Sunday 18th December

Adam's parents must have taken pity on us after the lunchtime antics of the kids on Friday, because yesterday Sarah called Adam to ask if she and Grandma could take the kids for the day, they were thinking perhaps to a movie. Naturally we jumped at the offer.

Xavier and Stella were collected about 10:30am and headed off on the bus with Grandma and Aunty Sarah with plans of a McDonalds lunch and movie visit confirmed. Adam and I headed to the train Station into London to spend some time admiring all the artifacts at the British Museum. The Brits like the tell you that they are taking care of all of these precious items for the good of the entire world, however, its really just a collection of stuff that England as stolen from other countries.

Like all museums in the UK its free entry, because we didn't have the kids and therefore the pram, we had to check our coats and bags into the cloakroom. Its so cold out, that you need to really rug up, however, there is nothing at all wrong with the heating in most buildings in London. You walk in the door of anywhere and almost pass out with the overwhelming heat. Shopping is a constant state of dress, undress, dress, undress, its nuts. Also because shopping centers as we know them aren't really the norm here, strip shopping on a high street is much more the norm.

I was starving so we headed off to find something to eat, we thought seeing as we were kid free we would skip the sandwiches at the cafe and head up to the restaurant for something a bit fancier. However, on getting up to the restaurant we almost passed out, not at the heat but at the prices. We decided that perhaps sandwiches weren't so bad after all and we might get something nice for afternoon tea on the way home instead as our little indulgence.

This is the inner area of the museum. It used to be a courtyard but they filled it in to make more exhibition space. Its breathtaking. The Restaurant is at the top of this central round section.

We figured that seeing as the Rosetta stone is the pride of the museum we would head there first. The stone is a pretty significant item. Its a massive slab of stone with the same passage carved into it in Hieroglyphics, Ancient Greek and something else (yep totally a history buff am I) which was the standard language of the general people. Finding this stone meant that researchers were able to, for the first time, really able to decipher the hieroglyphics they had found as ancient Greek was commonly understood. So a pretty huge find. It was found in Egypt, so technically belonged to the Egyptians, however, somehow the French had it, and when England conquered the French, they took possession of the stone. Now you might think that the English might hand this significant item back to the Egyptians, but nope, they are 'taking care of it' for the good of the world.

Rosetta Stone

We spent a bit of time in the Egyptian section of the museum and boy are they taking care of a fair bit for the Egyptians. We saw statues, sarcophagus's, mummies (OK so these were freaking cool) and a range of pots, stones, blah blah blah stuff. But the mummies were pretty awesome. Seeing the mummies made me realise how small people used to be, we really must just be getting taller and taller each generation. I also really liked the x-ray pics that went with the mummies showing what was inside.

And a piece of Pyramid, ya know, just looking after it.

One thing that I was pretty excited to see was a real 'bog' body. I studied bog body poetry in high school and have since been fascinated with the bodies that were so perfectly preserved in the peat bogs. So much so that I once wrote an entire Rock Eisteddfod around my fascination with these amazing memories of the earth (it was awesome too). I would love to someday go to Ireland and see more of these bodies.

Seriously amazing.

The museum is so huge that there is no way you could see it all, even it you arrived at opening and were kicked out at closing. We finished up with the Parthenon area. Just one more item that the Brits are taking care of for the good of all. I kid you not, they have to have at least 50% of the carvings from the Parthenon there. Apparently the Greek government have asked several times for it back but the Brits are refusing the give it back claiming that its an important part of the museums collection in helping people to understand the time line of civilisation. right. They also like to emphasise that while they have it, it is able to be viewed by anyone for no charge. They also had a tonne of statues from the Parthenon, all but 1 without heads. Apparently the heads are being 'taken care of' by someone else who decided they needed taking care of first.

See, walls of the carvings

The 1 statue with a head

By this point my interest in old stuff was wearing very thin. I was BORED! So we headed back to the station with the plan of getting a small snack along the way. We walked back through a small park, where I was naturally overjoyed to see a squirrel. Then ended up with some hot chocolates for the train ride home.

Of course the kids were perfect for Grandma and Aunty Sarah and had a wonderful day. Although when we got home Xavier was missing. He had been borrowed by Uncle David to go and jump on their new bedding. HUH???? Yep my 4 year old was being encouraged to jump on a bed. Why, I hear you ask? Its Chinese tradition for the bride and groom to receive new bedding as a wedding gift, traditionally the brides mother/sisters/aunts would make it (I'm not sure who made this one) but before the wedding they have young children (usually nieces and nephews) come and jump on the bed for good luck and the hope that they will soon be blessed with children of their own. Teresa's nieces had participated in a good bed jumping, but to encourage some sons also, David came to borrow Xavier for him to have a jump on the new bedding too (he didn't want Stella and her girl germs). Fingers crossed it works for them and we hear the pitter patter of tiny feet soon. Also fingers crossed that Xavier doesn't think that jumping on new bedding is OK at home.

We spent the night getting all ready for the big day tomorrow. The day we have travelled half way around the world for, the wedding day of David and Teresa. All the time hoping and praying that Xavier and Stella would perform their duties beautifully.