This morning, we got up, packed our bags (always my least favorite part of travel) and grabbed the TGV to Lille, France, where we met the Eurostar. Our train was 10 minutes late getting to Lille. When we went to check in for the Eurostar, we were told we needed to go to the ticket office first to get tickets (our print out was not enough.) The self check in did not read our American Credit Card, so we had to wait in a line of about 12 people to get our tickets. The only problem was, at this point, our train was due to leave in 20 minutes, we had to go through passport control, and they kept making announcements that check in for the Eurostar would close soon.
We got our tickets with about 5 minutes to spare, and ran over to check in where they literally closed the gate behind us. We had to present our passports to both the French and the British authorities. Luckily, the lady took our tickets and checked us in while we were waiting for the British officials to finish with our passports. Then we ran through the metal detectors and put our bags through the x-ray and made it to down to the platform about a moment before the train pulled into the station.
Did I mention that the Eurostar is like an airline, and the ticket was "nonflexible," meaning if we had missed it, we would have had to buy another ticket, at full fare, and lost the money we spent on the first set.
Anyway, after that stress, it was nice to relax on the train for the last hour and a half of our trip.
Once we got to London, we followed the online directions to our hotel - but the directions were really bad - we walked about a half a mile and there was a subway station MUCH closer to our hotel. (The good news is that the stop closer to our hotel has a line that goes directly to the airport, which will help on Sunday.)
We are staying at the Marriott Renaissance Chancery Court - Super posh digs. After settling in, we wend to Leicester Square to the TKTS booth to get tickets for a show. First of all, it is unbelievably crowded. The streets were just pouring with people. Second of all, as you get off the subway, there are a ton of signs directing you to the "real" 1/2 price ticket booth - and there are 4 or so so-called "real 1/2 price ticket booths," with lines 30 people long. (For the impatient, there is even a ticket window down in the tube station!)
However, at the TKTS booth (the for real real ticket booth) there was no line, and we got tickets to see Evita in the 4th row of the "stalls" - ie. the Orchestra section, and then end of the row. 55 pound tickets for 27.50, (and the 2.50 service fee.) I love the TKTS booth.
Next we walked to our theater to see where it was. After that, we stopped at a grocer store and then went back to the hotel to unpack, and book a ride on the London Eye for tomorrow.
Our show started at 7:30. It was amazing. The sets were brilliant, and the cast was impeccable. The lady who played Evita is an actress from Buenos Aires, so her accent (which was at first distracting) was authentic. She was an amazing dancer. The other thing that was distracting about her was how tiny she was. Che was awesome - attitude, voice, he had it all. The whole cast was amazing. We were so close it was easy to see facial expressions, spit, you name it. And because we were on the aisle, Grant had plenty of leg room (the row in front of us had one less seat.)
We just got back on the tube and I have been serenading Grant with Evita tunes...
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