Time Running Out...

We were reaching the final days of our trip and so it was time to think...was there anything we both wanted to do. A good start had been made on the 'pack it all up' part, so we had mostly a day free. I had seen a nice little 'French' cafe while we were walking back from Kensington Palace the day before. Petit Delice.

He had a quiche and I had a sandwich. Both of us had tea after our early morning coffees and pot of tea in the room. Having an electric kettle AND a coffee maker was just perfect.)

Believe it or not after some walking and a bus ride, we actually were ready for a stop for lunch at The Three Tuns just off Oxford Street. Best to have a full stomach when museum hopping, I say!

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Bangers and mash for the gentleman and pea soup for the lady with dry gingerale for both of us.

We had decided to try the Wallace Collection which neither of us had ever seen. So much of my time in my earlier years in England involved travel with short children, so a few of the more adult museums never got onto the lists. I had just read a few books about WWII and Polish Jews so this exhibit Treasures of the Black Death had caught my eye. I have no photographs of that exhibit but it was exquisite and moving. We did wander into some of the other rooms, including a hands on amour room. So back to the 16th century and the big kids played too!

After a tea break in the gorgeous cafe at the Wallace, we decided to part company for the rest of the day. I seriously wanted to get back to the British Museum and dh seriously wanted to Just Rest. We each got our wish. Much of the British Museum has been discussed over at Cooking My Life, but before I got there, I hustled with a bus ride and some suddenly lost and trying to relocate via the map time. I had also nearly exhauste my oyster card and needed to top it up to get back to the hotel. Fortunately, a pharmacy was able to add my money to it. Amazing! Lots of fun stuff to see along the way tho.. a soccer shop for my dear grandson

a rubber stamp shop (pricier than the US I think)

a book store of course

a fossil shop for dear son

and a Scottish shop that I browsed but didn't buy, this time. I thought that this would be a shop dh would like to see and pick out what helikes himself. Then, there was a sign telling me there was some reason I was getting lost and not just because I was getting tired. Bloomsbury was being improved!

But finally I saw the familiar building and in some way it jogged that memory from the mid 1960s.

So many things to see in this Museum and I had less than an hour, and it was also getting dark, and rush hour was coming. However, I mushed on. It nearly broke my heart to pass on this exhibit. But at least I saw the items in the gift shop. :(

My real goal was the Elgin Marbles as they were called in 1965 on my first visit. The Parthenon Marbles in all their glory 44years later.

Well, there they were, no longer proudly displayed as loot, but still just amazing. I then dashed to the Rosetta stone, the mummies, the gift shop to see what I had missed from the exhibits I couldn't see. The minutes ticked off, and the Museum was closing and I was beat. All I wanted was a cuppa tea, and the little cafe was already closed. London was staring to look like this. I guess I was really done. ;-)

It was time to get on the bus or tube and get 'home' to my dear husband, make a pot of tea and realize it was a damn good trip. Full of so much and yet home was really beckoning.