Getting the Lay of the Land

Yesterday we were given instructions to visit the British Museum and National Gallery as an assignment with multiple purposes in my mind: get out explore London, get acquainted with the free museums, and begin thinking of art academically. Anyway we set off and as we got off Tottenham Court tube stop I turned around to look at something and whoosh my group was gone faster than you could apparate.

All Harry Potter jokes aside there I was mapless, friendless, and slightly clueless where the British Museum was. Puffing up my chest and assuming that I, a Bostonian, could figure out the BIG city of London (there lay my problem - thinking like an American and not appreciating the complexity of the city's layout because it is OLD) I picked a direction and began to wander. Well once I realized that it was the wrong direction I began wandering in the other direction for about 2 miles -- later I traced my route on the map on London and I had walked off the map.

While I was wandering I discovered how modern London was. I did not really have an appreciation for the thriving businesses that are centered here. Also I came to realize that out of the five people I polled only one knew where the British Museum was and gave shoty directions at that. Also I would see large amounts of trees and some large pieces of modern art in the distances so mistakingly like a camel searching for water would go towards them. No luck. Surprisingly there are some beautiful neighborhoods with small parks in front complete with modern art.

I hope I am not rambling like your Aunt Sally. I eventually made it to the National Gallery (not at all where I intended to be) and was able to witness some pretty interesting street performers: a man dressed in all green dancing on a pillar, boys going au naturel but for their signs favoring censorship, et cetera. Luckily I found my group among the rooms and later we wandered London together. We explored the government areas and then today we explored "The City" the financial areas. All in all I think I am getting to know the lay of the land, now all I have to do is tackle the customs.