Fridays are my "free day" and Jackie and I have a tradition of spending the day together exploring museums or parts of London we haven't seen.
This past Friday, we visited the working class distict of Brixton, which is on the southern end of the Jubilee line. The neighborhood is home to a sizable African and Carribbean population and boasts a huge, very colorful food market (which runs along Electric avenue). In the 70s and 80s, life here was very tough and the streets were the settings for the famous Brixton riots in 1981, an event that has been immortalized in a number of reggae and punk songs (including, of course, "The Guns of Brixton" by the Clash). These days, you're more likely to hear rap and "bass 'n drums" blasting from open windows than punk or reggae.
We strolled around, walked past the art deco "Ritzy" theater, past a large old church that houses the famous "Mass" dance club (which appears in China Mieville's fine London novel "King Rat"), and went by some massive public housing estates. After a cup of coffee, we then spent an hour or so drifting through the market and got a nice deal on some fruit and on a Jamacian ginger-cake. It was a great little outing.
We did very little on Saturday as the kids had playdates and I, at least, had a ton of reading to do. Today, however, we took a family trip to the British Museum. They have wonderful themed "backpacks" for kids full of activities, games and quizzes they can do while visiting the various galleries. We selected the pack for Ancient Egypt. It walked the kids through the whole process of making a mummy while -- very sneakily-- getting them to scrutinize the various exhibits in the Egyptian section of the museum. They loved it and want to go back again to check out the backpack on Roman Britian. Good show, British museum, good show.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
The Past Three Weeks
We've all had a fairly eventful few weeks since returning from our Benelux holiday. The kids have had sports -- in fact, Aleeza played in London-wide netball tournament-- and exciting play dates of various kinds. Jackie's been visiting some courts to watch magistrates and lawyers (barristers) in action. I've been dragging students on one field trip after another. Where to begin...
Well, the first week back, I took my students to an extremely powerful British film at the BFI/London International Film Festival: "Boy A". It tells the story of a young man imprisoned for a horrible rape-murder he committed as a boy (13 or so) and follows his (halting, painfully awkward, ultimately doomed) efforts to reintegrate into society and piece together a life after his release. The slow pacing, the sharp acting and the series of flashbacks that gradually reveal the protagonist's back story are intensely absorbing. The film is bound to get some sort international distribution deal and will end up in art theaters in the US. When it does, don't miss it. I know I won't. Also that week, we had a group tour of the Parliment Building (which Jackie was able to attend). That weekend we stayed close to home but we did get together with my colleague Ginny Blanton for wine and cheese on Saturday night.
Last week, the International Enrichment trip was to Oxford and Blenheim palace. I'd just been to Oxford a month or ago, although this time I got to vist the famous Bodleian library, one of oldest libraries in Europe. After our walking tour of the main attractions was over, I used the rest of my time in the city to do some serious browsing at the famous Blackwell's Bookstore (something Jackie and the kids did not allow me to do the first time around). The real revelation for me on this trip was Blenheim palace, which is sort of British Versaille: a huge, 18th-century palace set on some beautiful grounds and full of historically-important tapestries and paintings. I could have spent a lot more time there.
Also last week, Jackie and I finally found time to visit the John Sloane Museum. Set in the personal residence of the 18th Century architect John Sloane (who designed the building himself), the museum is crammed full of an amazing array of antiquities, paintings, architectural drawings, architectural decorations and sculpture. Every available inch of wall and floor space is covered with art and artefacts. The most fascinating room in the house was the so-called Painting Room, a cramped little chamber which has moving wall panels mounted with various paintings that can be detached to reveal yet more paintings. Among the works on display there are two series of paintings (later turned into prints) by Hogarth: The Election and the Rake's Progress. Jackie and I must have spent half an hour in there alone.
Last weekend I spent communting back and forth from Kennsington to Bloomsbury where I was atteneding a conference on politics, economics and critical theory at University of London. I got to hear from some fairly famous scholars, including historian and economist Robert Brenner and labor journalist and urban historian Kim Moody. I also ran into a fellow who'd given one of the guest lectures for International Enrichment's BLC class and we had a nice chat as finished off several glasses of free wine at reception after one of the keynote lectures. More on that later...
