Educational trip to London for Teachers
What a wonderful trip for the lucky 23! A heat wave in Britain while it rained in sunny Greece. Weren't we canny? Every day full of exciting experiences. Day one, after a 5 a.m. start and early flight, was spent on a river cruise from Westminster to Greenwich at lunch time, followed by a visit to Covent Garden for coffee and then on to the musical Sweet Charity at the West End. We went to bed totally exhausted. Next day refreshed after a good night's sleep and breakfast at South Bank University campus we set off by coach for Brighton. Friday's educational event of the day was Sarah Wetherby's workshop at the Brighton Study Centre. She had us all setting up a webpage after eating our lunch on the Brighton pier while half of Britain swam in the Channel. Shakespeare's comedy 'As you like it" at the Old Vic an easy evening for some, while others wandered down to The Globe to watch Henry VIII (5 pounds for standing room a brilliant experience)and a look at the art exhibitions at the Tate Modern. Saturday was spent in Cambridge. Capping (graduations) were in process at many colleges so there were lots of happy people on the banks as we punted (or tried to ) along the Backs of the river Cam. On Saturday evening some of us revelled in a brilliant and interactive Macbeth at the Globe, while others visited various museums or strolled along Oxford Street and Knightsbridge. We all gathered in the crowded Soho streets later to see the night life of London though we missed the jazz performance of Ronnie Scott we'd been aiming to see. Sunday was an experience for those of us fortuitous enough to visit the British Museum with philologist/archeologist colleague Stella Kalogeropoulou and learn most interesting details about the Elgin Marbles. Finally, more museums and galleries we'd missed and some shopping for families and colleagues (Athens has just about everything but there's always a bargain to be had) before leaving for Heathrow airport.
See a few representative photos below.
Arriving at Border control Heathrow and river cruise to Greenwich
River cruise and tickets
Getting around London and Brighton
Brighton Study centre
Shakespeare's London
Tickets for theatre performances / Punting attempt on River Cam
Cambridge Backs / British Museum with guide par excellance
Airports - departure from Heathrow London and arrival at Spata Athens
Next year, Edinburgh or Dublin could be on the cards in the second week of Easter, finances withstanding!