Culture with the masses

But first, a picture of Finchley in the cold, winter sun:


Last weekend we decided that there would be no, to quote my Dad, 'dilly dallying.' We made a plan and we stuck to it. And that plan was to go to the Natural History Museum via Green Park and back home via Hyde Park. In anticipation of large crowds due to half term week, we headed out early...but our efforts were thwarted by our need to eat breakfast and we stopped off at a cafe in Belsize Park for some yummy food. Evie and I did some cooking while we waited for our food.


I don't know what country all the fruit and flower stands are importing daffodils from, but it's not England. Although they are trying to poke their heads up, the cold weather is beating them back down on an almost daily basis.


Miraculously, despite predictions of sleet and rain, the sun was out for most of our day! Evie took advantage of the weather, gallivanting through Green Park, with only one face plant.



When we finally made it to the Natural History Museum, there was a line of epic proportions and we almost gave up before we even tried. Fortunately, it was moving pretty fast. Still, Evie was pretty much about to fall asleep, so we had to take action quickly. As soon as she was out of her stroller, she was re-energized and she and Jim headed up the escalator and into the Earth.

Strollers were not allowed, so I took the 'lift,' went to the wrong floor, worked my way against the crowds to the wrong side, worked my way back to the lift and figured out where I was supposed to go in the first place. Thirty minutes later, I was reunited with Jim and Evie, who were experiencing the various textures that lava rocks can be.


Evie was fascinated by all of the screens..

And longed to be old enough to help spin the exhibit that showed how lava came to the surface.



She pushed buttons and got her hands onto everything that she could reach.


She learned about Carbon:


And icehouse vs. greenhouse:


She observed a bunch of hummingbirds (and many other stuffed birds, which thrilled her).

She wasn't very interested at all in fossilized bones, which is a good thing for us because the dinosaur line was ridiculous.

Then she had a snack--blueberries, her current favorite-- and we headed out of the crowds and through Hyde Park. It was cold.


This sign was very interesting:

As was the postbox:


We are so lucky to live in a place like London, where there are so many museums and most of them are free. It was a fun day for all of us and we plan to have more like it! And as soon as it warms up a little, we're also going to start taking Evie on some country walks. It's time!