Niagara

On Thursday we had a day off so I decided to go on a coach trip to the Niagara falls, thinking I would be
unlikely to get another opportunity. John and Mich Gunter (the set designer of Boccanegra and his wife) decided to come too, so we booked on a bus trip from the hotel over the road. It was all
quite an experience! I have something of an aversion to the guided tour,
and this one fulfilled many of the reasons why! But we didn't quite feel
like hiring a car and I didn't have my licence with me anyway.

The guide/driver talked solidly the entire way, it was informative, but quite relentless, I learnt more than I wanted about American Football and the hopelessness of the local ice hockey team, but he was very interesting on Canadian history and topography.
Having taken the shorter trip, we didn't get to go to the 18th century town of Niagara on the Lake, which is lovely - apparently.

Still it was well worth it for the experience of the falls themselves which are indeed amazing.in Summer there is a boat which takes you behind the main fall itself, but its not safe yet, as the 'ice bars' are still in place in Lake Eirie and great chunks of ice are likely to tumble over the edge at any time. Dramatic, I think, but painful..

There is an esplanade opposite the American Falls which could have been Worthing, but behind it was a tourist strip of quite speechless vulgarity! I do find bad moving waxworks depressing... think a revolving J Depp on his pirate ship and Harrison Ford being endlessly pulled up and down over a pit on his rope - oh and a sphinx with a moving lower jaw and beard singing Elvis songs, actually that was quite funny.

Then back to Toronto, [which simply means 'meeting place' in Huronese - we learnt].

last day in Moscow

I didn't get to do much sightseeing in Moscow, what with one thing and another, too busy - too tired and so forth. But there was a monastery in the next road where the monks restored icons, here is the Church Duster. There were also quite a few people who had come in to pray.

I went to a couple of services, each was full, and not just of old ladies either, Mikael visited the big cathedral opposite the Pushkin Gallery which had a weekday Lenten service on - also full. The Russian Church is clearly powerfully alive and very well!

On a different note, over the road was this sculpture gallery, I was supposed to be looking at the statue of Schostakovitch, but was rather taken with this Don Quixote and Sancho Panza....

1st Night 3

More pictures...

Ist Night 2

These picture were supposed to go with the 1st 1st night post, somehow the window had got hidden behind the main page..

Golfo's body painting was done quite beautifully in the end by an artist called Helen, everyone wanted their photos taken with him after the show! There is one of me somewhere, but I need to get hold of it somehow...

Ist Night in Moscow

The last few days in Moscow were very difficult. Napoli, with its 240 costumes, would have been a tough show even with efficient stage management, a friendly costume supervisor/ assistant, and being able to get home at weekends. A month away from home is too long for me, and I found out what various chums who have worked there warned - Russia does your head in in the end!

This inness of head, whatever that is may actually mean, manifested itself by stress responses such as a forgetful clumsiness with my self and possessions that would have been a comedy turn had it not felt so demented. I lost things constantly, both phones went at one point, the precious iPhone never to return [grrr..]

Despite all that it was an unforgettable experience, and the 1st night was a great, joyous success. It was wonderful, with a tremendous party afterwards - showers of flowers and chocolates, and vast quantities of alcholol. The Russian wardrobe department were so nice to me, and so pleased with the results of all the hard work that the difficulties will fade very quickly, and the good bits, the friendliness, affection and skill of so many will always be with me.