Birdsong's Trip to the UK

Thursday, Oct. 27 - York to London

Farewell, dear Jorvik! We loved you the best of all towns in England. Took the 8:49 train to London. It was a cloudless warm day.

British Museum, London

Back at the London Elizabeth, we really missed Peg and George! I kept feeling they would join us in the lobby and dining room!

We were assigned "The Best Room," on the top floor: the Elizabeth Room, number 443. The gal at the front desk accompanied us to the room, and opened the door with a flourish.

It had a floral patterned, canopied four-poster bed with matching drapes, and a fireplace. It also was dingy and musty, with water stained ceiling, a floor that sloped noticeably from the far corner to the door, and mildewy bathroom.

Like so many UK hotel rooms, it was far too hot, and we had to open the window to sleep. The sign on the door to the Elizabeth Room Number 443 said: " zabet Ro 43."

There was a visitor's book that had various residents' assessments of the room varying from "romantic" to "seedy" and "musty."

One entry dated 29/8/05 from "Him and Her" said, "Having a fantastic affair! The four poster works really well! Hope to "come again soon!"

Took a taxi to the Science Museum to see the Wellcome exhibit, to find it overrun with kids due to their being on "midterm" break.

This museum has many kid-friendly displays. We went to the Wellcome wing's upper two floors which house Uncle Henry's History of Medicine collection. We hustled through - too much to see! We spoke briefly with a curator about the collection.

She said at Uncle Henry's death in 1936, he had over one million artifacts in his collection. Some he purchased himself at locations all over the world, but many others were purchased by other people under his direction.

His collection was far larger than that of The Louvre or any other single museum in Europe.

It was a beautiful warm day, 70°F, and we walked back to the Elizabeth through Hyde Park. We were coatless, and Brits were in shorts. It was the hottest Oct. 27^th on record.

Walked to Paddington intending to go to the great Indian restaurant again where we ate with Peg and George. When I pushed the door open, the same rude waiter said, "Can't you see we are CLOSED?" - just minutes before the time on the door. No problem, jerk.

We went to another great Indian place just down the road. Bought wine for the room and had a quiet last evening of the trip in our "zabet ro."