New and Old

I got a haircut this week (I know: 'What hair?!?' you're saying. 'She has NO HAIR to cut!') but I don't have any pictures - just trust me when I say it's now more 80's punk than PTA Mom, which is a huge relief. (Also, no matter how much - or little - hair I have, it always amazes me how much is on the floor at the end of the appointment. I think my hair may be coming in thicker now since it was all cut off. No complaints.)

What I do have pictures of is spring in the UK, which in Canterbury and London looks something like this (these are from the London Temple grounds):


You can see even more beds of white and yellow daffodils in the background... 

There are beds of daffodils EVERYWHERE. In parks, along streets, growing right up to Roman walls... it seems like once they've bloomed, the plants are just mowed down and incorporated into the lawns, and the bulbs reproduce or something to create even more flowers next year. It's pretty amazing, actually.



Ev. Ry. Where.


The weather was gorgeous (if a little chilly) for Conference weekend, and since I was staying at the Temple accommodations I was able to go out and walk in the sunshine between sessions. It was the perfect cap to a fantastic Conference! (If you're not sure what I'm talking about - 'LDS General Conference' - or you missed a session or want to find that talk everyone's raving about, check it out here.)

Monday morning I headed in to London to get that haircut (LOVE!); and then to kill time until the show I was seeing that evening headed over to the British Museum. I'll be back. The place was mobbed with both school groups and half-term vacationers - this place is so cool that students come even when it's NOT a field trip.


Imposing. Impressive. The British know how to do 'Epic' correctly.



First stop - the Assyrians. I'm a sucker for winged, human-headed hatted-and-bearded beasties.
(Didn't you know?)

 

I actually took this picture for my neice - she's got a thing for horses and apparently,
so did the ancient Assyrians. The detail is just gorgeous.



Okay, so I sort of did get a picture of my new haircut - but I didn't MEAN for it to look like
I was also wearing a stone turban. That was just lucky.

I really wanted to round up four strangers to see if I could get them to imitate the poses...

Awww... an ancient Egyptian valentine. Sweet.

This is the fake Rosetta Stone, the one you can (as the sign below it encourages) touch. The real one is sealed behind glass and a mob of tourists. I'm actually nerdy enough to be a little star-struck that I was in the same building as the Rosetta Stone. Yep.

Someday this shot will look exactly like a corner of MY library. I FEEL IT.

The inner court is pretty amazing - under the curving glass ceiling near the entrance there's an installation of 49 steel cubes covered with Islamic prayers. 

I hear you, Lord Alfred. Preach.

They've put the Canadian totem poles in one corner near the food court. As you do.

 

Seriously. Just amazing.

 

Also amazing? The banoffee gelato sundae I had at Rendezvous in Leceister Square before heading to the Royal Haymarket Theatre to see 'One Man, Two Guvnors'.
(Notes: 'Banoffee' = bananas and toffee, normally on a cookie-crumb - biscuit -
crust and with a cream filling. Oh, yeah.
Also, how much do you love that there was actually a 'Royal' haymarket?)


I definitely plan to spend more time at the British Museum (and in the British Museum gift shops - I could bring home my own Rosetta Stone!!!). Still so much to see! London, you and I are friends again!


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