the Brutal Trip

This is me the day BEFORE Berlin next to a particularly poignant piece of the Berlin wall. Had been humming the Beck song as I left the pub and walked to the museum.
This is one of the Moore drawing- collapses entirely the veneer of societal mores and daily industry that separates us from our common humanity - and our common destiny.
And coming back to the present-- war protestors at Westminister- much like the one Janet and I participated in - goodness- that is more than a year and a half ago. It is strange to be now in another cycle of life in London. This has been such an amazing time-- wistful because it will not hold-- I am continually mindful I am watching a memory being made. Then again-- aren't we all- every day?
And here- behind the brick and lace lived Cap't Bligh of Bounty fame!

Imperial War Museum- packed- the Children's War was quite interesting as one considered the angst of sending your children to strangers. TheHenry Moore exhibit was the thing though. His drawing were quite small-- intimate-- figures still carried the mass and dignity of his sculpture but there was such presence to each limb it seemed to forshadow disembodiement and the grave, and Death seemed a sweet companion, breathing in one's very mouth.

Off in the distance you see what appears to be a red ferris wheel. It is the London eye, rimmed in red by Comic Relief, people who take the sufferings of others quite seriously. The participation is amazing. I can't think of an analog in the US. Breast Cancer Awareness? Comic Relief raises money and dispenses to the homeless, the hungry and the uneducated- in UK and around the world.
This is dawn breaking looking south toward the Thames from Hotel in Belgravia- 20 Chesham Place. Making note with the knowledge that things don't last- and if I wanted to go back and find it 30 years from now, perhaps the address would persist if not the hotel itself. Had a bit of a balconey and the moist air of early spring was lovely. Down in the square there was some Daphne blooming.

Scrolling down you'll see a 14 foot wooden boat. This was the smallest of the known craft that evacuated British soldiers fron Dunkirk. Can you imagine what the crossing would have been like. The grit-- the courage these people had.

The children are shown in gas masks, standard issue. Now there is a communications challenge- make free hearted children fearful enough that they never go to play with out there gas mask in reach.