London 2010 Day 13

9-16-2010 0410 Baker Street Internet
Even at this hour, a good amount of traffic. And people walking, always people walking. But for the first time I am really hearing the clack of the keys, a sign that the ambient noise is somewhat more like 10 decibels over whats healthy, not 1000.
The reason; the usual. Early plane, and the only public transport £16.50 is from Paddington, but there are night busses, and so i have time to write a last note before heading down there.
So, on to the National Portrait Gallery, and specifically the BP Portrait contest. Particularly poignant for us Gulf lovers in this particular year, but its worth remembering that as part of this crypto feudal oligarchy of corporations that we are allowing to happen, the same forces that cause disasters also generate enough money to sponsor portrait contests.
And after nearly two weeks of touristing, I am able to be a little more selective about museums. It feels a little like hunger...nice to feel you can choose within a bountiful set of options, rather than having to see everything.
One of my favorites was a very large canvas of a very small boy wearing an orange suit, who had, according to the legend, asked his painter father to paint him as large as possible. Another was a largely monocrome profile of a boy home from his first day at school and watching TV...somehow suggesting the whole process of internalization that lies ahead for him.
It was a great show to take along one of t hose '..but i know what i like' friends who are always insisting that they would just like to know if that artist CAN even draw...every one of the entries was clearly done by someone who can draw.
And there were a lot of realists...even almost surrealists...in terms of detail, even to the trompe l'oiele details. Which I generaly like.
All in all, well worth while, and another reason to come back to Leicester Square...which has been paved over for walking, and cleaned up generally. Its impossible doing regular theatre hours, unless you are longing for a times square experience without the traffic, but during mid-day, its great.
Plus the sun, the light, and just enough pidgeons to make you not feel sorry for them.
So otherwise was a walking day, quiet day, day of reflections.
And now, its time to get my proverbial down the proverbial.
take care

alan