Europe Day Fifteen

Europe Day 15
London

Another very full day in London.

We had heard that there was a Monet exhibit at the British Arts Museum, so we boarded “the tube” as they call it in London, and headed there. There wasn’t a Monet exhibit after all, but there was a Byzantium exhibit, so we decided that Dale would go see it – since he loves it and had studied it forever and I’m ambivalent – and I would go shop.

A cute little shopping "mall."

Boarded “The Tube” again and went to the British War Museum. By the way, during the war, people would come down to these tunnels during the air raids. At the war museum, we saw a picture of people sleeping along these walkways and the picture looked exactly the same as this except without the people sleeping.



The British war museum is kind of located outside center of downtown London, so we got more of a feel for being amongst the "commoners." London is filled with the most beautiful parks and of course since this is the fall season -- beautiful colors.

Along the walk there, we just happened to come across Captain Bligh's house. They have so much history here, that things like this are just common. Right down the street from this house is an English Pub. We stopped here for a Coke. They were very surprised when we asked for a coke. We got it -- with no ice, of course. We asked the people how old this building was and no one seemed to know. Then we went outside and it's written right on the building. Apparently Charlie Chaplin grew up in this neighborhood and his dad was a frequent visitor to this pub, so he has his own little corner -- Chaplin's corner.

British War Museum
Dale could have spent two weeks here. It was filled with planes and tanks and guns and ammo and on and on. My eyes begin to glaze over. They did have a recreation of the tunnels that these soldiers lived in during World War I that I thought was interesting. How these soldiers suffered to protect our freedom. We will never know the half of it. The tunnels were cold and wet and smelly. Lord, help us never to forget what so many have given.

Next we visited Buckingham Palace and the Queen's Gallery. So many beautiful paintings and some of the sparkling gem-encrusted jewelry of the queen. Amazing.