LONDON
Hugh and I flew direct from Phoenix to Heathrow in late April. As has become our custom, we stopped in London for a few days en route to Switzerland. After visiting Julianna there for nearly fifteen years, London feels familiar—almost personal. There were restaurants and pubs we wanted to revisit (too many for a short stay), a theater we hoped to catch, shops that needed our dollars ( like Foyle’s Bookstore, Ray Stitch for fabric, the Loop for yarn), and streets we felt compelled to walk. I also needed reassurance: that I could still navigate the Tube, walk between favorite neighborhoods, and not get too lost along the way.
We were lucky. During our stay, we attended two musical performances at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, one of my favorite places in London. The venue is small—or perhaps it just feels that way—and wonderfully intimate. We had tickets for one performance when we arrived, but once we realized Messiah would be performed while we were there, we quickly added that concert as well.
The church, built in the 18th century, sits on the edge of Trafalgar Square. I’m especially drawn to the stained-glass window at the front of the church. Designed by Iranian artist Shirazeh Houshiary, it replaces a window shattered during World War II bombings. Somehow, the idea of the cross and salvation comes through—not literally, but emotionally—in light and form.
Beneath the church, in the crypt, there’s a café where we like to eat before or after a performance, enjoying a good meal with a glass of wine or beer. I could sit there for hours, staring at—and photographing—the ceiling.
Some of our favorite places.
We also visited the National History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit. We have seen this exhibit several times. The photography is incredible. Reading stories about how long some of these photographers waited for the moment always fills me with awe. One of the winners that year was someone I had met at a photography workshop in Canada! After a couple of days in London, we were off to Switzerland.