It was the best of times; it was the worst of times...

Monday, September 08, 2008

I’m feeling slightly better this morning. We got up early to visit the Hadrian exhibit at the British Museum, the new exhibit on the Roman emperor that the museum is so proud of. Before we were let in to see the exhibit (a ticketed exhibit), the museum provided us with coffee and tea, and we were given a presentation by the exhibit curator, explaining what each piece in the exhibit meant, where it came from, etc. I’m glad that we were able to see the curator’s presentation before we saw the exhibit, otherwise I think I would have been confused as to precisely what everything was and its significance. Basically the intention of the exhibit was to illuminate a bit more the life of Hadrian and his rule. Known mostly for Hadrian’s Wall, which separates England from Scotland, he was generally perceived to be a weak emperor, but recent archeological findings suggest that he wasn’t weak, just strategic. I think the exhibit was laid out well, although sometimes I thought that the mixing of general world history of the time period was mixed up too much with Hadrian’s personal life. There was also a LOT of people there, so I didn’t get to see things as long and as clearly as I would have liked to. I was particularly interested by the scraps of papyrus, the letters and Hadrian’s own autobiography, written in his own hand, which had survived since the second century. They were incredible. I wish I had had more time to look at them and fewer old British women to crowd my way.

After the Hadrian exhibit, I ran down to see the Cabinet War Rooms before our discussion of WWII Britain tomorrow. It’s not really my favorite era in history (I’m constantly stating how I’m not interested in any history past the 1860s), so I can’t say that I spent much time there. Also, I had trouble finding the damn place. The signs, for one, did NOT point in the correct direction. And, since the building was hidden under the Treasury, it was tricky to find the entrance to it. I did not spend much time there, although the simple fact that the most important and influential people were living in that bunker was terribly interesting. The museum was set up well, though, and gave a pretty good sense of what the living situation was in those rooms. What I did feel that it lacked, though, was the sense of urgency and danger that must have been tangible in that WWII atmosphere. I’m not sure if there would have been a good way to replicate that kind of tension. I don’t suppose they could have had flash bombs and an explosion soundtrack, but I think that would have inspired more panic than learning.

I ran to catch a Tube from Westminster to Marble Arch, where I met Leah to go shopping at Primark, which is sort of like an H&M, but a fraction of the price and twice the size. It was a mad house, and I was too overwhelmed to buy anything, even though I need a jacket. Hopefully the Primark in Norwich is not as busy. I have a feeling I’ll be going there a lot.

Leah and I stopped at Sainsbury’s to get some pasta sauce and bread and came home to make the remainder of our pasta.

In the evening, we went to the Charles Dickens Museum, which is in his house on Doughty Street, not too far from our hotel in Bloomsbury. We walked around, saw the museum, had some wine, and saw a performance of The Sparker of Albion, a one-man play about the life of Charles Dickens, including long excerpts from some of his novels. I thought it was interesting and pretty well done, if not a bit too long.

I got back to the Arran House and readied myself for bed, but, upon checking my email, received news that I have been offered a ticket to the Milton Evensong at St. Giles! I’m SO excited, I can’t even express myself. This is a service to celebrate the Quatercentenary of Milton’s birth. The description on the website reads

The Most Rev and Rt Hon Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, will preach the Milton Sermon at Evensong. Son sacred music by Milton's father John Milton (1563 - 1647) will be sung by the choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge. Reception afterwards by the kind invitation of the Worshipful Companies of Barbers' and Salters'.

I really am too excited for words. Leah can attest to that, how I ran out of the room into the kitchen to tell her the good news. Yet no one seems to understand.