This week, I took two separate groups of students on course-related field trips. My "City of Dreadful Night" students and I visited the Sherlock Holmes museum (which was, I thought, a bit of a disappointment) on Monday. Today, Thursday, I took the students in my other class on a trip to the BBC Television Centre.
Wednesday, though, was my busiest day yet. Our regular BLC trip for the week was scheduled for that day and was to the Inns of Court. It included a visit to the Royal Courts of Justice (essentially the main court of appeals in England) where we got to hear a case being argued by the fellows in robes and wigs. Jackie tagged along. Then we rushed off to meet one of Mom and Dad's friends, Jenny Lucas, a documentary film writer and producer, for lunch at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' private cafe. We had a wonderful time and wonderful meal. After we left there, we went to Fox Primary School to see Aleeza perform in her school assembly (about global warming.. she, of course, was great, so articulate and so very smart). Finally, that evening I attended a faculty get together at a little univeristy-for-foreigners called Holburn College. And, of course, downed several glasses of free wine.
Next week, my pal Mitchell from Chicago is coming over for a short visit. Should be fun. Til then.
Well, the first week back, I took my students to an extremely powerful British film at the BFI/London International Film Festival: "Boy A". It tells the story of a young man imprisoned for a horrible rape-murder he committed as a boy (13 or so) and follows his (halting, painfully awkward, ultimately doomed) efforts to reintegrate into society and piece together a life after his release. The slow pacing, the sharp acting and the series of flashbacks that gradually reveal the protagonist's back story are intensely absorbing. The film is bound to get some sort international distribution deal and will end up in art theaters in the US. When it does, don't miss it. I know I won't. Also that week, we had a group tour of the Parliment Building (which Jackie was able to attend). That weekend we stayed close to home but we did get together with my colleague Ginny Blanton for wine and cheese on Saturday night.
Last week, the International Enrichment trip was to Oxford and Blenheim palace. I'd just been to Oxford a month or ago, although this time I got to vist the famous Bodleian library, one of oldest libraries in Europe. After our walking tour of the main attractions was over, I used the rest of my time in the city to do some serious browsing at the famous Blackwell's Bookstore (something Jackie and the kids did not allow me to do the first time around). The real revelation for me on this trip was Blenheim palace, which is sort of British Versaille: a huge, 18th-century palace set on some beautiful grounds and full of historically-important tapestries and paintings. I could have spent a lot more time there.
Also last week, Jackie and I finally found time to visit the John Sloane Museum. Set in the personal residence of the 18th Century architect John Sloane (who designed the building himself), the museum is crammed full of an amazing array of antiquities, paintings, architectural drawings, architectural decorations and sculpture. Every available inch of wall and floor space is covered with art and artefacts. The most fascinating room in the house was the so-called Painting Room, a cramped little chamber which has moving wall panels mounted with various paintings that can be detached to reveal yet more paintings. Among the works on display there are two series of paintings (later turned into prints) by Hogarth: The Election and the Rake's Progress. Jackie and I must have spent half an hour in there alone.
Last weekend I spent communting back and forth from Kennsington to Bloomsbury where I was atteneding a conference on politics, economics and critical theory at University of London. I got to hear from some fairly famous scholars, including historian and economist Robert Brenner and labor journalist and urban historian Kim Moody. I also ran into a fellow who'd given one of the guest lectures for International Enrichment's BLC class and we had a nice chat as finished off several glasses of free wine at reception after one of the keynote lectures. More on that later...
This week, I took two separate groups of students on course-related field trips. My "City of Dreadful Night" students and I visited the Sherlock Holmes museum (which was, I thought, a bit of a disappointment) on Monday. Today, Thursday, I took the students in my other class on a trip to the BBC Television Centre.
