21 April 2007

London - Day 5 - 15 April

the following is from my journal:

Today is supposed to be another hot day -- so I think we are planning to hit some museums. We were saving the British Museum in case it rained, but it looks like Jonny's luck will hold out until we leave Wednesday, so maybe we will go there today...

We need to consult our book and make sure we squeeze anything else we'd like to see into these last 3 days, and I want to make sure we have souvenirs for everyone who should get one... Cheers!

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Today we went to two museums -- the British Museum and the Museum of London.

The British Museum is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever been in -- definitely the most beautiful museum -- and it is verrrry overwhelming. There is just too much to see -- you can't take it all in. We saw lots of Greek and Roman and Egyptian artifacts and I finally got to see the Elgin marbles. Amazing. Just stunning. We spent a good deal of time in the Elgin marble rooms (they call them the Parthenon sculptures -- because of all of the controversy, I'm sure) just looking at them, soaking them in, and Jonny took some amazing pictures. We saw the Rosetta Stone. By then we were just literally mentally exhausted, so we left.



We got some lunch -- Jonny had fish and chips and cider and I got a cheeseburger and a coke (I know, I know).

For some reason I was just so tired today. I have been walking around like a zombie, plodding along behind Jonathan...

So what did we do next? Another museum, of course! We went across to the Museum of London, which was a really neat little museum, with artifacts going back to Roman times, even back to prehistoric London. There was a bit about the plague and a lot about the Great Fire and Jonny was being a little silly in there -- perhaps he's a bit tired, too! But it really would be a wonderful museum to take the children one day -- lots of the exhibits are hands-on, very child-friendly.

Next Jonathan and I got some McDonald's (today was our thrifty day -- trying to compensate for the crazy expensive Chinese food from last night) and went to Hyde Park to see Speakers Corner. Verrrry interesting. More like Shouting Corner. Bring your own soapbox, basically.

Jonathan: Did you see that guy?
Me: The one over there with the tusk sticking out of his head?
Jonathan: No. The rabbi with the lobster around his neck, carrying a ladder.

Actual conversation.

After a while, I started to get a little nervous, wondering if a fight could break out. Tempers were getting very high. It is just so crowded, I said to Jonathan, "All it would take is for one person to punch someone else and everyone would start swinging away." He laughed at me, but then stopped when I pointed out that he wouldn't be laughing if someone accidentally punched me -- he'd start throwing punches, too!

We walked back.

I was just so tired. Jonny brought me back to the hotel and I am ashamed to say I took a nap. While I slept, he went for a walk down to the Thames alone. I feel so guilty about that, but I was just so tired and I think he enjoys exploring on his own sometimes.

By the time he got back I was awake and ready to walk again. So we went on a long walk together. It was night by then, so we walked along the Thames so I could see Tower Bridge at night. It was amazing -- and I especially loved seeing the Tower itself all lit up. I will never forget it.



We managed to make it back to the tube station in time to catch one of the last trains of the night. Jonathan was so proud of me for hoofing it back to the station -- he took a picture of me on the train! I told him, I could be really fast if I was promised food in the end!


We went out for some fish and chips to celebrate, but after being so tired all day and eating such greasy food all day, I made him buy me a chocolate-filled croissant, too, to help me feel better!

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