London August 8th and 9th

August 8^th

After a spot of coffee, Ana, Charles and I walked to the museum of National History where we saw skeletons (or replicas) of many species of dinosaurs. Many bones and teeth can be touched by the public. Then we saw mammals including cats, elephants, deer, dolphins, whales and even the skin and/or bones of a couple of extinct species. The mammoth bones and the skeleton of a giant sloth found in Brazil were the most interesting to me.

We had lunch at Carlucho’s, a Mediterranean restaurant walking distance from the National History Museum. Then, we took the tube to Russell Square Station to the British Museum where we saw ancient ruins from Egypt, Greece, Syria and Iran. The museum was founded in 1753 and contains “collections that span over two millions years of human history, enabling visitors to enjoy a unique comparison of world cultures under one roof”. In addition to a piece of the Parthenon and a series of wall plaques that decorated the inside of this building, the museum features the Rosetta Stone and an ancient mummy with skin preserved by the dessert sand.

In the evening we had a pint at Scarsdale, two bottles of wine with John and sake at the Lotus Garden, owned by Tian (aka Hubert). John ordered a combination of Chinese starters and entries which Charles accompanied with two Chinese liquors, in addition to the beer, wine, and sake.

August 9th

Ana, Charles and I walked around South Kensington. We had lunch at a private part with two of Ana's friends (Carmen and Ana) and their kids. Then Charles and I went to the Victoria and Albert Museum which contains cast-copies of architectural and artistic works from all over the world.

Then we went to the Museum of Science where we saw three floors of exhibitions on planes, ships, the beginning of medicine, the development of plastic, etc. Our last activity was an IMAX movie based on Sharks, which I highly recommend to anyone interested in wildlife.

In the evening, Charles and I packed our suitcases, as we were leaving for Paris at 7:30am. We had a quiet diner which consisted of a roast with vegetables, salad, potatoes and vegetables and a bottle of wine with John and Ana.