Birdsong's Trip to the UK

Friday, Oct. 28 - London, British Museum

As predicted, no more sun and warmth: After the beautifully, warm sunny day yesterday, rain! Went to the British Museum to see their Wellcome Exhibit.

This was amazing exhibit of how people in many different cultures, ancient and modern, deal with life's problems, sickness, living, dying. For example, how people deal with their personal problems, going to a shaman, witch doctor, then a picture of a modern woman at her psychiatrist's!

One exhibit had statements from people about to die - from 750 BC to today. People haven't changed much, dealing with fears, illness, agricultural problems, fertility problems. It was very emotional to me, and I teared up more than once, voice shaking as I read to Larry.

The Fab Four in Oban Pub

Left the British Museum. Walked and walked, and didn't really know where we were. Larry said Soho. We ended up on Charring Cross Road, in the theater district.

Stopped in a pub, Molly Moog's . Had lunch at a Lebanese restaurant. They were out of most of the dishes we wanted, but they did have the wonderful lamb roasted on the turning skewer, shawarma.

The driver of the taxi back to the Elizabeth told us he regularly goes to Las Vegas.

After naps, we walked left at Hyde Park, the opposite way from the way to The Swan, and many blocks down by Marble Arch (far!), left again on Edgeware Street - Arab district!

Signs on stores were in English and Arabic. We stopped for dinner at the very modern, beautiful Maroush Lebanese restaurant. I had lamb shank with stuffed grape leaves, and Larry a kibbe entrée. Dessert was Greek style with little bites of several sweets.

The Lebanese staff was quite reserved when we arrived, and we figured they were nervous because of the subway bombing by Arab terrorists a couple of months earlier.

They were probably getting flak from some Brits. I told them I went to school in Beirut, and they warmed up and brought me a free glass of wine.

Saturday, Oct. 29 - London and Back to San Francisco

We had mixed feelings about the end of the trip. We looked forward to getting home, but have had SUCH a great time from start to finish.

The flight back on Virgin Atlantic was far more comfortable than the one over. We hoped to get the bulkhead seats, but they went to families with kids. We did get the seats just behind, which are a little roomier than all others on the Boeing 747 economy section. Remember that! We feared being bothered by babies the row ahead, but no problem.

Some of the OK wines we bought or were served in the UK:
Beaujolais Billages/Louis Jadot
Tiddy Widdy Well Shiraz/Cab/Merlot
Vignoble du Sud Cab/France Fin de Fontanelles

Scotches sampled at Oban: Oban single malt, Markie Dan's , Tobermory

Glady's favorite scotch recommended at Oban pub: Macallan 10