Top Days Out in London

London is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, and is replete with wonderful historical sites, monuments, museums, galleries, theatres, parks, restaurants, pubs and so much more. Whether it’s your first time visiting London or your tenth, you’ll find a vast array of new things to experience. So if you’re trying to plan your London trip, then here are a few fun activities and sites that you won’t want to miss-out on.

The London Museums

London is home to a dizzying amount of museums that house collections ranging from Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek ruins, to dinosaur bones and modern technological wonders. Some of the most popular museums include: the British Museum in Bloomsbury, which is dedicated to human history, art, and culture; the Natural History Museum in SouthKensington, which exhibits specimens from across all of natural history; and the Science Museum, also in South Kensington, which features space and technology exhibits. A major plus to the London museum scene, is that there are no entry fees, but donations are recommended.

Walking Tour of London

The best way to tour all the most famous landmarks of London would be by purchasing a ticket for the hop-on-hop-off bus tours that circle the city. However, if you’re looking to get in a little exercise and want to roam the streets like the locals, consider taking a self-guided walking tour along the banks of the Thames. Starting from Parliament and the famed Big Ben clock-tower, you can head east to the London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, the Tate Modern gallery, St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and the Tower of London.

Visit London’s Great Parks
In a metropolis like London, once called The Big Smoke, one would think it would be difficult to discover some greenery, but fortunately there are plenty of parks located throughout the city, each featuring its own unique looks and atmosphere.

 Richmond Park is the largest of the Royal Parks and was created by Charles I in the 17th century as a deer park. Today, you can still observe herds of deer roaming through its open paddocks. Closer to the centre of town you’ll find Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, the former of which is a well manicured mixture of grass and flower beds, and the latter of which is more rugged and open, and home to the Serpentine waterway and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.

For those looking to experience all the great things this city has to offer, and not break the bank, there are lots of discount vouchers available for some of the best things to do in London, so a trip to this fantastic city won't cost you an arm and a leg. 

Museum Visit - British Museum

It's easy to wile away the hours at the British Museum, especially on a wet rainy day.  No matter how many times you return there is always something new to discover.

The bust of the goddess Vesta and the history (or should that be herstory) of the vestal virgins who tended the hearth of the vest temple in the Roman Forum occupied my time the pother day.  They were recognisable by the veils they wore with the six neat folds and the way it tucked behind their ears.

Museum Visits - British Museum

On wet and cold days in the next few weeks we will visit museums and galleries.  Let me know if there is any you would especially like to see.  Today we are at the British Museum visting the most popular section - the mummies.  I like seeing the elaborate outer caskets.

I'm not so keen on seeing the mummified wrapping

and under the wrapping just freaks me out.

Solution to Greek Crisis

One of the Greek statues in the Parthenon collection at the British Museum. The Greek government has long argued that all the statues should be returned to Athens. In light of their current financial woes perhaps they could be adequately financially compensated. Other museums that hold sculptures from Parthenon are:
Musée du Louvre, Paris, Vatican Museums National Museum, Copenhagen Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna University Museum, Würzburg Glyptothek, Munich.

If they all paid allowing for 200 yrs interest that should just about solve the Greek woes.

British Museum

Always something interesting at the British Museum. I am experimenting with photographing light. One of the few places around London you wont be prevented from photographing inside.
They also assist you in making your own film documentary see here.

Robotville

If you want to know where robot technology is at present go to the Science Museum for the Robotville Festival (on until 4 December). Geeks with their robots are there to answer all the questions you can throw at them. Some I found a little scary, one or two had "technical issues" and others just wowed. I decided to show you Kasper. Kasper is a robot who is successfully being used to assist children with autism. The official website for Kasper is down this morning but you should be able to find information from the University of Hertfordshire. Also a youtube here with Kasper at work.

Sign

Must be very frustrating for the staff at the Museum.

Rain

It has been hot and humid with rain expected for a couple of days. Yesterday afternoon the rain came with a few bursts of thunder. Lovely big drops of rain. Relief from the humidity at last.
I do love taking pictures in the rain, I just need to work out a better way to hold the umbrella when my camera is in two hands.

Light and Shadows

This totem pole stands in the entrance of the British Museum. The wonderful shadows cast are courtesy of the sun through the amazing glass ceiling.
This is the perfect place to practice your photography skills with light and colour balance. You have natural light and artificial light, several shades of white. What's more you wont be thrown out or confronted about spending hours taking pictures. That's not always easy to find in London.

An Indian Garden

Kew gardens has built an Indian landscape in front of the British Museum. A perfect place to sit in the sun and catch up on a bit of reading.