Victoria and Albert Museum and Buckingham Palace

One of the many marvelous things about the museums in London is the entrance to the main exhibits are free!  Sometimes the temporary exhibits have a small entrance fee, but there is usually a student discount.  Yesterday, I went to the Victoria and Albert Museum.  The museum has a massive collection and I spent hours in really only three exhibits.  The free cost allowed me to take my time without worrying about having to see everything in one day.  It's only a short tube ride away, so I can pop back in to see more some other time!  I saw the Disobedient Objects exhibit, which featured protest objects from numerous countries in a variety of time periods and then a fashion exhibit, followed by the temporary Wedding Dresses exhibit, which featured dresses from the late 1700s to present day.  It was really interesting to see how fashions change and evolve.  There were some absolutely stunning gowns!  We weren't allowed to take photos in that part of the museum, but I took few photos of the exterior and interior in other parts.

I've met a few British students so far and, at the risk of making a sweeping generalization, it seems that everyone participates in the cultural activities: going to the museum to see temporary exhibits, going to all of the musicals, and even attending opera performances.  I've noticed that in the US, most people don't fully utilize the cultural opportunities their cities offer.  I think this is something we should strive toward in the US!

Afterward, we enjoyed people and pigeon watching over some delicious crepes.  I liked the Kensington area of London, as it seemed a bit less hectic than other parts.  I'd like to go back to see more the Victoria and Albert Museum, as well as the Natural History Museum!

Today was the Buckingham Palace tour!  This was probably my favorite tourist-y activity in London so far!  We weren't allowed to take photos inside, which was probably a good thing because I would have stopped every few seconds to take a photo!  The throne room and state rooms were absolutely gorgeous and so detailed!  They had a special exhibit called "Royal Childhood" which featured items from royals childhoods throughout the years from a doll house decorated by the daughters of King George III back in the eighteenth century to the current Queen's large play house to the blanket President and Mrs. Obama gave to Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as a gift for Prince George.  The tour was a self-guided audio tour and gave lots of interesting facts, like how when the Queen hosts a dinner, the menu is in French and she proof-reads the French herself and pointing out a table that was specially designed for Napoleon.  I loved the tour! 

Classes start tomorrow! I have an exciting week planned: stay tuned!

Have you ever visited a palace or castle?