Department Store Opera Singers and Defying Gravity

Although I felt juxtaposed against all who were actually shopping at the store, it was an incredible experience walking through Harrod's on Thursday.

After journeying through the Victoria and Albert Museum for over two hours, seeing everything from sculpture to the history of fashion, I set off on a wonderful day which will highlight as one of my favorite days in London.

As the days fleet and the time here seems like a dream, I have been cramming more activities in the last week or so than stuff I'll have to cram into my suitcases on Tuesday.

Thursday started as Kyle, Becky and I awoke early, hopping on a bus headed toward Victoria station. Were we taking a train somewhere? No. We were going to buy tickets to the best show this side of Les Miserables: Wicked.

After hopping on the bus we wandered through Kensington and stopped in Notting Hill. We walked back to Kensington High Street, and I watched Becky shred "Paint It Black" in the entrance of PC World on the ever-famous game, Guitar Hero.

After failing in an attempt to buy something, I made my way to the V&A. I started in the British design section and then moved to sculptures, maps, ironwork, and then fashion.

For those not in the know, the V&A is a history museum of design for the fields I just mentioned. My favorite part was the history of men's and women's formal wear, reaching back into the late 17th century.

More to come on the V&A later

After departing I made my way in the rain, sun, rain, sun, rain, sun before arriving at Harrod's, deep in the heart of Kensington

Upon entering this mecca of plasticine faces and commercial bliss, I wasn't that impressed. It wasn't until I began wandering deeper and deeper into Harrod's that I realized why this is a special place.

The Egyptian escalator is perhaps the most bizarre thing I've seen in London aside from the Animal's in War monument, but was breathtaking in its design and use.

Making my way up the levels stopping periodically on each floor to check it out, a women with canned music supporting her was belting Ave Maria for what seemd an eternity. It was so good but yet so different than an experience at Elder Beerman, the closest thing we have in Indiana to a Harrod's.

As I reached the top I made my way back down and then to the food emporium and grocery area which is attached to a number of cafes. While walking through all the fresh meat and produce sections, that are grown for King's (and priced for them, mind you), I began hearing the voice of yet another singer, a man this time, belting his heart out.

As I turned the corner the scent of fresh garlic and burning wood floated into my nose. There amongst a crowd of people was a brick oven pizzeria with a chef, dressed in full regalia, throwing pizza dough in the air and singing in Italian a piece from an opera. It was incredible and what was better, was that the crowd of people mirrored my thought on it as they snapped picture after picture.

After this experiece I made my way out, smile across my face and made my way toward Hyde Park. At this time I walked through the park around the Serpentine, as the Sun was out in full form by then. I stopped for tea at a cafe on the Serpentine before walking straight through grass and mud to Leinster Gardens.

At 6:30 p.m. Kyle, Becky and I made our way to Queensway where we all topped up our Oyster Cards, before grabbing Chinese takeout and running to catch the number 148 bus to Victoria. As we scarfed on the bus, we ventured toward the Apollo Victoria theatre to see Wicked.

The show started at 7:30 and didn't disapoint from the start. It was every bit as good as the Wicked I saw in New York last year, with a different spice of English linguistics.

As the intermission drew closer and Defy Gravity began the hair on my neck stood and I sang along with Alphaba as she rose above the stage. In my mind, that is the best song or part in a show I've seen and as I've become somewhat of a theatre aficionado, you should listen to me. No, but really it was incredible.

After the show we made our way to Picadilly Circus and then to a bar to meet most of our group before we headed back toward Oxford Street, the Cornish Bakehouse and then home on the 390 bus.