We intended to be out of the flat early this morning, and we were hurried along by a fire alarm at 7:30am. We grabbed our gear for the day and left. I noticed that only two other people actually left the building!
We popped down to the local Starbucks for coffee, and concocted a plan to entertain ourselves for the morning on the trains. We’ve decided to visit as many of the 26 place cards on the Monopoly board as we can – 22 streets and 4 stations. I’ll take a picture of each one and post them up on a separate page. It’s a great way to see all different parts and it keeps us occupied when we are waiting for attractions to open in the morning, and after they close in the afternoon.
So we went Monopoly hunting for a couple of hours this morning, and then landed at the Tower of London. We did a power-visit of the castle complex. It’s very much like the other castles we’ve visited – so good to complete the story by seeing the place in which so much history has taken place.
Next stop was the British Museum. It bemused Stephen to note that, 30 minutes into our visit to the Museum, all we’d managed to find was the coat check, two cafes, the New Zealand collection, and a toilet. That’s what happens when Bebe is in charge of the map.
The British Museum building is magnificent, and the collection is staggering. There are treasures from every corner of the world. every time I visit, I can’t help but be reminded of Britain’s colonial past – the museum is a collection of everything they have taken from others as they pillaged their way around the world in the past. On the other hand, it has collected in one place and preserved thousands of years of human history. It’s overwhelming to see it all together like that, but also very enlightening.
We went back to our room for a sit down and did some laundry, and then went back out again, for coffee and dinner with Stephen’s friend Maggie. It was nice to hang out with someone other than each other, and Maggie was great company.
The White Tower, at the Tower of London. Built by William the Conquerer in 1078, and a prison for Richard II and Edward V amongst others.
View of the Reading Room, British Museum
The Secret Life of Bebe 