Wimbledon

Last weekend we drove down to London to stay with Hugh and Santanu. Hugh was planning to buy a car and Ian offered to help as it is always great to have another person's opinion, especially when purchasing 2nd hand cars off a dealer!!! Hugh had sussed out a dealer with the make of car he wanted and as it turned out, after much consideration, that was who he bought one off. After lunch Ian and I went to the Tower of London and then Hugh booked us tickets to see Mozart's Opera "La clemenza di Tito" that evening. We had never been to one before and it was a big help having him explain the story to us. However, they also put the words up on a screen as well, even though it is in English. There is a proper name for that but cannot think of it right now! Not subtitles, but perhaps it is an operatic term!! We thoroughly enjoyed it and the Japanese meal after, near the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane, where the opera was performed. On Sunday we visited the Tate Gallery to see the photographic exhibition called "How we are - Photographing Britain" from their pioneer days to now - really interesting. Before leaving, I rang Joanne Small to have a general catch up and during the conversation she asked me if I'd care for 2 tickets to Wimbledon. Well, she didn't have to ask twice!! It was for the following Tuesday so that meant returning to Gorleston to teach on Monday and returning that same evening to Hugh's, ready for our tennis day. It was much easier to leave our car at Hugh's on a day pass and then tube to Wimbledon. We met Joanne and Daniel for a coffee and she dropped us by one of the gates. It was hard to believe we were actually there!! After a wander around to familiarise ourselves we settled at court 2 for some of the higher rank players' games and then went onto Henman Hill to watch his match on the big screen. Every English person in the complex, was there to support! Thank goodness he won! After lunch we saw Venus Williams and then Baghdatis. We stayed and on until 8.30, always conscious of having to return to Hugh's house to pick up our car and then a 3 hour drive home. Never mind, we hit bed by 2am but it was well worth it. A magic day and weekend really!