It's Autumn in Scotland

Hello from Edinburgh!

The colors of autumn are in full display, and it's so magical!! The temperatures here have been fairly normal for October, with highs around 50 degrees. There hasn't been much sun, and rain can come at any time. I always carry an umbrella! However, the sun can also pop out at a moments notice, so you have to be prepared for any type of weather.

Since Edinburgh is a small city compared to London, you only need a bus pass to get around. I've discovered Old Town, which has become one of my favorite places to hang out. The castle-like architecture is everywhere and so fun to look at. Old Town was the backdrop of the epic battle between the Avengers, and Thanos' henchmen in the movie Avengers: Infinity War! Other films shot in Edinburgh were Avengers: End Game, The Da Vinci Code, and Fast & Furious 9. And J.K. Rowling wrote most of her Harry Potter books here in several local cafes!

Edinburgh Castle

Whether walking through Old Town or New Town, Edinburgh Castle is always within sight. It was built in 1103 on Castle Rock, which was formed by a volcano several hundred million years ago. Inside you can visit the Scottish National War Memorial, National War Museum of Scotland, and St. Margaret's Chapel. It's been used as a royal residence and a military base. You can spend quite a bit of time here, and seeing it without the usual tourists made it an extra special treat.

Arthur's Seat

Arthur's Seat is an extinct volcano and the highest peak you can climb in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh. The view is amazing and worth the hike up the hill - especially on a clear, sunny day! There have been some famous movie scenes (Chariots of Fire, Trainspotting) that were filmed here too!

The Trials of Mr. Umbridge

I was so fortunate to have a wonderful Airbnb family to stay with in London, but an even greater surprise was that one of the family members was young actor Mikey Bharj! We decided to join forces and make a short film using our own equipment, knowledge, and creativity.

The Airbnb was located in Harrow, London and Harrow School (5 High Street) has quite a history. It is an exclusive boarding school for boys and was founded in 1572. It also happens to be where they filmed some scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Seasons 1 and 2 of The Crown were also filmed here. So what a better place to shoot our short film, The Trials of Mr. Umbridge!

Finally...

I had never stayed in an Airbnb until my travels began earlier this year. When I was in Austria and Croatia, I had my own apartment. In both cases, the owners lived nearby and I rarely saw them other than the first day I moved in. I loved both my apartments and the privacy it afforded me!

But I found that Airbnb prices in the U.K. were quite a bit higher than in Europe, so I had to rent a room in someone else's home from June until now - something I definitely wasn't used to. However, I really lucked out and had two wonderful families to stay with in London and Edinburgh. They made me feel welcome and right at home.

However, I must say I'm looking forward to having my own apartment again coming up in December. Although things are always changing with Covid and lockdowns, my plan right now is to head to Lisbon, Portugal before the end of November. As in the past, I get a bit concerned when travel restrictions come into play. But...I'll just take it day by day.

Thanks for following along! Stay safe and healthy everyone!

ACTOR // CREATIVE // VOICE TALENT

TAPP

Bob Tapper

tapp@bobtapper

www.bobtapper.com

Outside US: +01 9494846275

Inside US: (949) 484-6275

September: Transitions

Hello from Edinburgh Scotland!

Okay, well first off, let's say it right. I can tend to mangle many languages, but I was taught in London how to properly pronounce "Edinburgh." To me, it looks like you would say "Ed-in-berg." I've even heard some pronounce it "Ed-in-buro." But I've been corrected many times and it's actually pronounced "Ed-in-bruh." So there you have it!

My last month in London was spent at the Actors Studio UK, where I was enrolled in their Masterclass is Screen Acting. It was very intense, but really fun! Our classes were Monday - Friday from 10am to 5pm. Lots of scripts to memorize. But, I met some super nice people and learned so much! It was well worth it.

Their studio is located at Pinewood Studios, known for their filming of James Bond, Star Wars, and one of the Harry Potter movies. It was so amazing going there each day considering its history and secluded location outside of London. It opened in 1936. Oh, and they were filming a major film while we were there, but I was sworn to secrecy not to tell the name...not yet anyway!

Each student filmed two scenes the last week of class with a professional crew. We had a scene directed by Tim Kent and another by Taz Ayoub, each shot on a high-quality RED digital cinema camera, with sound, lighting - and both scenes will be professionally edited within the next four weeks. I'll share them next month. In one scene, I play a doctor!

Headshots:

Every actor needs headshots, which are basically your calling card. So I recently sat for a photoshoot with Anna Chand, the Director of Photography from the Actors Studio UK. I think she did an amazing job of making me look presentable!

The English and the Letter "T"

One thing I noticed about the English...they have a weird thing with the letter T!

Abbey Road

Before I left London, I had to see the famous cross walk that was on the cover of the Beatles Abbey Road album. I think tourists walk across this street almost every day throughout the year, and I'm sure drivers get plenty annoyed. They must be used to it by now. But you can't be in London and not see it!

