Thames, Medway, and Tea!

Hey followers,
Sorry about the wait for the next post, but been doing so much, that I have not had time to publish on the blog. But, do not fret,  because, I still have kept my travels journalized. On Saturday, my room mates, Justin and Nick went to the 2009 Thames Festival on the south bank. It really was a great time. Jam pact crowds with people from all over the world selling their good and serving their food. Near the London Eye, there was a stage set up for a Parkour performance. If you don't know what that is, look it up on YouTube, it is one of a kind. Around 17:00, Jus, Nick and I found ourselves on the Southwark Bridge which had been closed to traffic for the Festival. There were tables and chairs set up up and down the bridge where people could sit and enjoy their food from the stands. I had a lamb burger and a coke, but Nick had a fantastic-looking bacon and onion sandwich. After eating with a view of the Tower Bridge on one side and Westminster on the other, we continued our walk past the Globe Theater and Tate Modern until we found ourselves back at the Westminster Tube stop.

14/9/09 09:55 I seem to have left my journal in Rochester yesterday. But we carry on! I have a spare journal in the back of my planner, which is a small red mole skin, similar to those Chairman Mao used in mainland China. Yesterday, I took the 9:03 train to Rochester in Kent to meet an old friend, David Gutteridge, for Eucharist. It was the feast of the Virgin Mary, and the choir sang Bruckner's Ave Maria. The cathedral is of Norman design by Bishop Gundolf, who also deisgned the Castle that sits on the other side of the road. It is he and John Fisher, a Bishop of Rochester, that stand on the wall outside the west wall. John Fisher was beheaded by Henry VIII because he opposed the divorce of Catharine and would not give up the Catholic Church.
This was the first Cathedral that I sang at during the 2003 St. Lukes Choir Tour of England and France. I  remembered the pedestrian part of town, the castle, and the school where we stayed for the better part of a week. After Eucharist, David and I went to a pub down the street, "Not 100 meters from my flat!" There, we had a traditional English Sunday mean, Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding, with some hot pudding for dessert! It was a delicious meal. We walked off our stomachs around the river front of Rochester and found ourselves at the Bridge Guild Hall. There was a special exhibit on the construction and demolition of the Rochester bridge, from its original form until 1856, when they built an grand Victorian style, to then tear that one down to make a more practical modern one shortly after. This bridge is one of the only bridges that span across the Medway in Rochester and Chatham.
Evensong was at 15:15 in the choir stalls. The Boys and Men started with the introit, Locus Iste by Anton Bruckner. We sat behind the choir on the Cantus side. Throughout the service, I observed the choristers, how some would do things that a chorister shouldn't and the head boy disciplining but being very discreet about it. At the Eucharist, four boys recieved their serplices today. They seemed to be sworn into the service of the Cathedral. I'm very glad I was able to witness this. The older boys got to put the surplices on the younger ones. Brings back fond memories of what once was. I can't believe I'm saying it, but I miss my collar.

After Evensong, David and I took the back way around the cathedral, past the Monk carved out of a tree trunk. (A sight I remember as a boy.) At his flat, we had coffee and chocolate cake while discussing other places I need to journey whilst I am across the pond. A bit of interesting information, the Hospital, started by Bishop Gundolf, was a place for lepers and...jews. "Lepers who were dirty, and Jews who were 'naughty.'" Near the Hospital, the only Synagouge in the town gives a reminder of the harsh treatment of the Jews in Medieval England.
Took the 18:35 train back to London and on the train is where I discovered that I had left my little black book on the coffee table. David has graciously offered to ship it to London on Tuesday, after he is back from his old person's trip to Lewes today. A great day overall, relivied some great memories, especially some that contained Bruce Scavuzzo, my room mate during the Tour.

16:30 Sitting in front of Royal Albert Hall, on the steps of the golden monument, after just coming back from High Tea at the Orangery at Kensington Palace. It was quite exquisite. A three course light meal starting with cucumber sandwiches on poppysead bread with tea, scones with raisens, jam and butter and tea, and for dessert, Lemon cake and tea. Delicious. Scrumptious. really, a fantastic experience of high society here. They do tea right! In a grand white hall out-looking the Royal Kensington Gardens, each table with a small orange tree as a center piece. This was part of David Ingram's class, London Stories, to really show all aspects of London and English life. So far, it has been quite interesting. On Wednesday, we are having a tour of Parliament as well as going to a Q&A session with the laywer for the Stockwell case. If you don't know about it, The Stockwell case is about the bombings in 2005 of the London Underground, and the man who was shot point blank in the head because he was suspected of being a bomber, when he was actually an innocent Brazilian man. I am looking forward to it.

Apparently there is a postal strike happening right now, so all who are expecting post cards will have to wait a bit more until this who thing is settled. Also true if you are sending me anything, it might take a bit to reach me. I'll keep you 'posted'