but the number of people getting and off was such that I was able to do at these times. It was just before 4pm when I arrived at Waterloo and decided to have a cup of tea before walking along to Tate Modern for a quick visit before the free concert by Barb Jungr in ballroom. I was struck by he number of people already drinking in the vast seating area on the first floor veranda overlooking the Thames, In side they were getting the Ballroom area ready with tables, table clothes, glitter on the clothes, and flame lights to create the effect of a night club space, although this was designed more the burlesque show at 10.30pm after the young audience for the Wizard of Oz summer show had departed from the evening performance, I found a settee free overlooking the ballroom and decided to reward what had been an excellent day with a pint of lager £2.40 (194.22) I was very pleasant so I decided to write and then rested my eyes although I did not sleep. Although it was approaching two hours before the performance I stayed on and moved on the ballroom when a few others came. By the time the performance commenced all the seats were taken with all those in the vast area of lounge space above. In between numbers one could also hear the sound of talk from outside the Hall and it was only when I left did I find the hundreds of tables filled by young people with hundreds of others standing overlooking the Thames drinking before whatever they were doing over the rest of the evening. Barb Jungr was born in England of mid European parentage in 1954 and has a international reputation as a nightclub singer in the mould of Edith Piaf but also jazz and blues and original interpretations of standards. She a couple of dozen albums to her name and is highly regarded by other singers but without ever achieving celebrity status among the general public. I had not heard of her beforehand. She is a skilled professional performer but was warmly applauded by the audience in a programme which ended with a delightful interpretation of Somewhere over the Rainbow after collection of songs with the theme of friendship. She is also fan of Bob Dylan and included his music as well as the songs of Nina Simone. Given that the hour long concert was free I am being uncharitable in saying that I understood why she is not and has never been a household name. There is the lack of the wow factor.I felt I was ready to return to the Travel Lodge for a picnic evening meal. I had not bargained what a beautiful evening it was and the extent of activity along the South Bank. Outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall ,the National Film Theatre and the Hayward Galleries there are the second hand book sellers on the river bank. All the riverbank seating along here were occupied including by one young woman writing in what looked like a large diary book. Near us at that point were the skate borders against the background of professional Graffiti. There was a huge queue of people waiting to get on the Millennium Wheel, The London Eye and similar number waiting to go on the river, either for the stopping speed cruisers or the eighty minute special trips. From here to just before the Blackfriars bridge and stations and past Tate Modern and the area of restaurants and art market, the designer stores there was an almost continuing line of statue artists and street musicians. Unfortunately I had exhausted the available photos on the memory and had left the other in the computer. There were some forty of these artists some exceptionally skilled drawing the crowds especially Charles Chaplin and someone in a wicker box. Some were so motionless that they was doubt they were human until money as donated when they briefly indicated approval. Under one bridge there was a group of musicians playing an hypnotic Latin American ban which drew applause and some passers by dancing. Then I came to cellist playing Marie and other pieces including music from Swan Lake I was able to sit on a bench under a tress for 15 minutes watching the evening come to an end. There were young lover and family groups. Further along the blue lights in the trees were becoming visible. To get to present Blackfriars station it is necessary to walk over the adjacent road Bridge across the Thames and one appreciates the width of river. The station is doe of a £350 million development to herald a second cross London link, It closes this weekend for engineering works but I was able to catch one fo the half hour trains towards Brighton and which only involved a stop at London bridge before East Croydon. I had timed the return well for with the sundown there was a chill, I stopped at the supermarket for a pack of ham, four rolls, some buns as there was no croissants,. I thought soup with a roll would not be enough and bought a cheese pasta without checking that it was not one where not water was poured and discovered too late that it was the microwave. I made do with the ham and two of the rolls. The total purchase was £6.20.(200.40) However I enjoyed the food and after checking the TV and the internet decided to try an early night although it was only 10 am as I wanted to try and wake up for 3am when Rebecca Arlington was attempting a second gold medal in what is her best event. It had been a day I will long remember with the only regret forgetting the second memory stick.
I wake around six am after a night where I cannot remember having to get up, I make myself a cup of coffee and have the croissant. Later I have the Danish Pastry and a second coffee. I log on check emails reminding that I must remember to buy Eurodraw lottery tickets before I set off for the day and then confirm that there was no play for the third day in succession in the match between leaders Durham and Nottingham. There have been no additions to Britain's Medals at the Olympics for two days. Has the national bubble burst? There have been several disappointments. It is make or break weekend.
