Tate Britain and Happy Days

Pre-Raphaelite Room

We indeed had a happy day at the Tate Britain.  But later that evening we also had a wonderful fish dinner at a restaurant, Happy Days, near our apartment. Once again, we took the tube (we are so cosmopolitan!) and alighted at the Westminster Stop.  As you can guess, upon reaching terra firma, Big Ben was staring us down.  Heading in the wrong direction we crossed the Thames, crowded and boisterous with a bag piper delighting us all, we were goggle eyed at the Thames, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and the diversity of all the people.  Correcting our direction, we crossed back over the Thames again, and walked the perimeter of the Houses of Parliament, through the Victoria Gardens and to Tate Britain.  The holdings here date from the 1500's to the present, the most comprehensive in the world.  Only Yale Center for British Art is comparable. The best known works are those of Turner, who bequeathed all his own collection to the nation.  We spent a good deal of time in the room that holds the Pre-Rephaelite works, favorites of us both. Among them are Millais' Ophelia, and Waterhouse's Lady of Shalott.  They also have 2 of Whistler's Nocturne paintings.  We're sorry to miss the David Hockney exhibit coming in February.

Entrance to the Tate Britain

We've been fortunate to have nothing but sunny days and tolerable temperatures.  But, this is England and the food choices are, well, English.  But we did manage to find a good fish restaurant tonight.  It was near enough to walk and good enough to report on.  Happy Days.  More pics at flickr.