Wednesday, though, was my busiest day yet. Our regular BLC trip for the week was scheduled for that day and was to the Inns of Court. It included a visit to the Royal Courts of Justice (essentially the main court of appeals in England) where we got to hear a case being argued by the fellows in robes and wigs. Jackie tagged along. Then we rushed off to meet one of Mom and Dad's friends, Jenny Lucas, a documentary film writer and producer, for lunch at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' private cafe. We had a wonderful time and wonderful meal. After we left there, we went to Fox Primary School to see Aleeza perform in her school assembly (about global warming.. she, of course, was great, so articulate and so very smart). Finally, that evening I attended a faculty get together at a little univeristy-for-foreigners called Holburn College. And, of course, downed several glasses of free wine.
Next week, my pal Mitchell from Chicago is coming over for a short visit. Should be fun. Til then.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Our Fall Break
Well, it has been two solid weeks since I last posted and lots has happened in the interim. The main reason for the hiatus was that last week was Fall break for me and my kids and our whole family took the opportunity to tour around Holland and Belgium for six days.
Two weeks ago today we flew our of London's Heathrow airport and into Amsterdam, where we spent the night at a funky hotel called the Orange Tulip. The following day we visited the Anne Frank house -- which was deeply moving for me, as I remember reading Frank's diary when I was in high school. We also visited the Jewish Museum, a group of four old synagogues that have been turned into a museum of the Jewish community in Holland. They had a special children's museum and Aleeza and Sebi got to make challah as part of a hands-on demonstration. Afterward, we wandered up and down the canals[Unfortunately, the kids got an eyeful of the city's notorious Red Light district as we were searching for a place to eat that evening.] We also managed to eat some famous Belgian "frittes" and stopped for lunch at a Pannekoeken Huis where the kids had children's meals that came with all sort of stuffed animals, toys and candies as "special surprise".
Towards evening on Monday we went back out to the airport, picked up a rental car and drove to Antwerp (in Belgium) where Jackie lived for a couple of years in the late 70s. We spent two days in Antwerp. It is a delightful place with an enormous cathderal and old town square. We got to see the famous Rubens' Huis (which has been restored to look like it was when the painter lived there in the mid 17th Century) and visited another museum with an impressive collection of Flemish art. The food was not great, sadly, but we did eat more frittes and I managed to get some OK mussels one night.
From Antwerp we then traveled to Bruges, which is very well preserved and beautiful medieval city with lots of architecture dating from the 13th and 14th centuries and so picturesque canals. It was a great town to stroll around and we spent most of our time there just drifting from sight to sight. We did see the "lace museum" (which I found a bit dull), a church with a creepy-looking altar decorated with death's heads and bones, and visited the "Chocolate Museum" (the highpoint of our stay in Bruges from the kids' point of view).
Finally, on Thursday, we got back in the car and drove to Leiden (in Holland) where we spent four days with Jackie's old friend Marit. Marit is half-Dutch, half-Hungarian and Jackie met her when she was living in Budapest. She's now married to a French architect and carpenter, Eduard, has two children (Milo, 6, and Noor, 2) and is working as a career councilor. Jackie hadn't seen her in 18 years and yet the two of them were so natural together it was as if they'd been living around the corner from each other all this time; they spent much of the time we were reminiscing about the good old day, talking about old pals and acquaintences, etc. Marit's husband Eduard runs his own house restoration business and -- having done an architectural internship in the U.S. years ago-- spoke very good English; we had long conversations about his business and about his experience trying to fit into Dutch culture over endless glasses of wine and beer. Marit was very nervous intially about having us stay with her for such a long time because she was afraid it would upset her kids but it turned out that Sebi and Milo were able to play together nicely (despite the lack of a common language) and Aleeza loved playing with Noor.
Marit and Eduard had to work on Friday, so we took the train into Amsterdam where we got to see the impressive Vincent Van Gogh museum and had yet more frittes.
