Question...

Should I keep up with this blog? It's been over a week since I last posted, but no-one has looked or read or glanced at any of the posts. It would be great if this could actually turn into a conversation, but it's lonely standing on this island by myself.

I'll be back tomorrow for answers. but here's a few more pictures:

Big Ben from a double-decker bus

There are terrific photo chances on the 2nd level front seat of these buses!

The not-there-and-yet-there column at Platform 9 and 3/4!

I went with a couple of friends to Kings Cross and picked up some school supplied for Ravenclaw.

Oxford Sign

Stairs used in The Sorcerer's Stone the first time we see Professor McGonagall

We took an entire day - 8 am to 11:30 pm - and went up to Oxford to explore History, both fictional and non-fictional.

outside of Oxford

It was a beautiful moment around this site. Only a little over a dozen of us went, but so worth it!

Genealogy Chart from 1485

Nana, I thought of you when I saw this. There was a lot more to the scroll still on the roll, but it is reassuring that our charts today are just as complicated as in the 15th century.

Saturday: First Free Day of Program

Saturday was an open day. There was nothing planned by the program for this day. But instead of relaxing the morning away and relishing not having to walk anywhere, I hopped a bus and went to Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery again. It opens at 10:00 am, I arrived at 9:45 am. Perfect! I had carefully planned my assault of this imposing (and large) ediface. I started with the 13th centrury work and slowly wended my way through the ages until I reached late 19th century. That took almost 4 hours. I still want to get to their 20th century, but maybe next week.

Me in National Gallery

Still working on selfies, but so what. Look at that room I'm in! Actually it was an antechamber to a larger room with a room behind it. BIIIIIGGGG! Perfect surrounding for paintings!

Battle of San Romano

This work struck me because it was different from all the other artist of the period. The artist was showing perspective for perhaps the first time and the way he arranged the composition it almost seems like a mid-twentieth century piece than a 15th century painting.

Here is another from the same artist, 

St George and the Dragon

Isn't that a unique look for a dragon? Love it!

Central Hall doors to Trafalgar Square

17th and 18th century works

These are just a couple more rooms, but they are fantastic!

And the last I'm sharing (although I took many more) is this  painting, yes, it is a painting.

Cult of Cybel

This artist used paint to portray sculpture! Isn't that amazing! He essentially created a 3d effect because these were plans for a pediment, to be carved and placed high above the viewer, so he drew them from that perspective. Fascinating!

London certainly has some amazing places!!

Friday: British Museum

Friday was a semi-free day. We had nothing officially planned, but an optional trip to go to the British Museum that afternoon. I am so glad I went! During the morning I worked on updating this blog, so with luck I will be able to post on it three times a week now, instead of once a week.

The British Museum is one of the largest tourist attractions in London. We went later on a day it was opened late, so it was less crowded than a normal day. I think there were still plenty of people around, so I don't want to see it on a normal day! It is free to visit the regular collections, and after spending two and a half hours there we only saw a portion of a fraction of the tip of the iceberg! They should rent out cots for people who want to see everything!

Chariot Race

We stopped in Ancient Greece for a while, looking at the Elgion Marbles, straight from the Parthenon! Mom, I thought of you when I saw these horses. Look at the care they took to make them lifelike!

Tomb and concert

Looked like they were setting up for a concert in front of this magnificent tomb, but the lighting was great. We walked to the side and got some closeups of the details, but the overall affect is striking!

Then we walked up to the third -or was it fourth?-floor to visit ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. I truly didn't know which way to look! Think Abu in the first moments in the Cave of Wonders. 

Story in Pictures

And,

Sarcophagi

Tim warned us going in that we would only be looking at a few things, so try not to look at anything else - it was still difficult to focus but we managed for the most part. There are a lot more than these, about 12 large rooms, think about it. Dead beings on display, on they get viewed thousands of times a day! What cemetery or graveyard can boast those numbers?!

Chess Set carved from Walrus Tusk

Ever wonder about the amazing chess pieces used in HP and the Sorcerers Stone? Wonder no more! This is where they came from! This set and several other items were discovered a long time ago, in fact the original colors would be red and white, like the board. Isn't amazing the details carved into the ivory?

Front Plate for Chess set

Here's another shot:

Larger example of the set

This was an amazing find, I'm glad I got to see it in person!

Then we went to see another find. In the mid-twentieth century a farmer was plowing a field and discovered a hoard of old silver plates and bowls, later to be known as the Mildenhall Treasure. These are some amazing pieces, in tact.

Back Plate on Mildenhall Treasure

The decoration and carving on each piece is distinctive and beautiful!

