British Museum -- It had an amazing amount of stuff. We looked through lots of the Greek and Roman artifacts and art, most of the Egyptian, a little of the Mesopotamian, and the pre-Roman British section. It took us nearly 5 hours, and we only skimmed the surface. My biggest complaint is that there needs to be more interpretation of the artifacts, not just cases setting them out. We have been to quite a few Native American museums where they had scenes of people doing different activities with the artifacts in the scene. It would have been easier to put it into context had they done that. It got a little numbing to just look at case after case of artifacts. Aaron's favorite was the Rosetta Stone because "it was big!", much bigger than he expected, unlike the lame-o Liberty Bell. My favorites were the Egyptian grave goods and shabtis, the natural, not wrapped mummies, and trying to decipher Latin inscriptions.
National Portrait Gallery -- We got here very late and only had an hour and a half, but it was wonderful, just as I remembered! We started with the early Tudor portraits and worked our way through the Regency. Each portrait had a card telling some facts about the person pictured, and we had a great time trying to remember who was related to whom and what they did. Aaron loved finding the scientists (Newton, Halley, Dalton, Davy, and Erasmus Darwin). I enjoyed the Tudors and the Jacobites most because I just love to follow the kings and queens through their religious squabbles and their struggles for the throne. I love to hate Mary Tudor (that bitch who burned Thomas Cranmer), and I love to imagine James II hightailing it out of England when William and Mary arrive. I also love a good underdog like Mary Queen of Scots or Bonnie Prince Charlie. This is just my favorite museum, and I will probably return again this trip to see the Victorians and the more modern portraits.
The Tower of London -- First, know that I am way too good to visit the Tower of London. On my previous trips, I have avoided it because I am just plain snooty and it seems so touristy. Aaron, on the other hand, is not too good for anything (meant in the best possible way, of course). He loves anything touristy (take, for example, his fascination with Vegas and some Nebraskan corn palace). So I went. It was actually kind of fun. Not stellar, but neat to see once. I liked standing in a tower built by William the Conqueror, and Aaron liked seeing some cannons that were captured at Waterloo. We both enjoyed the graffiti left on some of the Tower walls, mostly by Catholics locked up during Elizabeth's reign. Aaron liked the torture implements (A rack was his favorite; he prefers the classics.)
While seeing these London sights, we had the best food!! We are staying right now in a hotel near Earl's Court in a very Asian neighborhood, and the restaurants (all within 1/2 a mile) are fantastic. We've had Indian and Thai and want to try Lebanese and Chinese. Let me tell you that Chicken Balti (at the Indian place) is the best thing ever. If you aren't eating it right now, you are not living a full and happy life. I realize now that all the other values in life--work, family, love, hobbies--are all just the things we do to fill the time between meals containing chicken balti.
Here's a funny thing about England (and probably everywhere, but you notice it when it's not your home country): they tell a lot of public lies. We noticed these two:
At the British Museum on a sign explaining who Lord Elgin was (the guy who brought the statues from the pediment of the Parthenon to England), the humongous and violent controversy about whether the statues should belong to England or to Greece was described as "a matter for discussion." Give me a break. Greece should see this sign.
At the National Portrait Gallery, Henry VIII wanted to get rid of Catherine of Aragon (who had already borne him 6 children) because he "questioned the validity of their marriage." He apparently questioned it a lot (one new religion and an unheard of divorce worth.
Aaron's things:
- I like that the English keep military time and count their floors from zero.
- I love that they are so drunk that they feel the need to warn people with subway signs not to drive *the day after*.
Next blog post: our first day in Oxford.
