2009 Country of Living: England in LONDON!

Well, a busy year with a lot of tension at least initially with Mel taking quite some time to find a job (longer than we both anticipated). Did get out to see a few things and are really enjoying living in London.

Not a lot of travel, but did do a bit…

• January - Canada - Mel and I spent the new year in Winnipeg with a short visit to Ontario before continuing onto London…Mel's new home…
• January - Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Visit to see some of Mel's friends (but also was there for some training that work sent me on with Google).
• March/April - France - Mother and I visited Val Thorens in France (part of the Three Valleys) for our annual skiing trip
• April - Edinburgh - Visit to the city, Mel's first time. Also managed to get across to Glasgow to see friends.
• June - Glastonbury - Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts - Camping and excellent music…See Steve's Guide to Glastonbury Festival.
• July - Houston - Visit to NASA Johnson Space Centre for work.
• October - Paris - Visit to Paris, Mel's first time.
• November - USA - Visit to Raleigh, North Carolina and Langley, Virginia (NASA Langley) for work also.

Mother and my aunt visited us in March/April with my mother returning in the fall on her way to/from Zimbabwe. In August we were joined by Mel's mother then her grandmother as well for a short visit ending in a weekend in Cornwall.

There were quite a number of interesting events throughout the year that I (and, indeed Mel, for the most part) attended. I have been also regularly attending free recitals every Wednesday just around the corner from my office in Farringdon St. Dunstan-in-the-West. But, specifically, we have seen a few things including:

• 22nd - London (Royal Albert Hall) - Cirque du Soliel Quidam (Song/Dance)

• 18th - London (Southbank Centre) - Free jazz concert in Queen Elizabeth Hall lobby (Concert)

• 18th - London (Adelphi) - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Musical)
• 26th - London - QI (Television Show Taping)

• 9th - London (Kensington Gardens) - Peter Pan (Play)
• 19th - London (Regent's Park) - Taste of London (Food Fair)
• 21st - London (Leicester Square) - West End Live (Festival)
• 23rd - London (Theatre Royal Haymarket) - Waiting for Godot (Play)

• 1st - London (Trafalgar Square) - Canada Day (Festival)
• 11th - Cambridge (Parker's Piece) - Cambridge Big Weekend (Festival)
• 15th - London (Trafalgar Square) - The Barber of Seville (Opera) live broadcast from the Royal Opera House (in the rain)
• 17th - London (British Museum) - Indian Nights (Music/Dance/Food)

• 1st - London (Royal Albert Hall) - Prom 22: A Celebration of Classic MGM Film Musicals (Concert)
• 19th - London (02) - We had tickets for Michael Jackson's “This is it” tour, but, of course, this never happened…

• 9th - London (The Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park) - Hello, Dolly! (Musical)
• 12th - London (Hyde Park) - BBC Proms in the Park (Concert)
• 13th - London (Tower of London) - Carl Rosa Opera - Gilbert and Sullivan's Yeomen of the Guard (Operetta)
• 17th - London (BFI IMAX) - UP 3-D (Film)
• 20th - London (London Palladium) - With One Voice - The Best of British Barbershop (Concert)
• 27th - London (Regent Street) - Regent Street Festival (Festival)

• 21st - London (Westminster Cathedral) - Westminster Cathedral Grand Organ Festival 2009 (Concert)

• 5th - London (Clapham Common) - Guy Fawkes Night (Fireworks)
• 20th - London (Secombe Theatre, Sutton) - Wimbledon Light Opera Society - Babes in Toyland (Musical) - Seeing if this is a group that she wants to join…

• 5th - London (BFI IMAX) - Polar Express 3-D (Movie)
• 17th - London (Royal Festival Hall) - Sandi Toksvig's Christmas Cracker (Concert)
• 19th - London (Royal Albert Hall) - Carols by Candelight (Concert)
• 28th - London (Shakespeare's Globe Theatre) - Footsbarn's Christmas Cracker (Show)

Well, we are definitely here for quite some time in London (as it is the simplest at the time) though living outside of London is looking more attractive. Have not decided on a marriage date…But it will happen at some point (though it looks likely it will be eloping…).

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Visit here for my review of 2008.