And now, the Knights of Rohan! Or Beowulf if you prefer.

Ancient Warriors helmet

Tim really got talking about the international trade happening during this time, because of the many different cultures represented in this treasure!

Tim in front of treasure

Our last stop of the night was to Easter Island. This museum has a little of everything in it, and a huge collection of a little goes a long way!

Small Easter Island statue

Then I rushed back to the flat and Skyped my family. It took 45 min between riding the Tube and walking. Good work-out, right?

Thursday: Barbican Theatre

Thursday we had a longer class than normal, as a guest speaker came in and chatted with us for an hour. Then we left straight from the classroom to visit Somerset House and view Shakespeare's Will Exhibit, which is very rare. There were a lot of late 16th early 17th century original documents and artifacts as well as his will, all relating to his life in one fashion or other. It was an interesting exhibit.

That evening we went to the play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Barbican Theatre. It is located in a huge Center that seems part school, part business plaza, and part community center. Really cool area!

Plaza in front of Theatre

This emblem was on a lot of the buildings

cool

It definitely warrants a picture. I loved the play. The production was a collaboration between the Royal Shakespeare Company and a local amateur company and the local schools. It was amazing! Very enjoyable!

Wednesday: Tour of Westminster Abbey

This was a wonderful pace. There was no photography in the main abbey/chapel area, but we were allowed to take pictures of the gardens, cloisters and auxillary rooms.
This was our entrance to the Abbey from the Cloisters:

Westminster Abbey cloisters.

All the black stones on the floor marked graves, some of the dates so worn they were unreadable, others from the 1600's and a few in the 21st century. All along the walls were memorials to individuals, important to the nation, world, or their families.

The ceiling, the fan vaults, were amazing.

Ceiling on the cloisters at Westminster Abbey

The Abbey was full of beautiful sculptures and stone work, and the ceilings were jaw dropping! I didn't know where to look first! After touring the Abbey, getting to see the tombs and memorials to so many famous and infamous historical figures, we went out to the gardens via this room:

Vaulted Ceiling

This large space was used first by the monks for administrative purposes, then the government began to use it as it was a neutral space, until they all moved across the square to Parliament House and know it is a space full of medieval paintings and tiles. The carpet covers the orginal tile flooring, very well preserved!
It was lightly sprinkling when we got to the gardens, but how beautiful they were!

After the visit to the Abbey I made my way to the National Gallery by myself. It is a wonderful site, I spent a couple hours in it and only got part way through the painting on the upper floor. I think there are also more on lower floors. Tim asked me to pick a couple of paintings to talk about on our visit there next week - since I'm an Art History major. I guess I'll find out if I actually retained anything from this past year!

Monday: National Theatre Tour

The second Monday in London, and we get a quiet morning. No class and nothing planned until the afternoon. So I worked on Laundry, this blog, and groceries. A very quiet time. We had a tour of the National Theatre at 4 pm, which is on the east bank of the Thames so we took the Tube and walked across on the Jubilee Bridge.

Jubilee Bridge

There are a lot of walking bridges on the Thames. 

National Theatre

This is a big building. It has three stages in it, all rather large, and is able to put on multiple productions during a week. Our guide said that it is possible to see a different play every night of the week here. One of the productions that first played here was War Horse

Horse frame for the play War Horse

We had a backstage tour and got to see a lot of props and workshops, as this is the only production house that actually makes all their items in-house, so it is a factory as well as a  theatre. It was an interesting tour. It was still light out when we finished so I strolled along the bank and managed to grab a few pictures.

Sunday: Tower of London

This was a special day. We went to church services in the Tower of London!

Waiting to get in the Tower of London

Here I am again!

It was very interesting to listen to a Church of England service. The choir was fantastic. The music resounded off the stone walls and filled the area. It is much better to listen to it live than a recording.
After services we visited the Crown Jewels - no photography please!

The Crown Jewels - need we say more?

The entry to the vault is a bit disorienting because of the lighting and paths, but the jewels in the vault are beautiful. And then after the brief tour we could do anything, I grabbed an ice cream cone and walked the ramparts for a bit.

Fireplace in a corner tower - they kept prisoners here at one time.

Slit window in same tower, how deep is that wall!

I also walked the grounds and found:

Memories of a menagerie (they kept animals here given to the monarchs as gifts)

and,

Re-enactments of knights training - just missed the show

I left after a couple hours and went to grab something to eat and get a brief tour of Spitalfields Market. Another open market, but with more contemporary items and better food stalls (my opinion, more diverse and varied).

Yes, that is a goat on those crates, interesting monument, huh?