(today) was always going to be a good blog post day
Today (I've not quite gone to bed yet) - so Friday - was Good Friday - and was the day that I was off to London to see the Star Wars Musical Experience at the Millenium Dome (o2).
I spent the morning geeking (read, going in to work to try to set up a VPN), and then headed off to the railway station to come down here. Got to London, and the tube was broken in the couple of places I needed it to work (well, I knew this already, yesterday I arranged my alternative transport).
Managed to get to Canary Wharf, where I had spent some hotel points to get a room for the night, after various tube staff had given me wrong directions ("go to london bridge, get the replacement bus" - "no, yiu need to be at bank and get the DLR") etc.
Then was the slight issue of getting the boat down the Thames, as it was heaving (yep, you can get a boat up and down the Thames - what a cool way to travel, even if their website wouldn't let me buy more than a one way ticket!?).
But I did get there, and met up with Mr Dave Wade and his chums.
The music was specatcular. I had goose bumps for most of it. Royal Philharmonic, showing why they get to use the word "royal". Words can't do it justice. They opened with the Star Wars theme, and then with Anthony Daniels narrating, they were off into Duel of the Fates, and a general prequel thing which finished with the Imperial March. Interval. Straight back in to Music from the real movies, with the Asteroid Field, Yoda's Theme, Cantina Band ... and it all just climaxed beautifully with a powerful, breathtaking rendtion of "throne room and end credits".... Just, bloody awesome.
Getting back - for that was next was where my plan ended. No tube, so ummed and arred about a cab, but kind of got the impression it would cost more than the train tix here. So instead queued for a boat, before the sold out of tickets! Kind of drifted to a bus which reunited me with the DLR and it was back to base.
Things tonight I have re-learned:
John Williams can do no wrong
George Lucas can
Hayden Christiansen REALLY can't act
Han Solo is the coolest man in the galaxy
Killer heels are in
Building a venue that is dependent on one form of transport is a bad idea
Boating to a venue ROCKS.
If the SW musical experience comes up north - GO TO IT.
I spent the morning geeking (read, going in to work to try to set up a VPN), and then headed off to the railway station to come down here. Got to London, and the tube was broken in the couple of places I needed it to work (well, I knew this already, yesterday I arranged my alternative transport).
Managed to get to Canary Wharf, where I had spent some hotel points to get a room for the night, after various tube staff had given me wrong directions ("go to london bridge, get the replacement bus" - "no, yiu need to be at bank and get the DLR") etc.
Then was the slight issue of getting the boat down the Thames, as it was heaving (yep, you can get a boat up and down the Thames - what a cool way to travel, even if their website wouldn't let me buy more than a one way ticket!?).
But I did get there, and met up with Mr Dave Wade and his chums.
The music was specatcular. I had goose bumps for most of it. Royal Philharmonic, showing why they get to use the word "royal". Words can't do it justice. They opened with the Star Wars theme, and then with Anthony Daniels narrating, they were off into Duel of the Fates, and a general prequel thing which finished with the Imperial March. Interval. Straight back in to Music from the real movies, with the Asteroid Field, Yoda's Theme, Cantina Band ... and it all just climaxed beautifully with a powerful, breathtaking rendtion of "throne room and end credits".... Just, bloody awesome.
Getting back - for that was next was where my plan ended. No tube, so ummed and arred about a cab, but kind of got the impression it would cost more than the train tix here. So instead queued for a boat, before the sold out of tickets! Kind of drifted to a bus which reunited me with the DLR and it was back to base.
Things tonight I have re-learned:
John Williams can do no wrong
George Lucas can
Hayden Christiansen REALLY can't act
Han Solo is the coolest man in the galaxy
Killer heels are in
Building a venue that is dependent on one form of transport is a bad idea
Boating to a venue ROCKS.
If the SW musical experience comes up north - GO TO IT.