By eight o'clock there is brilliant sunshine outside and feels that it is going to be a warm day. It raises a question about spending too much time in doors including going to the cinema but I need to pace myself to do what I want to do. On Thursday morning I made extensive notes on the film Bridget and before commencing this writing I considered if the attention given had been justified. It was a film which fitted nicely with the earlier viewing Toyko Eyes and to some extent Elegy as all three are about the human condition in which we try and balance our need for relationships with independence and a continuing sense of freedom.
The heroine of Bridget has no respect for herself, a feeling which is well justified by her previous behaviour and she focuses her life on regaining her son, rightly removed from her care by the authorities. What we learn of her life now, which confirms her unfitness as a parent and yet we quickly come to sympathise with her predicament and wish her well. I did not grasp, from my experience of the film, the cause of her delinquent and subsequent criminal behaviour as a young women. We learn that she was an erotic dancer and a tart and the mastermind of a successful million dollar bank heist which involved her first and her second husbands. The first reappears, a black man called Black who shoots and kills her second husband and injures her in front of their baby son. He wants the money which she insists she does not have or know what happened to it. Late in the film we learn she lied when cashing in the money in attempt t buy him off. The son is fostered with a Manhattan couple and their other children. A couple who are willing to allow contact visits for a thousand dollars a time and to let Bridget have the son's care without the knowledge of the authorities for half a million dollars. In England this would be lead to the foster parents being sent to prison but it would not lead to mother regaining the care of her son, unless she could show a transformation of her own behaviour over a period of time.
I thought of this when on the train to London later in the morning. I had four seats to myself when the train arrived for the 9,34 departure at East Croydon station. Then two young women with two adorable looking girls aged under five years I guessed but both capable of recognising words for children's books. One, who sat next to me with the two girls read a story with an American accent and I was struck by the intensity of the attention to two girls gave to the reading. A couple of stations before reaching London Bridge Station the other mother who had sat on one of the adjacent quartet of seats came for her daughter and explained to the other girl who enquired that they could not be together to day because she was taking her daughter to be with her daddy for the weekend, thus signalling to the train compartment and me that the parents were not living together. I knew nothing of them and their lives as couples or as parents but the strength and nature of the relationship with their daughters was such that it was evident they were exceptional parents. This did not mean they were exceptional adults who had exceptional adult relationships but I knew it would be surprising if this was not so. The North American sounding lady apologise for having spent the time reading and I briefly indicated my approval. She therefore responded when her daughter requested another story and the rest of the compartment fell into silence as it was read with some feeling, capturing again the attention of the child whose facial expression was a joy to behold. As the film begins Bridget works as secretary and performs sordid and dangerous tricks at night. She and a friend party with a group of masked men who persuade the girls to do naked press ups while they bed which will continue the longest, without telling the girls that whoever gives up first will be shot dead. Bridget is released, hands tied, blindfolded and naked, later into the morning and as a consequence loses her job. Given her background, lifestyle and intentions she does not advise the authorities and we are not told how she manages to extricate herself from the situation without their active involvement. Perhaps this situation is as uncommon in New York as it would be in London. Bridget losses her apartment ad well as her job and symbolically is forced to take a grotty room for around £75 a week in the house of a teacher, perhaps a few years older, and who turns out to be lesbian. Earning six dollars an hour as a supermarket check out girl she needs to sell her body in some way if she is to continue to see her son. She is constantly approached by customers with offers. I wonder if this also happens generally in the Big Apple and here in the UK. She take a job providing serves for the father of a customer and I may have understood the situation because I thought she was to move in in a form of marriage to the widower. She continues as a check out girl, is kind to a young man who is educationally challenged and consequently immature and accepts the offer made to her by his father. That she formally marries and lives with his son for five years, after which if he remains alive she can walk away and receive half a million dollars banked without interest, but not beforehand , although if the son, like his father, who has a heart condition, dies beforehand then the amount will be paid pro rata for the length of the marriage. They have separate rooms and she fends of his questions about the nature of marriage and becoming a parent. He is an adorable young man little different from the young girls in the train. While the film suggests she plays the role of a mother figure and playmate friend with enthusiasm, she still needs