Visit the British Museum

If I could see only one thing while I was in London, I wanted to see the British Museum. So around 9AM Saturday, I set off on foot, without a map in hand - but one in my head.

London is an ancient city which means roads are not laid out in a grid. Rather they are as obtuse as one can possibly imagine. Ancient paths made by animal drawn carts as well as foot paths are now streets and alleys paved with given names which are not always marked on signs, but known to the locals. I didn't know that when I began my journey this morning.

I noticed that Londoners, like New Yorkers and other inhabitants of large cities tend to not give eye contact and often times seem to look down. I now understand why. When I came to an intersection, I didn't need to look up to see which way the traffic was coming. Rather I needed to look down at the pavement. There I would find a reminder, telling me which way the traffic was coming.









On the way to the Museum I saw a number of establishments, restaurants and pubs that were decorated quite nicely with summer flowers. The weather in London allows these flowers to remain without much attention and no fear of burning in the afternoon sun.

London is a cosmopolitan city with many tourists. In fact, I find it difficult to hear English being spoken. I look forward to my trip to Bristol. It is away from the city. I trust most there will speak English.

The entrance to the British Museum was crowded with tourists.

I picked up a breakfast snack from a street vendor. He was speaking Italian to the customers ahead of me in line. Then he was speaking French to those directly in front of me. When it was my turn I asked "do you speak English?" to which he replied "That is my best language". He spoke English but with a different accent, so I asked "Where are you from?", "Bulgaria" was his reply.

I made it past a huge group of Japanese tourist all with earphones, following their leader who was speaking into a microphone. I assumed that their headphones were wireless devices that allowed them to hear their guide.

Finally, I was inside the British Museum and there it was - the first item that one sees after passing through the entrance (shops, food vendors etc.)

The Rosetta Stone. This is what I came to see.

Then there was the exhibit of Easter Island

Then to the Assyrian exhibit. saw first hand the very items that filled my history books back when I was a child.

Finally to Egypt.

I'm not sure if most people know this fact: The Egyptians considered Sheep and Goats symbols of deity. In Exodus Chapter 8 we read Moses asking Pharaoh if the Hebrews could make a 3 day journey away from Egypt to worship God. Moses reminds Pharaoh that if the Egyptians witnessed the Hebrews making sacrifice, the Egyptians would stone the Hebrews, because the Hebrews would be killing the symbol of the Egyptian deity.

This is the key message of Passover. The killing of lambs and goats by the Hebrews on that night was an act of defiance against the Egyptian deity. What the Hebrews did that night while in Egypt could have cost them their lives. The Hebrews risked everything to show their allegiance to the G-d of Israel.

More from the Egyptian exhibit

The Greek and Roman exhibit was very impressive. The releif that adorned the Greek Parthenon is here at the British Museum. I believe there is on-going discussions between the Country of Greece and England to return these items. But for now, the are here.

Coming out of the British Museum one sees this building that for me is a reminder of what one sees in Amsterdam.

I made my way on foot back to Trafalgar Square, with a stop past Piccadilly Circus.