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More England
The visit to the William Morris house was really fun; we had tea in the scullery and wandered about the grounds after the guided tour, which was by a volunteer Morris enthusiast who was like a slightly nervous otter in a v-neck sweater and tie. It's a bit sad--the house was Morris' grand experiment in creating a commune-type artist colony which imploded under the weight of the personality problems and interpersonal relationship issues which so many creative people carry with them. They just bought it last year and are in the process of restoring it, trying to decipher what is under the paint. I have a few pictures taken in the garden and of the doorway (lit by a red lantern!) which I will post once I download them from my computer. I now have a tea-towel (that most Britishly useful of souvenirs) featuring the frontispiece of the Kelmscott Press' "News from Nowhere."
Tomorrow is the Tower of London in the morning; the next day we (Esgalaith and I) go to Bath! Yippee!
Saturday--New Years'--and Sunday the family had over their very own adopted Britgoth (hello, Kass!) and everyone had a lovely time going to the family service at church dressed up in their most fancy black goth-like attire and then progressing onto a quite nice pub where we scandalized the country-club set eating brunch.
Pictures of this misadventure to follow.
Jadescarlet--Wales is slightly closer to our location than Scotland, so I think we've decided to take our four-day trip there in the middle of next week, but if we can get in touch I'd still like to have you over for tea or something.
Speaking of Wales, I keep seeing things marked "Pembroke" and "Brecon," et al, everywhere; it's quite fun.
For the whole day, Esgalaith and I went to the British Museum.
I'm glad we took the whole day, and we're going to take another one before I leave. God Almighty, this place is huge, and so full of the most beautiful and ingenious objects ever crafted by the hand of man and spared by fate.
Following Sei's wise advice (thank you!) I'd mapped out a few of the must-see attractions, and we tried to hit those first. The Rosetta Stone was mobbed by a pack of tourists, of course, but is no less impressive for it.
The Parthenon's freize...
...
Egyptian mummies were fascinating; oddly, it felt a bit sacreligious to wander around, but it was also amazing to really see such history. The sculpture hall was beautiful; I kept being distracted by pictures of things I'd seen in my 6th grade history book and esgalaith and I had to wander out to the stairs to eat lunch by sheer willpower. Arcturax, I wish you'd seen the sculptures--I took some pictures which I will try to upload tomorrow sometime.
By accident, Esgalaith and I found the Mesopotamian exhibit after lunch and wandered backwards through cunieiform tablets and chronology until I caught a glimpse of something I'd hoped to see for three years--one of the "ram caught in a thicket" sculptures--the ram with a pleased grin on its face--and the Queen's musical instruments, including a harp with a gilt bull-head.
Quite amazing. I don't think I've ever squealed "Mesopotamia!" before.
Also ancient Assyrian friezes of a lion-hunt and huge winged bull and lion statues. Classics people out there--why the heck are all the Assyrian protective deities holding what looks like pinecones--and what the plaques describe as "cones"? Do they even have pinecones in Assyria?
I kept thinking of so many of you as I wandered about.
Then there was the Celtic and Ancient Brirish wing. Sutton Hoo! Gold brooches that looked as if they'd been bought yesterday from some Irish imports stall; and then things--a selection of torcs, a sheild, some of the most fascinating little everyday things I've ever seen--which assure you that these artifacts are from a different time.
Signy, I've found your Winter Holiday-ish gift.
I bought a truly astounding amount of postcards and will be writing some shortly. :)
We bought a few roasted chestnuts from a vendor outside the gates and ate them on our way back to the Underground.
Exhausted but quite happy.
Tomorrow is the Tower of London in the morning; the next day we (Esgalaith and I) go to Bath! Yippee!
Saturday--New Years'--and Sunday the family had over their very own adopted Britgoth (hello, Kass!) and everyone had a lovely time going to the family service at church dressed up in their most fancy black goth-like attire and then progressing onto a quite nice pub where we scandalized the country-club set eating brunch.
Pictures of this misadventure to follow.
Jadescarlet--Wales is slightly closer to our location than Scotland, so I think we've decided to take our four-day trip there in the middle of next week, but if we can get in touch I'd still like to have you over for tea or something.
Speaking of Wales, I keep seeing things marked "Pembroke" and "Brecon," et al, everywhere; it's quite fun.
For the whole day, Esgalaith and I went to the British Museum.
I'm glad we took the whole day, and we're going to take another one before I leave. God Almighty, this place is huge, and so full of the most beautiful and ingenious objects ever crafted by the hand of man and spared by fate.
Following Sei's wise advice (thank you!) I'd mapped out a few of the must-see attractions, and we tried to hit those first. The Rosetta Stone was mobbed by a pack of tourists, of course, but is no less impressive for it.
The Parthenon's freize...
...
Egyptian mummies were fascinating; oddly, it felt a bit sacreligious to wander around, but it was also amazing to really see such history. The sculpture hall was beautiful; I kept being distracted by pictures of things I'd seen in my 6th grade history book and esgalaith and I had to wander out to the stairs to eat lunch by sheer willpower. Arcturax, I wish you'd seen the sculptures--I took some pictures which I will try to upload tomorrow sometime.
By accident, Esgalaith and I found the Mesopotamian exhibit after lunch and wandered backwards through cunieiform tablets and chronology until I caught a glimpse of something I'd hoped to see for three years--one of the "ram caught in a thicket" sculptures--the ram with a pleased grin on its face--and the Queen's musical instruments, including a harp with a gilt bull-head.
Quite amazing. I don't think I've ever squealed "Mesopotamia!" before.
Also ancient Assyrian friezes of a lion-hunt and huge winged bull and lion statues. Classics people out there--why the heck are all the Assyrian protective deities holding what looks like pinecones--and what the plaques describe as "cones"? Do they even have pinecones in Assyria?
I kept thinking of so many of you as I wandered about.
Then there was the Celtic and Ancient Brirish wing. Sutton Hoo! Gold brooches that looked as if they'd been bought yesterday from some Irish imports stall; and then things--a selection of torcs, a sheild, some of the most fascinating little everyday things I've ever seen--which assure you that these artifacts are from a different time.
Signy, I've found your Winter Holiday-ish gift.
I bought a truly astounding amount of postcards and will be writing some shortly. :)
We bought a few roasted chestnuts from a vendor outside the gates and ate them on our way back to the Underground.
Exhausted but quite happy.
the British Museum
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Japanese Swords I think was one of my prefered areas. I get the feeling taking Kit to that particular part of the museum may have resulted in the alarms going berzerk and police rushing in with pointy objects to poke us all in the ribs.