I was somewhat terrified that it would be a letdown after a lifetime of anticipation that, in my wife's own words, "turned me into a giant adorable child". Like so much else in this trip, I needn't have worried.
Oh, and there may have been a few things on display.
This is only a small bit of what we saw (e.g. me remembering to snap a photo now and again), which in turn is only a tiny bit of what was on display. I'd need years to look at it and give it all the time it deserves.
Um, they also had the Rosetta Stone. THE Rosetta Stone. I don't even.
After becoming members, we gained access to the Sunken Cities exhibit, a gallery of newly unearthed artifacts from the lost cities of Thonis-Heracleion and Canopus. No photography allowed, unfortunately, but it was incredible.
I really don't have words to convey what it was like to stand amongst these objects and think about the people that created them, how they saw the world, and how their art and culture still influences us. Again, that's not a novel idea, but looking at all of these objects transforms it from an abstract thought experiment into an experience.
I don't regret my choice of profession one bit. But sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go out into the world and make discoveries like these. I'm told I look pretty good in a fedora.
First things first, though. We were damn hungry. We hadn't eaten breakfast, having slept in a bit after yesterday's restlessness. We banged out of the hotel and straight to Tottenham Court with plans to grab a quick lunch at the museum.
One of the things that has surprised Jen and I on this trip is how good the food has been at the super tourist-y places. Places like that in the US are usually catered by McDonalds-esque mass produced abominations. The steak pasties at the Stonehenge visitor's center were excellent. The food at the British Museum cafe was prepared by chefs, delivered fresh just before mealtime, and was, in a word, superb.
This is only a small bit of what we saw (e.g. me remembering to snap a photo now and again), which in turn is only a tiny bit of what was on display. I'd need years to look at it and give it all the time it deserves.
Um, they also had the Rosetta Stone. THE Rosetta Stone. I don't even.
I really don't have words to convey what it was like to stand amongst these objects and think about the people that created them, how they saw the world, and how their art and culture still influences us. Again, that's not a novel idea, but looking at all of these objects transforms it from an abstract thought experiment into an experience.
I don't regret my choice of profession one bit. But sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go out into the world and make discoveries like these. I'm told I look pretty good in a fedora.
