and today... Bingo!

Ok so before I force myself to retell my two weeks in the North, I'll first address the far eaiser task of retelling the past two days.

I've spent the past few days roaming london on my own. Because I'm by myself at this point I thought I'd do the sorts of things that may annoy other people if they were to come with me- THe British Museum & Tate Modern.

Wednesday was the British Museum. In total, I spent 6 hours exploring the labyrinth of rooms. I paid my 5 pounds for the audiovisual guide. As a pauper, I was a little reluctant at first - but it was SO worth it. The guide gave you all sorts of extra information about the most important items in each room- but you had time to look at everything. I absolutely adored the ancient egyptian rooms - and to see the Rosetta stone? amazing. I spent an hour looking at the marbles from the parthenon. THere are always calls to send them back to greece.. but I think there are more people to apprecieate them here in London - and they were taken because they were in danger of being destroyed. THe skills of the classical sculptors was just.. amazing. you could see the veins bulging in the horses' flanks and every fold of flowing fabric was executed to precision.

I also really enjoyed the medieval Europe exhibition. very cool.

I emerged from the building into the darkness of 5pm London. It feels so unwholesome to emerge into darkness from a museum.

TOday I went to Tate Modern. Before heading in , I decided to wander along the South Bank of the Thames. In theory this was a wonderful idea, with a German style CHristmas market stretching 150m along the water's edge under the London Eye. In practice it was ABSOLUTELY FREEZING. Snow snow everywhere, plus a cruel wind off the river and temperatures that according to google went as low as -7 today! I now understand Londoner's obsessions with the weather - it's an important factors in daily decisions around here. Apart from the cold, it was very beautiful. I bought a lemon and sugar crepe.. which i could not taste through the cold.


Finally, I made it to the Gallery. Again, I spent a few quid on a well-worth-it audio guide. There was a whole section on Surrealism - it was wonderful to see Dali close up. I also enjoyed the section on the Italian "poor art" movement- where traditional artistic materials were rejected in favour of.. coal dust and sticks and other random items. The most exciting thing was seeing the Roy Licthenstien "Whaam". I have ALWAYS LOVED this work - it's my favourite work from the pop-art movement and it sent shivers through my spine to see one of my favourite works in real life.



There was also a large canvas of one of Monet's seemingly endless paintings of the waterlillies in his garden taht was also lovely to see.

I then strolled back over the bridge, amid a group of eastern european school children who insisted on scuffing their feet on the metal of the bridge creating a nightmarish sound to accompany the evil wind off the thames. I then walked along Fleet Street and the Strand before making my way up to Leister Square and down into the comparative warmth of the tube station.

Tonight I am meeting the lovely and gorgeous Hannah Douglas for after work drinks in Clapham south. This means I'm goign to have to brave the winter wonderland outside again - but where we are meeting is only a short walk away from where I'm staying. It will be nice to see her curly hair once more!

coming soon - tales of my travel in the north (procrastinate procrastinate)