Promenading!

Today has just been fabulous!

It started early to catch the train at 10:40am to take me to Paddington Station, London. A jaunt across London then on the tube to the hotel, a bit of a wait before we could check in as a little old lady wanted to know the ins and outs of everything. A quick freshen up and then back on the tube a spot of lunch at a cracking Italian restaurant called the Brunello restaurant and then to our proper destination for the day, the Royal Albert Hall and the BBC Proms.

After watching and listening to the Proms for a number of years, and to continually say that one day I will go, finally this year I put a plan in action to attend this wonderful celebration of music. To finally be there in person was great, and the Royal Albert Hall is one impressive building inside and out, I was like a kid at Christmas. Our seats were so close to the orchestra, and the chairs swivelled so you didn't have a cricked neck, ingenious!

Tonight's Prom was the last Saturday before the last night of the Proms, and was focussed on Felix Mendelssohn's work, Symphony No.5 in D major, Violin concerto in E minor, and two overtures 'Ruy Blas' and 'The Fair Melusine.' The orchestra for the evening was the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra ably conducted by Riccardo Chailly, who had the obligatory wild hair that conductors should have. The violin soloist was a fine chap from Denmark called Nikolaj Znaider, who was amazing and was playing; get this a violin from 1741!

To finally hear and see an orchestra live was sensational, the sound was something else and watching the violinists in action gave me a greater respect for their talents. And having heard of Mendelssohn but not really knowing his work, his music was a joy to hear and experience. I can't wait to go again!

I'd like to thank BevWestwood and Janeypud who joined me on this expedition, the whole experience wouldn't have been the same without their company. Ladies I thank you!

Can you guess that I was excited and enjoyed the day?