Today in London we did all the things Roger Miller talked about. Roger who? Ah, you must be under 40. Eng-a-land swings like a pendulum do, Bobbies on bicycles two by two. (OK, they were on foot or horses)

Westminster Abbey (who charges 10 pounds to get in and won’t let you photograph) the tower Big Ben (which sounds like my mother’s grandfather clock) and yes there were little chil-dren. However, my most inspiring moment was a trip into the National Portrait Gallery where there are paintings from the 1600’s forward of just about every royalty, scientist, author, et al. HUGE portraits with EXTREME detail of the full house of commons and many others. The pay exhibit we saw as the rest of the gallery is at no charge) had portraits from Vanity Fair magazine. Vanity Fair was in production from 1913 until 1936 and was resurrected in 1983. Portraits from the likes of Stieglitz, Steichen, Man Ray, Leibovitz and Herb Ritz of people such as Peter Lorre to Margaret Thatcher and the infamous Demi Moore pregnant cover which was controversial in its time. One imagines these images in person in contrast to what you see in print. The real deal. Walter Benjamin speaks of the loss of aura in an age where images are reproduced. The aura is certainly there in those images. One can’t help but feel that aura. What causes the popularity of these images? Why do we want to see them? Jack Nicholson in his bathrobe? Yikes! These in contrast with those ala Dorthea Lange of simple migrant workers. Tomorrow we hike to see Duchamp, Man Ray, and Van Eyck! Right now, a beer and dinner is calling my name.