London, day five
Today was another fantastic day. Camille and I set off to go to the British Museum, but along the way had to stop in an umbrella shop that was started in 1830 and honestly looks like it has changed very little since then. The shop was positively adorable (and the sales people the epitome of good salesmen; what Fortnum & Mason should aspire to instead of being all frowny faced at customers, which actually lost them an umbrella purchase I was considering there). Anyhow, I found an umbrella that I fell in love with. It has a really unusual shape - I'm not sure how to describe it:
After that, we headed to the British Museum and spent a very enjoyable afternoon (particularly since it was rainy outside today) combing through all sorts of amazing treasures. I particularly liked the Lewis Chessmen - their expressions were priceless, and I was amazed to realize chess was from as early as the late 12th century.
The other objects that were really striking were the Mummy portraits from the Roman period in Egypt. These are portraits that are put on mummy cases that are stunningly realistic - if the museum curators had stuck them in with Renaissance art, I would have been none the wiser for it.
Finally, we saw a clockworks exhibit that had me in steampunk heaven. Some of the clocks from 1500-1800 were just fantastic. The exhibit included a completely gold pirate ship clock that when it chimed, would move forward several feet and then fire all of its cannons. There were also all sorts of clockwork gadgets (including an original "daylight alarm clock") that were fun and beautiful to look at.
After the museum (which was exhausting!), we took a break in our room and then headed back out for "a curry" (i.e., Indian food) at The Red Fort, a restaurant that had been recommended to me before I left. It was amazing; easily the best Indian food I've ever had.
Photos from today start here, with the rightmost picture on the third row.
Tomorrow's plan is Hampton court, unless it's really rainy.
After that, we headed to the British Museum and spent a very enjoyable afternoon (particularly since it was rainy outside today) combing through all sorts of amazing treasures. I particularly liked the Lewis Chessmen - their expressions were priceless, and I was amazed to realize chess was from as early as the late 12th century.
The other objects that were really striking were the Mummy portraits from the Roman period in Egypt. These are portraits that are put on mummy cases that are stunningly realistic - if the museum curators had stuck them in with Renaissance art, I would have been none the wiser for it.
Finally, we saw a clockworks exhibit that had me in steampunk heaven. Some of the clocks from 1500-1800 were just fantastic. The exhibit included a completely gold pirate ship clock that when it chimed, would move forward several feet and then fire all of its cannons. There were also all sorts of clockwork gadgets (including an original "daylight alarm clock") that were fun and beautiful to look at.
After the museum (which was exhausting!), we took a break in our room and then headed back out for "a curry" (i.e., Indian food) at The Red Fort, a restaurant that had been recommended to me before I left. It was amazing; easily the best Indian food I've ever had.
Photos from today start here, with the rightmost picture on the third row.
Tomorrow's plan is Hampton court, unless it's really rainy.