Goodbye London. Hello Scotland!

Saying goodbye to my London Airbnb family was kind of hard. Four months is a long time to live with a family I don't know, but I couldn't have asked for a better host! We all got along very well. There was a park across the street, so I took my yoga mat and exercised almost every day since the gyms were closed during most of my stay. My bedroom was cozy and it felt like home. I also think I've made some lifetime friends.

But, onward to Edinburgh!

Finally...

Traveling during this pandemic has given me very mixed emotions. Since I was in Europe before the global outbreak, I've been able to continue my travels. My motto has always been "I'm going to just keep moving forward and do what I can."

I was locked down in Croatia, but things really opened up in May so I could travel around the country, visit shops as usual, and enjoy the bar and restaurant scene. Things felt pretty normal. I even got to London in June with no problems - and by July almost all retail stores, restaurants, and pubs were open. Moving up here to Scotland was easy because I'm still in the UK - just a short, beautiful four-hour train ride.

So for me, being on my own, the pandemic hasn't really affected me all that much. But I also realize that others are still struggling and afraid to move about. Families and friends remain apart, and life is by far not back to normal. Sickness and death are never easy to deal with and always sad.

It's so hard to listen to podcasts by professional travelers who can't even leave the United States right now. So many people are anxious to travel throughout the world again, and no one knows when that may be. Yet, here I am.

But...my year started out differently than most others, arriving in Europe in a pre-pandemic world. Ten months later I now wear a mask where required and follow the Covid rules. So without any guilt, I'll just stick to my motto and keep moving forward and do what I can.

Each and every day I remain grateful to be on this journey - continuing to learn, grow, and explore. And for now, that's here in Edinburgh.

Thanks for following along! Stay safe and healthy everyone!

ACTOR // CREATIVE // VOICE TALENT

TAPP

Bob Tapper

tapp@bobtapper

www.bobtapper.com

Outside US: +01 9494846275

Inside US: (949) 484-6275

Lazy August Days in London

Hello from London!

Summer is winding down and I can't believe I've spent a whole summer in London. Last month, I mentioned the comfortable summer temperatures here. Well, August had one really hot week and you don't find much air conditioning in the UK. So I truly had a few hot summer nights. That was an adjustment, but I'm not complaining because most of the summer temps were really nice - with no humidity or bugs. I didn't travel out of London in August, but found some local things to do instead!

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square in located in the heart of London. Glance around and you'll see Kensington Palace, The London Eye, The West End, and behind you is the National Gallery.

There is always something going on at Trafalgar Square, and it never ceases to be full of life and creativity!

British artist Heather Phillipson's work in this display represents celebration and protest, shared with other forms of life. You can use your phone to live stream what the drone sees.

This picture captures so much. In addition to the whipped cream, cherry, mosquito, and drone, if you look closely you can also see:

• the London Eye

• an airplane

How much more can you fit in one picture!

Camden Town

Every day this summer, I trekked to my co-working space in Camden Town. The workspace was awesome, but discovering Camden Town was a real treat! This is a colorful, eclectic, and creative place with so much to see. In this video you'll see the vibrant street scene, Regent's Canal (which runs through the town) and a couple of the places that Amy Winehouse frequented. She was born nearby and passed away here - and she called Camden her "playground."

Tower Bridge

I took a couple days in August to just play tourist. So...I visited Tower Bridge and the Tower of London! London is full of rich history, and these two places are just the tip of what a person can learn and discover. But they certainly are a must-see for anyone visiting London.

London Walks MeetUp: Richmond Park

Richmond (Richmond upon Thames) is an affluent residential borough in London that sits along the Thames River. One beautiful Sunday afternoon in August, I joined the London Walks MeetUp group to hike through Richmond Park. Here is the perspective from Richmond Hill looking towards Windsor. This view has inspired many famous paintings. It's quite breath taking, and hasn't changed in over 200 years! We also walked by Pete Townsend's home called The Wick. Mick Jagger and Brad Pitt are among the famous people that own (or have owned) homes here.

Finally...

Looking back on my summer, London was a great place to be. I most certainly will never forget where I was during the summer of 2020. September is fully booked with a screen acting class I'm taking at Actor's Studio UK at Pinewood Studios. This is a four-week course and it will be educational and super fun. Cameras aren't allowed inside our studio or inside Pinewood Studios, but I'll somehow try to give you some insight to the month.

But one thing for sure...I'm looking forward to Scotland in October and continuing the journey!

Thanks for following along! Stay safe and healthy everyone!

ACTOR // CREATIVE // VOICE TALENT

TAPP

Bob Tapper

tapp@bobtapper

www.bobtapper.com

Outside US: +01 9494846275

Inside US: (949) 484-6275