On this trip, Zac and I have adopted the "inductive tourism" strategy. We begin with the big picture, and then learn several smaller details along the way. General to specific.
After about five minutes we realized that there was not a chance in the eternal history of time that we were going to be able to see a very large percentage of this museum today. We narrowed the parameters significantly and spent over two hours visiting exhibits from 1000 BC to 1000 AD -- of European history alone. To put that experience into perspective, we visited three or four rooms on one floor.
Unseen is a curse written during the time of Roman occupation of England;
The treasures below were from the Anglo-Saxon period, extracted from the archeological excavations at Sutton Hoo.
Can you imagine facing off against a group of warriors with helmets like these?
Today's big picture was the British Museum of history.
After about five minutes we realized that there was not a chance in the eternal history of time that we were going to be able to see a very large percentage of this museum today. We narrowed the parameters significantly and spent over two hours visiting exhibits from 1000 BC to 1000 AD -- of European history alone. To put that experience into perspective, we visited three or four rooms on one floor.
There are at least six levels in this museum.
In my opinion, history can be really tedious if I cannot find someway to humanize it. Today I looked for the humanity of the displays.
Take, for instance, this piece of lead.
Unseen is a curse written during the time of Roman occupation of England;
What an insight into human nature!
And then there was this late Byzantine period Solo cup dispenser.
Just joking.
Just joking.
The treasures below were from the Anglo-Saxon period, extracted from the archeological excavations at Sutton Hoo.
Can you imagine facing off against a group of warriors with helmets like these?
The next picture is of the same helmet, but the close-up shows a boar's head approximately where the left eyebrow would be. Boars supposedly gave protection to Warriors in battle. So much for that belief, because the Anglo-Saxons were eventually defeated by the Vikings.
The boar is laying across the eyebrow of the helmet, with the eye and snout in the middle of this picture. Those of you familiar with Beowulf probably recall references to the boar's head helmets.
Old English lit also recounts how tribal leaders expressed appreciation by bestowing golden gifts on the Warriors. This picture shows several belt clasps, a necklace, four coins, a bracelet, a sword, and a couple of other objects.
I thought the next picture was interesting because we have evidence that Anglo-Saxon Warriors were "gamers." We have a picture of the game pieces followed by a description of the activity.
Notice the second half of the paragraph below, beginning with the word "often."
The picture below is of a section of a belt, followed by a picture of a belt buckle.
My last comment about the British Museum revolves around this picture.
This very large silver platter was found at the Sutton Hoo site when the burial mound was excavated in the 1930's. Interestingly, this platter would have already been 100 years old at the time that it was buried. It is from the Byzantine period, and was silver plated in Constantinople.
How in the world did it get into the possession of an Anglo-Saxon king who is buried in a field in northeastern England? (I don't know either, but I suspect King Ragnar purchased it on Amazon.)
From the British museum we went to a wonderful restaurant that Zac had read about in the New York Times. The name of it is Pieminister (like Prime Minister). They specialize in making English pies, much like the American version of a pot pie.
Just imagine these succulent ingredients: beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, smashed peas, cheddar, and crispy shallots.
It looks better than it sounds, doesn't it!
I do not expect to see anything like this very soon in the Trim Healthy Mama cookbook. Somehow, British food seems appropriate to offset the weather: warm, hearty, filling.
After lunch we walked to Saint Helen's Bishopsgate Church. William Shakespeare attending this church a few times when he lived in this parish. He would have attended in the early 1590's.
The church said nothing on the outside about William Shakespeare, nor did it offer any tours, but I figured the worst thing that would happen if I knocked on the door was to be told to go away.
On the contrary, a smiling receptionist opened and told me that I could take all the pictures that I wanted. I have followed this church online for a few years now, and I am always impressed by how the church has attempted to meet the needs of its congregation. I say that because so many of the big, dignified churches are empty now.
The church has small group ministry on Sunday nights. The tables were still set up.
From St. Helen's we tubed out to Greenwich. What a wonderful town. I had read about it on a website called the "Top 10 Overlooked Jewels of London." Quaint, narrow streets drew us back to a market with open air restaurants.
Then the shops ended, and we came to a beautiful, sprawling park, so reminiscent of many of the luxurious green spaces in London.
This park surrounded and separated the National Observatory from the Maritime Museum and one of the Queen's houses.
Day 5 is almost in the books. Zac is already asleep. He can't keep up with the old man, but don't tell him I said so.
I am so proud of him. He planned and paid for this trip, working a f/t job at a law office, 20+ hours many weeks at Truett's, as well as taking an overloaded college schedule. In addition, he plays the guitar almost every Sunday morning at church as well as many Wednesday nights. Often on Saturday mornings, when he is not working for the chicken palace, he is delivering furniture to needy people in Henry County. Two nights ago the wifi was not working, so Zac had to get up at 4:00 to get his assignments posted on time. He is maxed out.
He has become a man.
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