The organist librarian

Dubai really is an extraordinary place. Las Vegas, beach resort, skyscrapers, if you have money anything is possible. A seven star hotel where tea costs 200 dollars. Obscene!  We visited a carpet shop on our tour and ended up buying a beautiful wall hanging same thing happened in Jaipur! Yesterday was a very expensive day!  Swim and jacuzzi, substantial breakfast. Rest and watched again Florence Foster Jenkins with Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant.tour was for 3 but turned out to be 4 so we could have gone out but it was 35 degrees! Complete silence on drive to desert reserve. I was tempted to ask if we were going to a funeral. Toddler down and convoy of 10. Saw gazelle and oryx. exciting dune drive. Did not go on camel. Excellent meal and dancers. Unfortunately did no t get Liz dancing. Back at 9.15 so swim and jacuzzi in the dark. Still hot. The inconsistencies a belly dancer and wives completely covered. No gay rights. Not seen beggars but have not been in souks. Huge expat a...

Tuesday to Clapham picturehouse for 11 a.m. relay from the Met thrillingly conducted by James Levine in a wheelchair. The intensity of playing was amazing considering the opera last 6 hours with intermissions. The cast were excellent. Johann Botha has a fine tenor voice but is unfortunately rather large so his acting is minimal. There are many touching moments but I found the Wach auf chorus in the last act very moving having sung it in the Chorus (in the foyer of the Festival Hall). and so soon after Jean Taylor so sadly died. The glorious ending and I think the whole cast should hace had a curtain call. It's not just about the principals wonderful as they are! To Acton and Tom cooked a lovely meal. Watched The Apprenitce final 5. Wednesday we all went to school to see Ciaran as Joseph in the nativity. He was so charming and cute and said his lines very clearly and joined in the singing. Seán was on good form and enjoying having Mummy home although she had ...

Friday swam 20 and was going to hear Paul Carr play at St Bride's but Liz was cooking a nice lunch of salmon so went straight to Stratford to visit the highest sculpture in Britian by Amish Kapoor on a £7 offer. Really remarkable and lovely sunset views to the City. The Aquatic centre looks great too and the Olympic stadium is being transformed. I walked all the way down and then to Acton. Louise went to girls night out. Liz was at Cadogan Hall for Marines concert which I missed. It was also the night of the 3rd talk on Evangelii gaudium. The boys went to bed OK - Sean stirred twice but was fine. Tom came back from Sydney early Sat morning - he had seen Ann, Paul and Claire.Louise's big project is finished. She made an omelette and took be to Acton Town so I got to Russell Square around 10 for the 850th anniversary of Ibn'Arabi in music and sound event at Brunei gallery SOAS. A warm welcome from Amin Hussain and Talia. There was a varied programme including guitar, singers...