funds to continue to see her son in the meantime. She takes a job working as a peek booth girl stripping only to her pants and talking suggestively, but again this is only for a few dollars an hour so even with the two jobs and whatever financial support the son receives it is not enough to achieves her goal of a financial buy out. She is introduced to a Miami retired gangster who fixes for her to be a drug courier into the Lebanon. This involves taking in half a million dollars and bringing back the drugs. She hands over the money and is then told she is to be killed because the drugs are fake. She talks her way out of this situation and out of a capture by a border guard inside Israel. Instead of high tailing out of the country she spends time at the Wailing Wall and meets a Rabbi, who looks into her soul and says that whatever she has been her fortunes will change. On arrival home she hands over drugs which believes are fake but they are not, or at least the financiers do not say so, claiming they will be worth a million dollars on the street and reward her with twice the original feel of 50000 thousand dollars adding that the money was fake money anyway, as if they would trust such a sum with a stranger.It is at this point that the film moves quickly into its climax. She has been with the son now for four years and the father in law has died having a hear attack when at his request she turns him on at her continuing job in the peek booth. The relationship with the son also changes and they becomes lovers as well as friends. Then Black turns up for the money three months before the five years of the deal for half a million is due to be paid. She tries to get a part payment but the lawyer explains that arising from the death his role as executor is set and he has no room for manoeuvre. It is at this point she cashes in the million dollars from the bank job although we are not told if she hands over all or half the amount. I presume she uses the other half to buy her son and then plans to get away with husband and son, the half million from the marriage deal and whatever money the son is getting for his on going care from the estate of his father.The couple are woken as Black and two of his present gang break into the apartment and she kills all three before they kill them. She has also exacted revenge on the man who killed the friend in the press up game murder. The film ends as the three have got away to a beach side residence in a sunny paradise, She knows the situation is unlikely to last but she savours each moment of happiness and adolescent son and husband son enjoy beach life together and we have the impression is no longer having to use her body for money. But do any of us believe she can give up the excitement of the danger?
I left the Travel Lodge in time to buy two fresh Danish and a bottle of cold water which I transferred to the flask. £1.61 (175.42). At the station before I was able to buy the cheap day travel card but was able to do so to be on the platform in time for the first eligible train to London Bridge £7 (182. 42). At the terminal I made my way along he subterranean arcade created from a tunnel under the station where there are now various attractive food outlets including one selling olives which tempted me but at that point I was inclined to resist as still determined to get to the cinema at the Millennium Dome in plenty of time for the only showing of the 3 D edition of Journey to the centre of the earth. It is 8 years since visit's the Dome although last year on my to the Cineworld I left the Docklands Light Railway at the wrong station and was insight of the Dome. Like everyone else I had balloted for tickets and made a special trip to London and was impressed with what had been achieved and would have gladly returned again as it was not possible to see everything at the pace one would have wished. I was struck once more by the depth and vast space of the Jubilee Line stations at this part of the line. The exit to the Dome does not provide a good view the building despite a vast external concourse. This is because of building development work which is continuing on site and in the surrounding area. Because of the number of concerts at the arena which forms the central core of the arena there is a large bus and taxi area and some 2200 car parking spaces in four parks at a cost of £20 for over four hours. There the majority of people come by public transport and the underground although there is a regular and fast boat service from North Greenwich into central London about which I shall write about later. The entrance into the Dome does not indicate anything of what is within except the main entrance to arena which appeared to be four and five stories high and a large two three story building the left which housed ticket office a two storey American bar and Grill restaurant, a large area for buy merchandise related to specific events at the arena and immediate facing but at some distance in what is known as the London Piazza is the entrance to the 20000 seater stadium and where there are 10 food areas restricted to when there are events. To the left of this space there was my first surprise for here, covering two thirds of the perimeter to the arena but within the Dome is Entertainment Avenue, a wide thorough affair with three story permanent buildings closest to the sides of the dome and four tall storeys next to the Arena. These are impressive structures in their own right and whole refurbishing inside the Dome cost £350 million but for once I have no quarrel with the cost as the end result is impressive. Before commencing my visit having enquired that the Vue Cinema was within the complex, I had to go through a highly professional security system, in