Saturday was windy and rainy and we thought we ought to be indoors, so we headed to Tottenham Court Road to find the British Museum. By the time we got there, though, the weather had calmed down quite a bit, so we didn't spend too much time in there.
Naturally, I wanted to see what is probably their most famous acquisition - the so called "Elgin Marbles".
If you follow the link on the name of the museum, it will take you to their explanation of the exhibit and their justification for not returning the artifacts to their native Greece as the Greek government has been asking them to do for some time now. On some level, of course, I am glad they were "saved" at the time they were taken (early 1800's), and glad that I was able to see them. But, of course, I come down firmly on the side of the Greeks in the current debate, and I know the British pretty much have come down on the side of "we stole them fair and square, and they're ours". I'll let you decide for yourself. At any rate - they are spectacular, and very well exhibited in their current "home away from home".
I was also very interested to see the Reading Room at the British Museum, and wanted to be sure to take what photos I could. As it turns out, it's impossible to take a photo of the whole room - it's too immense, and you are too close. It's a magnificent space very much in use as a study room.
On our way out again, I was intrigued to see that they also have the Rosetta Stone - and spent a few minutes looking at that - it was very difficult to get close - it was constantly swamped by people! It's apparently one of their most popular items! Fascinating - much larger and thicker than I had imagined.
Outside, the weather had actually turned to sunshine, so we wandered the area where the literati used to gather - imagining TS Eliot, Virginia Woolf and Dickens walking in the beautiful Bedford Square or the nearby Russel Square. We stopped there for lunch in the park's cafe - and thought about Helene Hanff sitting for her portrait there in the park on the afternoons of her visit to London.
Another quick walk around the area brought us back to the Russel Square tube station and we headed home. It didn't seem like we'd done much, but we were dead tired again - and have spent Sunday sitting out the bad weather that has come along, while we rest up for another busy week.
Next week, we go to Witney, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and a tour of the Old Vic theatre. We also still need to see the Holbein exhibit at the Tate and St. Paul's Cathedral, and hope to get them squeezed in. So it will be a very busy time!
If you follow the link on the name of the museum, it will take you to their explanation of the exhibit and their justification for not returning the artifacts to their native Greece as the Greek government has been asking them to do for some time now. On some level, of course, I am glad they were "saved" at the time they were taken (early 1800's), and glad that I was able to see them. But, of course, I come down firmly on the side of the Greeks in the current debate, and I know the British pretty much have come down on the side of "we stole them fair and square, and they're ours". I'll let you decide for yourself. At any rate - they are spectacular, and very well exhibited in their current "home away from home".
Outside, the weather had actually turned to sunshine, so we wandered the area where the literati used to gather - imagining TS Eliot, Virginia Woolf and Dickens walking in the beautiful Bedford Square or the nearby Russel Square. We stopped there for lunch in the park's cafe - and thought about Helene Hanff sitting for her portrait there in the park on the afternoons of her visit to London.
Another quick walk around the area brought us back to the Russel Square tube station and we headed home. It didn't seem like we'd done much, but we were dead tired again - and have spent Sunday sitting out the bad weather that has come along, while we rest up for another busy week.
Next week, we go to Witney, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and a tour of the Old Vic theatre. We also still need to see the Holbein exhibit at the Tate and St. Paul's Cathedral, and hope to get them squeezed in. So it will be a very busy time!
No comments:
Post a Comment