dhuey
Jul 25, 05, 1:43 pm
My attempt to see Verdi's Otello performed at the Royal Opera House was nearly a tragedy. I thought that arriving at Luton at 3:30 pm from Nīmes would give me plenty of time to arrive there by 7 pm. BUT...a brush fire on the Luton Express line made this a real adventure:
4 pm -- through Customs at Luton, board coach to train station
4:15 -- arrive at station, agents explain that express line is down
4:30 -- board "local" train
5:00 -- realize that "local" train is very slow. It, for reasons I never understood, waited in each station for about 10 min.
5:10 -- at St. Albans (about 25 miles from London) I ask station agent if there are taxis outside ("yes")
Scene: Frenzied American traveler approaches taxi at stand. Driver at head of cue is recent immigrant from Bangladesh.
5:20 -- ask first cab in line to take me to hotel near Piccadilly Circus.
Driver: "that costs a lot of money -- you pay cash money?"
Me: "Yes, I know, but I'm in a hurry"
D: (tells another cabbie that he doesn't know how to get to Piccadilly. Other driver gives him directions).
D: "You pay cash money?"
M: "YES! May we please go?"
D: "It would be about 60-70 pounds."
M: "IT'S OKAY! PLEASE, MAY WE GO NOW?"
(head out on M1 freeway. We're cruising at full freeway speed. Great idea, I think. Then...construction zone. From three lanes to one. Gridlock.)
6:15 Finally arrive in northern London. Driver points to Tube station sign and says "You take Tube from here". Apparently, he forgot his directions. No time for argument -- I get out, and wait for a London cab.
6:30 London cab arrives. I explain situation to driver. He suggests that I put my suit on in the cab, he'll drop me off at the Royal Opera House and take my bags to my hotel. DEAL! He gives me a receipt for my bags.
6:45 suit on, 2 mi. from ROH.
6:50 one mile from ROH, slow traffic becomes gridlock. I ask the driver if it would be faster for me to run. He says it would. Pay driver; sprint in suit.
6:58 Pick up ticket at Will Call.
6:59:30 Arrive at seat, sweaty and in need of shave. Apologize to woman to my left; she assures me that all is okay.
7:00 Otello, with Renée Fleming as Desdemona. A beautiful performance, with one of the duets being among the most lovely things I've ever seen and heard.
Postscript: the bags were waiting for me at the hotel. Of course, my ordeal was trivial compared to what Londoners are dealing with these days. Still, I hope you find this amusing.
4 pm -- through Customs at Luton, board coach to train station
4:15 -- arrive at station, agents explain that express line is down
4:30 -- board "local" train
5:00 -- realize that "local" train is very slow. It, for reasons I never understood, waited in each station for about 10 min.
5:10 -- at St. Albans (about 25 miles from London) I ask station agent if there are taxis outside ("yes")
Scene: Frenzied American traveler approaches taxi at stand. Driver at head of cue is recent immigrant from Bangladesh.
5:20 -- ask first cab in line to take me to hotel near Piccadilly Circus.
Driver: "that costs a lot of money -- you pay cash money?"
Me: "Yes, I know, but I'm in a hurry"
D: (tells another cabbie that he doesn't know how to get to Piccadilly. Other driver gives him directions).
D: "You pay cash money?"
M: "YES! May we please go?"
D: "It would be about 60-70 pounds."
M: "IT'S OKAY! PLEASE, MAY WE GO NOW?"
(head out on M1 freeway. We're cruising at full freeway speed. Great idea, I think. Then...construction zone. From three lanes to one. Gridlock.)
6:15 Finally arrive in northern London. Driver points to Tube station sign and says "You take Tube from here". Apparently, he forgot his directions. No time for argument -- I get out, and wait for a London cab.
6:30 London cab arrives. I explain situation to driver. He suggests that I put my suit on in the cab, he'll drop me off at the Royal Opera House and take my bags to my hotel. DEAL! He gives me a receipt for my bags.
6:45 suit on, 2 mi. from ROH.
6:50 one mile from ROH, slow traffic becomes gridlock. I ask the driver if it would be faster for me to run. He says it would. Pay driver; sprint in suit.
6:58 Pick up ticket at Will Call.
6:59:30 Arrive at seat, sweaty and in need of shave. Apologize to woman to my left; she assures me that all is okay.
7:00 Otello, with Renée Fleming as Desdemona. A beautiful performance, with one of the duets being among the most lovely things I've ever seen and heard.
Postscript: the bags were waiting for me at the hotel. Of course, my ordeal was trivial compared to what Londoners are dealing with these days. Still, I hope you find this amusing.