which all bags with phones and M3 players went through one electronic X ray system and human forms another so there was no need for personal frisking. I made my way around until reaching the second Piazza area where to one side there is the Vue Cinema Digital. The is a three story staircase to the large entrance foyer and then there is a further soaring to the roof area with a tubular lighting feature with circles of coloured lights. You have the impression of moving to somewhere special and you are not disappointed. There is a clever marketing approach in that of instead of a box office you buy tickets from the counters selling drinks, ices, sweets, pop corn and the like. The prices are midway between outer London and West End. My concessions seat was £6 plus I had to pay £1 (189.42) for the special glasses these are a strong pair of uncoloured lens in a black frame. This is the hire charge as they are collected at the end of the performance. It is several decades since I watched 3D using a red and green pair of glassed set in cardboard which one took away. I have no memory of what the effect was like. Today the effect is impressive as you get the sensation of depth but more significantly of creatures, rocks and other things coming to within inches of you. However the dimensions of the screen changes to achieve these effects so you have a more personal and intimate experience where the rest of the cinema and its audience are removed and it you alone that is involved with the events before you. In fairness it also has to be mentioned so that the film can be enjoyed as an adventure film without the 3D effect. There is a good story as a scientist and his nephew successful make the journey to the centre of the earth on the basis of the Jules Verne book as if he ahs written an account by someone who undertook the original experience. The level of my involvement was unexpected. The toilet also enters a new area and the space age hand dryer has to be experienced.It was time to explore the rest of the building with my camera and note book to hand. First restaurant at the main entrance Piazza is Guacho, Argentinean and enclosed space on two floors with external atmosphere of sophistication which is likely to put off casual visitor especially as there are no outside table, or inside tables visible. There is a tireless young woman at the front attempting to attract customers to attract customers. To the left is Raan a bar and Grill but there was no evidence of custom. This was not the situation in the rest of the Avenues as many were busy especially the majority with there outside tables. The prices were West End Holiday Tourist although there were also several excellent bargains. On the right there is also the 2000 smaller venue for live performance Indigo2 where there is a mixture of sanding and seating at tables. Tapas Tapas on the left is Spanish with a selection costing between £14 and £20 although something can be bought singular with a drink. The Thai restaurant was offering a lunchtime special for under £6, There was the Slug and Lettuce English roadhouse without TV screen whereas it was the Thai showing the Olympics. Radizio Rico is Brazilian. The Pizza Express is self explanatory and the Sushi Restaurant Wasabi popular with adult s and young people. Nandos is Nandos as everywhere as was Frankie and Benny's to one side near the Vue. Café S and M had an English café style but on a large scale and selling traditional dishes. Zizzi was a popular Italian. Next to the Vue is a French Brasserie and Jimmy Morcoss a burger speciality. Spur is American with Steaks and Ribs while the Eater Margin offered a buffet for £7.50 unlimited 20 options and £14 in the evening for 40. Iquanas is Latin American. The next surprise was a large organised and supervised children's activity area where the parent can lounge in deckchairs and watch the Olympics. There were a few benches in the main thoroughfare where I was able to enjoy two rolls with crab pate and a the cold water. Here there is also Starbucks and a sandwich, newsagent and sweet shop and hen on the left is the Tutenkhamun Exhibition on several levels with its own security and escalators. There is work going on in he third of the pediment area not opened to the public and which suggests a further of phase in development in future. I suspect this area was hoped to be used as a Super Casino. I left around 2.15.2.30 and made my way to the ferry landing. This is a long walk under a covered ten like avenue and then on to the pontoon out into the river . I missed one cruiser and the next was taken out of service for a break but then two came together with everyone crowding to the first enabling the few who sensibly remain to get seats at the back.However be warned the boar is fast and functions as speed boat so there is spray and it is difficult to stand and take photo without having support. Because I had a Travel card I paid only £2.40 (191.82) proved to be a thrilling experience in what has become one fo the great City river trips in the world. I am not exaggerating and the river between Waterloo and North Greenwich has been transformed. So that one wanted to get off at anyone of the dozen stops and explore. The views of Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London and the other sites will be lasting although I intend to repeat the trip as soon as I can as well as walk along the river bank.It was soon after departing that Dave came up and introduced himself. Dave is an American, about my age he suggested recent diagnosed with Diabetes having the time of his life on a world wind trip doing London in a couple of days. He had seen a show the previous night not destined for the USA, The Tutenkhamun and on his way to Greenwich. He