A Weekend In The City

This post is entitled after the recently released Bloc Party CD which is ab fab. Silent Alarm was a breakthrough album which blew my mind so to hear A Weekend In The City and admit it is perhaps even better than their first offering, it must be good. It is sooo in-depth, so melancholy, yet so real and hard-hitting, and topical. The Prayer and Song For Clay are just brilliant songs. The 'City' in question is actually London, which was funny really because....

...that's exactly where Jen and I went last weekend for a theatre break. It wasn't long ago that I ordered it for her Xmas present! My my, how time has flown by! We stayed in Greenwich in a very nice hotel and we tubed it in (by the way, the tube was new to me so I was amazed by the whole experience) whenever we went into Central London.

Firstly we went on the London Eye - a fantastic experience not for the faint hearted! It was an incredible view at the top! Then we went into Madame Tussauds, which I thought was going to be massively tacky - if you are indeed an avid One Man fan, you will know my thoughts of celebrity on this island. However I was swayed by the wonderful craftsmanship of the figures, especially the Michael Caine, the Sean Connery and the Tom Jones! I had mixed feelings when Jen finally met her dream husband too, the lovable rogue that is Captain Jack Sparrow. But she seemed to be happy anyhow! After that we wondered around Covent Garden and I began to appreciate how relaxed London can be.

The next day we head straight to the Tower of London to beat the crowds and I think we timed it just right busywise. It was very interesting with lots to see; we could have easily spent a day there! I particularly enjoyed the roleplay the actors played out involving Gryffydd ap Llywelyn, one of the last Welsh princes, who was being held in the tower. When Jen and I announced that we could speak Welsh they kind of ignored us, assuming that the actor who played Gryffydd was English! After that we ventured over Tower Bridge (saw it open up too) then went to Regent St and Piccadilly Circus (Jen got to look for bears in Hamleys!), and then a quick whistle stop tour of Marble Arch and Buckingham Palace before we got ready for the show in the evening. The musical we were to see was 'The Sound of Music', which i admit I had watched only once before. The show was brilliant - Connie Fisher, the winner of the TV reality show, was very good. However you have to give it up for Lesley Garrett on her last night and the Von Trapp children who were also very good.

On the Sunday we left for home with a few detours on the way. Firstly we went to Windsor where had a good walk around and picnicked in the sun with some food we bought in Lewisham. Eton was not just expensive in price - it felt expensive. It felt wrong walking down the streets, like someone was going to spring a road tax on you or something! The castle was great too. After that we meandered down the M4 corridor and at my request - and mine alone - we went to my ancestral home, the mighty town of Newbury. Yes if I was English, I would live here. And I would be mayor. But as a patriotic Welshman, I turn my nose up to my inherited lands and live it up in Cwl Cymru. It was nice to see the place before considering I've never been there and as true Argos employees it wasn't long until we sniffed out the Argos there either!


In what is turning out to be a bumper post, I have an apology to make for everyone and myself. Two years ago I used One Man to spread the good word of the franchise to all. This year I have paid very little attention to the assembly elections here on One Man, and for all political enthusaists who have been keen to get my view, I am deeply sorry. This is not to say I haven't been following the elections or lost any faith in Welsh democracy. Far from it, I have been reading the blogs, following the media, in what is the most informative age in political history. So many opinions, so many political pieces to read - it just shows how hard it will be to vote.
And yet, polling day is 30 mins away. In what seems to be rather appropriately placed event, Jen and I have just gone to see The New Statesman stage show in the New Theatre this evening, and good old Alan B'Stard was as devious as ever. It was a great show, which I suggest everyone with an interest in current affairs and politics alike should really check out. But has the ultra right-wing charlatan affected my vote? Time will tell.....

But please on a serious note, if you are reading on the May 3rd, go out and vote. It is your vote and no-one can take it away from you. You have the power to change things. Use that power this Thursday.