A Trip North (but not Very North)

Hello again!

So the British Museum was fantastic! Saw lots of great stuff, including interesting African, Mexican and Indian displays - not usually seen in European museums but I guess the British stole from everyone! Interesting also was the pamphlet available in the Parthenon display explaining why the British Museum would rather not return Greek national treasures to Greece. Top reasons were hinting that the Greeks couldn't take care of them properly (because they accidentally blew stuff up in 1610) and that where they are they can be viewed in an international cultural context. Nevermind that thousands of people come to see it every year and maybe they'll make donations, that's so not an issue, we're just interested in the furtherment of cultural understanding. Can you guess what side of the debate I'm on? No? Glad I was able to present a balanced point of view.

So after that I met Charles and Paul, we got some dinner and went out to meet some of their old school friends who are now living in London. I was pretty exhausted and Paul was too, plus they took us to this horribly tacky bar full of young professionals with music so loud you couldn't make yourself heard without shouting. So we went to HMV instead and then home to watch Stardust. We're exciting people.

Sunday was my last chance to see the changing of the guard because it's only every second day in the winter so Paul accompanied me out to watch men in big furry hats play the flute and carry guns with pointy knives on the front. Not simultaneously, different men played flutes and carried guns. I got some photos which I will post in due course (i.e. in about a month.) Paul then had to do some work since I had effectively distracted him for five days so I headed to the Tate Britain to entertain myself. It was really cool, lots of British artists and artists who lived in Britain so I got my fill of Turner and Constable. Did a wee tour with one of the guides talking about the meaning of flowers in paintings, quite interesting and not too long. After Tate I had some time so I headed to the National Gallery but I was a bit burned out so I only did one wing thereby missing van Gogh's Sunflowers and a lot of other famous paintings. If I can be bothered I might go back Wednesday but it depends on many factors. I did enjoy the National Portrait Gallery - lots of famous people there! Saw the portraits of Shakespeare, Henry VIII, his six wives plus his kids and more.

Monday (yesterday) I headed to Sheffield to visit my friend Jen, from Volunteer Africa. Jen emailed me to assure me that there was nothing touristy to do in Sheffield, which sounded quite nice. Mostly I just wanted to visit her, which I am in fact doing right now. So we went out for lunch and then to the art gallery which is quite cute. We went out that night for a drink and then home to watch a bunch of great panel shows. I don't think anyone in the world does panel shows like the UK, they're hilarious! Loads of comedians and intellectuals discuss current events. So it sounds terrifically dull but I love it.

Bit of a late start today, a nice lie in and cooked breakfast before heading into town for more wandering and probably lunch. Bus to catch at 4.30 to head back to London so it's a short visit but a nice one.