Something Old, Something New

Good news, followers! Pictures should be returning to TBP soon. I'm now blogging from a shop down the street that allows me use of a flash drive.

Today I walked up through Kensington to visit the Royal Albert Music Hall. Proms is underway (the 75-night string of concerts BBC and the RAMH put on during the summer--read about it here), and I paid the £8.50 to take the tour. I had no idea it was Britain's #1 concert locale, sort of like the Madison Square Garden of London. Everything from Cirque du Soleil to any Philharmonic worth its salt to Eric Clapton. During Proms, concert goers willing to camp out can basically be groundlings to the ongoing concerts at £5 a head. Also, I got to see the Queen's concert box...not too shabby.

The Hall was Prince Albert, the Queen's Consort's idea. He died at 42, and it took a while to be completed, because Queen Victoria was so devastated by his death that she took all the money and built a memorial across the street from the Hall. The Memorial is pretty amazing, too, by the way.

I also hit the British Museum of Natural history today. Highlights? I got to see a coelecanth (read Ghosty I), see a full-sized, naked Neanderthal lady statue, and by far the most awkward exhibit of the summer--how sexual intercourse works.

There was a display where it had a slice view of a man on top of a woman, and how their parts interact during...interaction. I took a picture, because it's my duty as I see it, but there were a few people looking at me like I was a creeper. But to them I say, look, if people are going to put on a show, then they shouldn't be surprised when people stand around and watch. Just like that couple at Hampton Court Palace.

Lastly, I went into Harvey Nichols department store. (Fans of the show Absolutely Fabulous know to call it Harvey Nicks.) I viewed this as a fact-finding tour of commercial excess. Where else am I going to have the chance to try on a Mark Jacobs Italian leather jacket priced at £1,465 (about $2,400US)?

Thinking about where to use up my last 4 BritRail pass destinations. So far I have Winchester Castle and Canterbury Cathedral. I ruled out Bath because it was too far away to get there and back in one day and do anything while there. I'm on the fence about Windsor Castle because I saw Hampton Court Palace, and they might be too similar. Ditto with Dover because of Beachy Head.

Any ideas?