After getting up at around 7:30 a.m., I showered and dressed while Alex and Inna rested. They were exhausted from the month-long vacation in Austria and Germany.
We decided to have breakfast at the Premier Inn to save money and time. I selected a "Continental Breakfast," while Inna and Alex chose the full hot breakfast. Since Alex was still a teenager, his breakfast was complimentary.
I mainly ate cold cereal and a few pastries with coffee, while Alex and Inna ate some scrambled eggs. After breakfast, we wanted to visit Westminster Abbey first, but it was closed, so we decided to go directly to the British Museum, which opened at 10:00 a.m.
Upon arriving at the British Museum, I was surprised to find it mobbed by many tour groups. Even in the early opening, it was jam-packed with young students and teachers.
Initially, we wanted to take the highlights tours to become more familiar with the museum's most famous artifacts. However, these tours proved very popular and sold out. Instead, we chose among the many free audio tours/talks in the museum.
Upon arriving at the British Museum, I was surprised to find it mobbed by many tour groups. Even in the early opening, it was jam-packed with young students and teachers.
Initially, we wanted to take the highlights tours to become more familiar with the museum's most famous artifacts. However, these tours proved very popular and sold out. Instead, we chose among the many free audio tours/talks in the museum.
The first tour we listened to focused on Japan. The British Museum has a relatively small collection of ancient Japanese artifacts, and the talk explained some of the more famous ones.
I liked the small elephant artifact created solely through verbal description. Obviously, the artist had never seen a real elephant and had to make a version based on oral or written descriptions.
After the talk, we decided to try to listen to the talk on Iraq, but the guide whispered that we could not hear anything. We abandoned the talk and returned to the cafeteria for an early lunch.
I selected a sandwich and a scone with cream and jam, and we enjoyed our quick lunch.
At 12:30, there was a talk on the Renaissance/Revival, and we could join it just in time (after finishing lunch in about 30 minutes).
The British Museum used to have a library and a collection of specimens gathered from all over the world, and our guide showed some of the many voyages by Cook and other explorers, with samples brought back.
We enjoyed this tour but were quite tired from all the walking. After finishing the tour, I decided to explore some of the other highlights on my own, and we walked around the museum, looking for the famous pieces (other than the famed Rosetta Stone).
After finishing at the museum, we stopped by for a quick bite for Alex (as he was not going to see the next play), then returned to our Premier Inn hotel room for a short rest.
At 6:00 p.m., we returned to West End to see "The Play That Goes Wrong," which I reviewed in a separate blog entry.
After the play, we were tired, so we took a London bus back to our Premier Inn room.
I liked the small elephant artifact created solely through verbal description. Obviously, the artist had never seen a real elephant and had to make a version based on oral or written descriptions.
After the talk, we decided to try to listen to the talk on Iraq, but the guide whispered that we could not hear anything. We abandoned the talk and returned to the cafeteria for an early lunch.
I selected a sandwich and a scone with cream and jam, and we enjoyed our quick lunch.
At 12:30, there was a talk on the Renaissance/Revival, and we could join it just in time (after finishing lunch in about 30 minutes).
The British Museum used to have a library and a collection of specimens gathered from all over the world, and our guide showed some of the many voyages by Cook and other explorers, with samples brought back.
We enjoyed this tour but were quite tired from all the walking. After finishing the tour, I decided to explore some of the other highlights on my own, and we walked around the museum, looking for the famous pieces (other than the famed Rosetta Stone).
After finishing at the museum, we stopped by for a quick bite for Alex (as he was not going to see the next play), then returned to our Premier Inn hotel room for a short rest.
At 6:00 p.m., we returned to West End to see "The Play That Goes Wrong," which I reviewed in a separate blog entry.
After the play, we were tired, so we took a London bus back to our Premier Inn room.
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