Reading this week:

• How Did the Great Bear Originate?, Translated by Damdinsurengyn Altangerel, andedited by Professor Choi. Luvsanjav and Dr. Robert Travers

Our first full day in London dawned bright and early and to start it off right we got a full English, almost. For breakfast we had landed at the very cute Caffè Tropea, which has a trademarked (so they claim) breakfast called “The Anglo-Italian Job” which was really good, and just a full English breakfast but with Italian-sounding meats. Fortified, we got the next full English experience: The British Museum.

Because of other bits of our schedule this was a flying visit to the museum so we were really only there for the highlights. They keep the highlights conveniently close to the door though which is thoughtful. A quick left brought us to the Rosetta Stone where we oohed and aahed. The crowds weren’t quite what I hear they are for the Mona Lisa but I felt like the vibe was similar. The Rosetta Stone is larger than the Mona Lisa though and you can also see the back. Passing around the crown brings you almost directly to the Parthenon Marbles, where I showed off some podcast-acquired knowledge to my super amazing wife.

The main advantage of seeing the Parthenon Marbles though is that in the short corridor between the Rosetta Stone and the Marbles is the entrance to the Assyrian section which neither of us expected. I was at least passingly familiar with Assyrian works from reading Gods, Graves and Scholars, but the real treat was introducing it all to my super amazing wife who wasn’t familiar at all with what these cool cats did. And by cool cats I mean the various lions depicted in all the carvings of lion hunts with details so intricate and lively that we were both extremely taken with them. Much like the British, who took them. This is a zing that will serve to cover everything about the British Museum, but man it is such a privilege to be able to see this stuff, a privilege that the whole world should have without having to suffer through Heathrow losing your luggage.

The major major major highlight for me was of course the Africa section, which I was somewhat distressed to learn was in the basement. On the way we passed Hoa Hakananai’a. I had thought the museum would have their samples of Rongorongo on display, but I was disappointed. I had to console myself with the phenomenal (and morally acquired) artwork they had on display. My super amazing wife was impressed by Tree of Life, a sculpture made out of pieces of rifles from Mozambique. Meanwhile I spent a large chunk of time admiring two Moko Jumbie figures commissioned by the museum from Zak Ové. I was really drawn in by the otherworldliness created by their wings before noticing how the use of new materials (like sneakers) manages to create an old-world object. And then finally in the commissioned artwork genre is “Knowledge is Sweeter than Honey” by Susan Hefuna, a really beautiful way to inscribe additional meaning onto the gorgeous carved screens the likes of which we saw in Andalusia and Morocco.

Of the non-commissioned art, there was so much packed into a relatively small gallery. Their textiles display was thorough, with all sorts of different types on display. Of interest were also carved wooden printing blocks, used for printing on fabrics. My super amazing wife, in addition to the textiles, was drawn to the towering display of pots, while I was checking out all the different products of blacksmithing. This included a set of traditional bellows and about as many different ceremonial knives as I could possibly imagine being all in one place. And a hand plow, which I hadn’t seen before.

They really pack it in there man. Sadly though like I said this was a flying visit so soon after this we were off, only taking time to marvel at possibly the world’s greatest kava bowl (from Hawaii).

Although the rest of our day would largely bore you we did at one point drop on into The National Gallery (I was going to make a joke about the real National Gallery but I don’t appear to have ever written about visiting, maybe I am just not checking thoroughly enough, I’ve definitely been) where I was wowed by how impressively restored some of the artworks were, with color and vitality despite being 600 years old, but I didn’t take any pictures or write down what those works were so you’ll just have to take my word for it. But the best part of that whole experience was of course seeing Trafalgar Square, because who doesn’t love Nelson (I mean maybe the French and Spanish?) but here is me trying to be him, though with more arms: