MI5 Drama, John Waters and Taj Mahal

LONDON, United Kingdom

July 17, 2007 (Tuesday)

I was walking on Passage Alley where Spooks, BBC's drama about MI5, was being filmed. Passage Alley is a small street next to my apartment building. I was on the phone while characters and camera were next to me. We will see if I am in the series. It was exciting though that my area will be in Spooks. This drama is about MI5, British intelligence service, and I could totally understand why filmmakers chose Passage Alley. It is narrow, dark and is perfect for secret meetings. By the way, About a Boy with Hugh Grant was also filmed in the area where I reside.

Kurt and I had a John Waters movie afternoon after a nice lunch in South Kensington. The first movie was Hairspray. It was the original one, not the one with John Travolta. Oddly enough, the story took place in Baltimore, where I used to live. Baltimore looked much different in 1960s than it is now. The movie was very interesting and touched upon racial discrimination issues in dancing competitions. The best part was hair styles of characters. That is what I call a hairdo.

Have you heard of a term 'tea-bagging'? If not, then you have to watch John Waters's Pecker. It also took place in Baltimore. It is about a simple guy from Maryland who was struck by fame. His photographs were revealing and his grandmother's Virgin Mary statue talked with people. Pecker's real life shots became hit in New York's premier art galleries but his personal life suffered for it. It is a great movie to watch; at least, to find out what 'tea-bagging' is or too see talking Virgin Mary statue.

I have never seen the Taj Mahal in Agra but I saw the one in London. It was a sight you do not see every day – a replica of the Taj Mahal sailing up the Thames. Marble icon floated and was moored at the City Hall. This symbol of love has a great story behind it. Shah Jahan loved Mumtaz Mahal, his wife, who died in 1629. He ordered to build a tomb. Verses from the Koran, Moslem holy book, decorated the outside along with inlaid floral patterns. It took 20,000 workers 20 years to complete the tomb. However, even after the Taj Mahal was built in 1650, Shah Jahan was still in a great pain and died in 1666. His body was put near Mumtaz Mahal.

Later, I went to Marylebone not to make love, but you know what. As I was having sex, the other guy's eyes got a bit scary. It is funny to think about it now. Tomorrow I have scheduled some fun activities and am looking forward.

Adios,

~ζ