We met Diana and Hanna Friedman at the Princess Diana’s Playground in Hyde Park. After chatting and watching Hanna play, we went for lunch. Diana brought us up to speed about the goings-on of our mutual friends in Sarasota; her wit as sharp as ever.
After lunch, Dennis and I visited The London Towers. Fortunately there was not a lot of stress on the tortures and beheadings. The Beefeater (tour guide) presented historical data for about thirty minutes, and then we toured the tours on our own.
I 
particularly liked the info on the Royal Menagerie, a zoo developed from gifts of exotic animals. There were lions, ostriches, monkeys, porcupines, snakes—even a polar bear. For entertainment, people would bring cats and dogs for the wild animals to prey on. The polar bear was tethered and then allowed to fish in the River Thames. With all the pollutants in the river during the 18th and 19th centuries, I am surprised the animal survived. Eventually the animals became part of the London Zoo.
Tomorrow we set out for Wales. I will have to walk into town for WiFi, so the postings may be more sporadic.
hi jane and dennis-
there is this science fiction show that is filmed in cardiff, wales called TORCHWOOD. it would be interesting is you could watch it being filmed if they were in production.
Phil,T
We are in Mid Wales; Cardiff is in So. Wales. Since we don’t have a car, getting around is difficult. We had to walk 2.5 hours to get to town for the WiFi to reply to this comment. I don’t think we will make it, though watching Torchwood would be interesting.
The merry-go-round (do they call it that in England?) is beautiful. I’ve never seen one so colorful except the one they have at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. Of course, I don’t get out much.
How awful that people used to bring pets to the Royal Menagerie and feed them to the wild animals, but I guess the wild animals needed to eat too.
Donna,
I Googled to find out if merry-go-round or carousel is used in reference to the one in the Princess Diana Memorial Park. It seems merry go one is used without the hyphens, though I did see carousel.
When you consider that at one time they threw humans to the lions, I guess cats and dogs were a step up. Don’t forget this is a time when public executions (beheadings and quarterings) were entertainment.
Jane: You’ve never mentioned trying to contact feminist, Dr. Margherita Rendel, while in London and although I’ve asked, I’ve gotten no response from you. What happened?
I love Wales and have been to Cardiff several times and also to Aberfan. If you don’t know what happened in Aberfan, google it.
I have a longtime feminist activist friend in Cardiff, Dr. Oonagh Hartnett, but she is now in a nursing home there.
Sonia,
I am sorry, I thought I had replied that our schedules did not coincide and that we were unable to visit. Thank you for making the introductions.
Yes, that’s true about the beheadings and executions. I guess I should have called it a carousel. In fact, one of my favorite movies from many many years ago was called The Carousel.
Donna,
I loved that movie…had a teenage crush on the barker.