MUSEUM VISIT TO LONDON AND AMSTERDAM 2013

For two consecutive years I was unable to travel to Europe due to back problems. After a lot of physical therapy, shots and chiropractic adjustments, Paul and I finally went this September for 19 days.
What follows is a journal of 9 museums, 2 cathedrals and two synagogues in London and Amsterdam.
September 9th
10 1/2 hours to London Heathrow arrived September 10th at 11

: a.m. I was wheeled one mile from the gate to baggage claim by Mr. Bradshaw from Leeds. Shuttle to Hotel Mercure Bloomsbury, one of a chain owned by a French company. Chilly but efficient reception. We slept 4 hours to recover from an uncomfortable, bumpy flight then had dinner at Anatol, a Turkish restaurant decorated floor to ceiling with hand painted, Turkish designs. Great meal, excellent service at a reasonable price. Lamb mussaka for me and lamb stew with tomatoes and peppers for Paul.

September 11
Hop on hop off buses run in the big cities of the world touring the major sites. They are double deckers, the upper deck open air with recorded historical commentary. Passengers are boarded and dropped off at their desired stops at regular 15 minute intervals. While it's a little touristy, it's the most convenient way for people like me with limited mobility and energy to get around a big city. We braved the cloudy, brisk weather and sat upper deck for the best views of this remarkable city. First stop St. Paul's Cathedral. Sir Christopher Wren's church was built after the great fire of 1066 with a tax on coal. While it creates a majestic impression from outside, it's interior leaves something to be desired. Dark, gloomy nave with a cold, uninspiring rotunda to follow. In my opinion its historical importance is all that accounts for the pricy admission charge; Queen Elizabeth's coronation, Diana and Charles wedding and a sermon by Martin Luther King Jr.. An interesting and moving fact;  on 9/11 hundreds of American tourists and Londoners gathered for a sermon delivered on the grand stairway in front of the church.
Just an hour left to see the Turner collection at the Tate before closing. Turner's paintings explode with light like drug induced revelations. Strange muddy glazes and surrealistic imagery sets him so far ahead of his British contemporaries.
Ate at an Indian restaurant next to the hotel. Had the fixed price, dinner for two which was delicious but way too much food. I should complain?

More entries to come.