The British Museum (mainly photos in this one)

Here we are folks.  The British Museum.  And as the brochure puts it: a museum of the world, for the world.  This building was very large with many different exhibits to see.  Unfortunately, I did not get to everyone.  But I did manage to explore the major exhibits that the museum has to offer.

I started out with the ever so popular Ancient Egyptian exhibit.

Queen Ahmes-Merytmun. circa 1550 BC

Winged human-headed lion, 865-860 BC.

Three black granite statues of King Sesostris III, 1850 BC

Head of statue of a king, 370 BC

Tomb slab of Nihebsedpepy, 2100 BC

Made my way onto the Greek and Roman exhibits.

Lely's Venus (Aphrodite) 

The Horsemen of the South Frieze

Horse hear from the chariot of the moon-goddess, Selene.

Saw some really random things.

Old books.  I love old books.

Look!  It's 10 on a tenner!

The King James Bible, 1672 AD

Hercules mosaic, 200 AD

The Rosetta Stone 

Three different languages are used: Egyptian Hieroglyphys, Demotic, and Greek.

Here, at the Rosetta Stone, was very similar to my experience yesterday with the Changing of the Guards.  Same psychotic, camera waving tourists pushing and shoving people out of the way.  Now, yesterday I could understand why it was happening.  If you couldn't see, you missed it.  But this stone isn't going anywhere.  It's incased in thick glass.  There is no need for the stampede.  Just wait your turn like everyone else.  Chances are you don't even know what it says, anyways.

Basalt statue known as Hoa Hakananai'a
From Easter Island, 1400 AD

Every time I see these guys, all I think of is "hey dumb dumb, you give me gum gum."

Housepost, Papua New Guinea

Rock Crystal Skull

The British Museum is in the neighborhood of Bloomsbury.  I feel like I am getting to know many of London's 47 neighborhoods.  It it a high tourist area with access to all forms of public transportation.  It's located in the middle of London.  But it also has a village feel to it.  Shops line the streets containing book and antiques.  There are cafes and pubs with outdoor seating.  There is also an area called the Sicilian Avenue which is contains many Italian shops and restaurants.  There are a lot of schools in the area, as well.  Many medical schools reside here, as well as schools for the preforming arts.  There are garden squares and gorgeous Victorian-era hotels.

I headed back to my room after this venture.  Later in the evening I took a walk back down to the river. This is an area that I have truly fallen in love with.  It has everything I have ever wanted in a neighborhood: great access to public transit, waterside paths, outdoor cafes and pubs, parks, there is even a crepe cafe!  There are flower shops with beautiful flowers decorating the outside.  There is one whole street dedicated to shopping, with all kinds of stores.  There are theaters, open squares which host summer festivals, frozen yogurt shops, and ice cream trucks a plenty!  What's not to love?