Natural History Museum

Today we went to the Natural History Museum, famous for its dinosaur exhibition.  

Natural History Museum Building

Jeremy and the elephants

Jeremy and Triceratops

Katherine & T-rex

After the Museum we tried to go to Harrods.  Problem was that it was Easter Sunday so Harrods was shut.  So we went to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square and saw paintings by Van Gogh, Van Dyk, Monet and others.  

The Boat Race - Oxford vs Cambridge

Saturday morning we journeyed out to Chiswick on the tube for a catch up with Cully and Mel, have a few pints and watch the Oxford vs Cambridge rowing race. After a bit of a tiki tour down around the river we pitched up for a few ales and ciders at the Black Lion which was coincidentally owned and run by a kiwi guy.

At about 2.15pm the rowing teams swept past our vantage point.  With clear flat water ahead of them getting into their work.  Their entourage of motor boats coming along behind churned up the dirty Thames River water.  

Rowing teams coming towards us

After the boats had passed we all gathered back in the pub to watch the race finish, where we found that an Aussie guy protesting about elitism had swum into the course of the boats and caused the race to stop. The race was restarted with the boats clashing oars just off the start line with an Oxford rower snapping an oar.  From here the race was a mere formality with 7 rowers against 8.  Cambridge the eventual winner of the race.

Oxford and Cambridge rowing teams on the Thames

It was a pretty chilly day so we headed for one of Cully's favorite local pubs for their famous Beef pie for two a beer an a chinwag.  The pubs over here are basically an extension of peoples living rooms, with children running around and the occasional dog tied up in the corner.      

London's Parks, Museums and Zach Braff

Headed out on the tube to Regents Park for the morning, the weather was tad chilly. 

Gates to Regents Park.

Merman fountain

Tulips

Flower beds.

The London underground "the tube"

Most of the street names are affixed to buildings.

We visited the National British Museum

Egyptian owl

Egyptian hieroglyphics

Mummy case/mummy pose

Masses of Roman carvings, the detail and number of carvings was incredible

I bet the horseman won eventually, more horsepower...

 Vases, trinkets and statues

Statue bro?

The National British Museum building itself was epic.

Beers, wines and eats at the Brewmaster Pub.

Vino tinto, why not break into song...

Location of the Pub. Spot the Monopoly Street names.. Lisle street also makes an appearance 

Midday winos

Picked up  some tickets at Piccadilly Circus to see the west end stage show "All new people" starring Zach Braff at Duke of York's Theatre.  Stoked to hear that our seats had been upgraded from balcony to stalls 7 rows back from the front! 


Great stage act, the fireman was particularly funny.  Braff was good although it was clear the other actors/actresses where more experienced in stage show performance, being a bit more dramatic... caught the tube back to Chapham, had a yarn with a couple of aussie lads that had also gone to see the stage act.  One of them was trying to compare it to avatar haha, review fail.  I think he was referring to the "hype" around the stage act being similar, but really? why go there.

London town

Flew into London City airport on Friday 30th March with Air France from a 2hr stopover in Amsterdam.  Caught the tube to Liz and Paul's house in Clapham which turned out to be pretty easy, even though we were pretty hagged!!  The next day to kick off our London stay Liz and Paul gave us a whistle stop tour of the main sights of London.  A bit chilly and cloudy which was a nice change from the crazy heat of KL..  Managed to catchup with Mitch and Tom for a few beers at the Clapham Local "Windmill on the Common" for a few Crabbies (Ginger beer/beer) and onion rings in the sun outside and a bit of a chinwag goodtimes - 3 deep.

Red phone booths and red doubledecker buses

Us with Big Ben in the background

Big Ben

 

Squirrel in St James's Park

Buckingham Palace

Kat, Liz and Paul in Green Park

"The Ritz"

Tower bridge

On the Tower bridge

The grass area around the the historic Tower of London where the moat used to be

A Yeoman Beefeater giving us a rundown on the history of the main "white tower".  Random fact of the day: Beefeaters were soldiers who had served many years of service, and drafted into the Kings guard in the Tower of London.  They were fed well to ensure they were strong and healthy to defend the King.  They primarily ate beef unlike commoners who found it expensive and generally not available.  The "Beefeaters" were slandered by commoners in the streets on London giving them the nickname.

Kat outside the building housing the crown jewels

Famous tower of London raven and guard outside the house built for Anne of Boleyn by William VIII.  The house took four years to build, pity Anne didn't live that long.  There are six ravens on the grounds, legend has it that if the ravens leave the tower the tower will crumble and the kingdom will collapse.

Tower Bridge

Innercity London on our way to St Pauls

St Pauls Cathedral

Jeremy outside St Pauls

Crumple map - thanks Lu was very handy today! likewise on the Oyster Kate! ; - )