London 1

Getting to London is now quite easy.

Go to the train station

Breakfast and free wifi  en route

iPad is an excellent device (photo: ERW)

and 2 hours later, bob's your uncle....

...we're here!

We stayed right across from the Palace at The Rubens.  Alice spent the afternoon with a friend from camp while G&E went onto the British Museum.

We combined the 3-hour tour with the History of the World in 100 objects, starting with

1.8 million years old (photo: EW)

a chopping tool from the Olduvai Gorge.  Though controversial and speculative, one theory is that tool use and social groups evolved together; that is, as tools made the ADLs easier (which back then consisted solely of getting enough to eat without getting yourself killed in the process) then people started hanging around the tools, then hanging with the people with tools.  And so whence came the Porche.

My two favorites:

The iconic Moai (photo: EW)

and the rarely seen backside

Attention to detail (photo: EW)

The figures, the caption says, may have some reflection of this culture's views on authority and leadership.  You don't say.  After standing in the shadow of this fellow for just a few minutes,  I had a tiny flash of insight into the toppling.

 I like primitive art.

Cattle: Egyptian clay model, found in grave; 5000 years old.

Walking back to the hotel through Soho and Leicester Square

Letters in grass.

EW in the street looking right.

Looking across the pond in St James's Park towards 10 Downing Street.

The small tasting menu at Amaya for dinner.   Outstanding.

Tomorrow, the Royal Day Out!

Onwards.