Over the weekend we just hung out in Leiden, went to the market and took the kids to the park to play football. Jackie, Marit and I took Sebi and Milo to a cool water park where the boys got to paddle rafts around these winding canals and under these little bridges. Sebi loved it. On Sunday before we caught our plane to London we all went for a hike in a wind-swept park near the North Sea coast that was full of high sand dunes and twisting trails. It was striking because it didn't look anything like the stereotypical image of Holland and in fact resembled the great sandy expanses of Cape Cod in Massachusetts more than anything else. It was awfully cold and windy but it gave the kids a chance to run and climb. We were all pretty worn out by the time we got the airport that evening.
All in all it was a nice break. More later.
Two weeks ago today we flew our of London's Heathrow airport and into Amsterdam, where we spent the night at a funky hotel called the Orange Tulip. The following day we visited the Anne Frank house -- which was deeply moving for me, as I remember reading Frank's diary when I was in high school. We also visited the Jewish Museum, a group of four old synagogues that have been turned into a museum of the Jewish community in Holland. They had a special children's museum and Aleeza and Sebi got to make challah as part of a hands-on demonstration. Afterward, we wandered up and down the canals[Unfortunately, the kids got an eyeful of the city's notorious Red Light district as we were searching for a place to eat that evening.] We also managed to eat some famous Belgian "frittes" and stopped for lunch at a Pannekoeken Huis where the kids had children's meals that came with all sort of stuffed animals, toys and candies as "special surprise".
Towards evening on Monday we went back out to the airport, picked up a rental car and drove to Antwerp (in Belgium) where Jackie lived for a couple of years in the late 70s. We spent two days in Antwerp. It is a delightful place with an enormous cathderal and old town square. We got to see the famous Rubens' Huis (which has been restored to look like it was when the painter lived there in the mid 17th Century) and visited another museum with an impressive collection of Flemish art. The food was not great, sadly, but we did eat more frittes and I managed to get some OK mussels one night.
From Antwerp we then traveled to Bruges, which is very well preserved and beautiful medieval city with lots of architecture dating from the 13th and 14th centuries and so picturesque canals. It was a great town to stroll around and we spent most of our time there just drifting from sight to sight. We did see the "lace museum" (which I found a bit dull), a church with a creepy-looking altar decorated with death's heads and bones, and visited the "Chocolate Museum" (the highpoint of our stay in Bruges from the kids' point of view).
Finally, on Thursday, we got back in the car and drove to Leiden (in Holland) where we spent four days with Jackie's old friend Marit. Marit is half-Dutch, half-Hungarian and Jackie met her when she was living in Budapest. She's now married to a French architect and carpenter, Eduard, has two children (Milo, 6, and Noor, 2) and is working as a career councilor. Jackie hadn't seen her in 18 years and yet the two of them were so natural together it was as if they'd been living around the corner from each other all this time; they spent much of the time we were reminiscing about the good old day, talking about old pals and acquaintences, etc. Marit's husband Eduard runs his own house restoration business and -- having done an architectural internship in the U.S. years ago-- spoke very good English; we had long conversations about his business and about his experience trying to fit into Dutch culture over endless glasses of wine and beer. Marit was very nervous intially about having us stay with her for such a long time because she was afraid it would upset her kids but it turned out that Sebi and Milo were able to play together nicely (despite the lack of a common language) and Aleeza loved playing with Noor.
Marit and Eduard had to work on Friday, so we took the train into Amsterdam where we got to see the impressive Vincent Van Gogh museum and had yet more frittes.
Over the weekend we just hung out in Leiden, went to the market and took the kids to the park to play football. Jackie, Marit and I took Sebi and Milo to a cool water park where the boys got to paddle rafts around these winding canals and under these little bridges. Sebi loved it. On Sunday before we caught our plane to London we all went for a hike in a wind-swept park near the North Sea coast that was full of high sand dunes and twisting trails. It was striking because it didn't look anything like the stereotypical image of Holland and in fact resembled the great sandy expanses of Cape Cod in Massachusetts more than anything else. It was awfully cold and windy but it gave the kids a chance to run and climb. We were all pretty worn out by the time we got the airport that evening.
All in all it was a nice break. More later.
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