was so engaged conversation that he early missed his stop. I had time to tell him of my stay in Greenwich thirty years ago and mutual experiences of being old. I was tempted to join him for the rest of the day when he then headed for Harwich a boat to St Petersburg. It was very difficult to take photos when the boat was moving between stops but the number of people getting and off was such that I was able to do at these times. It was just before 4pm when I arrived at Waterloo and decided to have a cup of tea before walking along to Tate Modern for a quick visit before the free concert by Barb Jungr in ballroom. I was struck by he number of people already drinking in the vast seating area on the first floor veranda overlooking the Thames, In side they were getting the Ballroom area ready with tables, table clothes, glitter on the clothes, and flame lights to create the effect of a night club space, although this was designed more the burlesque show at 10.30pm after the young audience for the Wizard of Oz summer show had departed from the evening performance, I found a settee free overlooking the ballroom and decided to reward what had been an excellent day with a pint of lager £2.40 (194.22) I was very pleasant so I decided to write and then rested my eyes although I did not sleep. Although it was approaching two hours before the performance I stayed on and moved on the ballroom when a few others came. By the time the performance commenced all the seats were taken with all those in the vast area of lounge space above. In between numbers one could also hear the sound of talk from outside the Hall and it was only when I left did I find the hundreds of tables filled by young people with hundreds of others standing overlooking the Thames drinking before whatever they were doing over the rest of the evening. Barb Jungr was born in England of mid European parentage in 1954 and has a international reputation as a nightclub singer in the mould of Edith Piaf but also jazz and blues and original interpretations of standards. She a couple of dozen albums to her name and is highly regarded by other singers but without ever achieving celebrity status among the general public. I had not heard of her beforehand. She is a skilled professional performer but was warmly applauded by the audience in a programme which ended with a delightful interpretation of Somewhere over the Rainbow after collection of songs with the theme of friendship. She is also fan of Bob Dylan and included his music as well as the songs of Nina Simone. Given that the hour long concert was free I am being uncharitable in saying that I understood why she is not and has never been a household name. There is the lack of the wow factor.I felt I was ready to return to the Travel Lodge for a picnic evening meal. I had not bargained what a beautiful evening it was and the extent of activity along the South Bank. Outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall ,the National Film Theatre and the Hayward Galleries there are the second hand book sellers on the river bank. All the riverbank seating along here were occupied including by one young woman writing in what looked like a large diary book. Near us at that point were the skate borders against the background of professional Graffiti. There was a huge queue of people waiting to get on the Millennium Wheel, The London Eye and similar number waiting to go on the river, either for the stopping speed cruisers or the eighty minute special trips. From here to just before the Blackfriars bridge and stations and past Tate Modern and the area of restaurants and art market, the designer stores there was an almost continuing line of statue artists and street musicians. Unfortunately I had exhausted the available photos on the memory and had left the other in the computer. There were some forty of these artists some exceptionally skilled drawing the crowds especially Charles Chaplin and someone in a wicker box. Some were so motionless that they was doubt they were human until money as donated when they briefly indicated approval. Under one bridge there was a group of musicians playing an hypnotic Latin American ban which drew applause and some passers by dancing. Then I came to cellist playing Marie and other pieces including music from Swan Lake I was able to sit on a bench under a tress for 15 minutes watching the evening come to an end. There were young lover and family groups. Further along the blue lights in the trees were becoming visible. To get to present Blackfriars station it is necessary to walk over the adjacent road Bridge across the Thames and one appreciates the width of river. The station is doe of a £350 million development to herald a second cross London link, It closes this weekend for engineering works but I was able to catch one fo the half hour trains towards Brighton and which only involved a stop at London bridge before East Croydon. I had timed the return well for with the sundown there was a chill, I stopped at the supermarket for a pack of ham, four rolls, some buns as there was no croissants,. I thought soup with a roll would not be enough and bought a cheese pasta without checking that it was not one where not water was poured and discovered too late that it was the microwave. I made do with the ham and two of the rolls. The total purchase was £6.20.(200.40) However I enjoyed the food and after checking the TV and the internet decided to try an early night although it was only 10 am as I wanted to try and wake up for 3am when Rebecca Arlington was attempting a second gold medal in what is her best event. It had been a day I will long remember with the only regret forgetting the second memory stick.
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