We spent 4 days in London mostly eating and going to the theatre. Here are our favorite sensory experiences.
Taste: English cuisine is very maligned and our top taste considerations (although enjoyed in London) fall largely outside what one would normally consider British cuisine. There was a very nice lunch special for about 8 pounds at a Turkish restaurant.I chose taboule and lamb donner and Carolyn had just a hummus starter with very fresh and warm pita bread. We stopped for a quick pre-theatre meal at the Stockpot. There are at least 2 locations in central London and it is famed for cheap and filling and sometimes surprisingly good food. Carolyn's liver and onion choice was surprisingly good while my fish and chips were disappointing. The winning taste went to the luncheon special at a Thai restaurant a block from Picadilly Circus. I had great a great coconut soup and green curry and Carolyn had chicken satay and pad thai noodles. The cost was under 25 pounds with me overtipping 15% as we Americans are wont to do.
Sight: Hands down - no competition - the opening of the Lion King. The whole staging of the play was spectacular but the opening truly deserves the much overused descriptor ... AWESOME!!
Sound: After watching the Lion King matinee we popped (or nipped - I have a hard time keeping the Brits' nuances on the Engish language straight) into the half price ticket booth in the construction site that was once Leicester Square and bought 2nd row seats to "We Will Rock You". The play is a vehicle for the music of Queen. Ben Elton's story about Earth 300 years in the future where creating music is forbidden and the Bohemians are waiting for the promised one who can dream the lyrics to rock-n-roll songs more or less brings some relevance to the songs. The singing was incredible. After Laura Varnham sang her first solo, Carolyn and I simultaneously turned to each other and mouthed, "Wow!"
Smell: Years ago we lived in London for a few years. We bought a book of walks around the city. Before leaving on this trip we copied one for Clerkenwell, a neighborhood in London we had had never been to. After wandering through the 15th centry arch of the Order of St John and through the charming alleys and parks of Clerkenwell, we came upon the Sekforde Arms (or something like that). It was lunch time and the smell of thick English gravy and bangers and mash filled the pub. Unfortunately we didn't have time for anything but a half pint of cider as we were in a bit of a rush to get to the Lion King.
Feel: The warm glow of being in arguably the most magical city in the world after having been to watch Dominic West in the comedy "Butley" and stopping on the foot bridge at Charing Cross station to watch the lights of London reflect on the Thames before taking the tube back to our B&B in Pimlico.
