London (nothing about Olympics)

ByThe Skeptical Traveler

I like the museums in London, mostly because they are free.

English archer at the National Army Museum, he is bare-legged, because of … dysentery. When they saw the French cavalry attacking they must have been sh…ing themselves literally and figuratively. This gave a new meaning to no retreat, no step back, as no-one wanted to step on s..t. Usually on the battlefield no-one wants to be in the first line but in this case this was the best choice, at least it wasn’t so smelly. The English won the Battle of Agincourt mainly because of the use of the longbow, the 6,000 strong English army defeated a French army almost five times as big.Alt text: A mannequin dressed as a medieval archer is displayed in a museum exhibit. The archer is wearing a brown hooded cloak, a tunic, and boots, and is holding a longbow. The background features a mural depicting a battle scene. A sign in the exhibit reads "English Archer."

The image is a photograph of a text panel. The text reads: "25 October 1415 This archer stands as part of King Henry V's army at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. He wears a helmet of reinforced leather and an over-jacket or houppeland bearing the cross of St. George. At Agincourt the English were exhausted and wracked with disease, especially dysentery, which is why this soldier goes bare-legged. Even so the longbow more than evened the odds - the 6,000 strong English army defeated a French army almost five times as big."

British Museum

Rosetta StoneThe image shows the Rosetta Stone, an ancient Egyptian artifact made of granodiorite. It is inscribed with a decree issued in Memphis, Egypt in 196 BC, written in three scripts: Greek, Demotic, and Hieroglyphic. The stone is displayed in a museum setting, encased in glass.

‘Fist of Fury’The image shows a large, ancient stone artifact displayed in a museum. The artifact appears to be a broken or eroded statue, possibly of a human or animal figure, made from a speckled, reddish-brown stone. It is mounted on a pedestal with informational plaques attached to it. The background includes other museum displays and a column.

The image shows a large, ancient stone artifact that appears to be a broken statue or sculpture, displayed in a museum setting. The artifact is mounted on a pedestal with an informational plaque. The background includes informational displays and a wall-mounted exhibit. The stone has a rough, weathered texture and is partially broken off at one end.

The image shows a large stone bust of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, displayed in a museum setting. The pharaoh is wearing a traditional headdress with a cobra emblem on the front. The background includes tall columns and other museum exhibits.

The image shows a museum exhibit featuring a large stone bust of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, prominently displayed on a pedestal. In the foreground, there is a large stone arm, likely part of a statue, also on display. The background includes other artifacts and sculptures, with a window providing natural light to the room.

Tate GalleryThe image shows a reflection in a circular mirror mounted on a wall in an art gallery. The gallery has a high ceiling with skylights and wooden flooring. Several framed artworks are displayed on the walls. There are a few people visible in the reflection, including the person taking the photo.

Churchill War Rooms

Churchill’s bedThe image shows a dimly lit room with a single bed covered with a quilted blanket. There is a small nightstand next to the bed with a lamp emitting a greenish light. A chair is visible in the background, and a white bucket is placed on the floor near the foot of the bed. The walls appear to be old and worn.

The Map Room (the same image is used by Wikipedia, but this photo was taken by me) The image shows a room with a vintage or historical setting, likely a wartime operations room or command center. There are several old-fashioned telephones of various colors on a long desk, along with papers and other office supplies. Two people are present: one person is seated at the desk, appearing to be using a telephone, while the other person is standing in the background, looking at a wall with maps or documents pinned to it. The room has a cluttered and busy atmosphere, with dim lighting and a utilitarian design.

A white ceramic mug with a black-and-white image of a man's face on it. Below the image, there is text that reads, "LET US GO FORWARD TOGETHER." The mug is placed on a white surface, and there are bookshelves with books in the background.

Secret Intelligence Service headquarters and an apartment building (I call it ‘Godzilla’). The image shows a waterfront cityscape under a cloudy sky. On the left side, there is a large, distinctive building with a unique architectural design, featuring multiple levels and a blocky structure. To the right, there are several modern high-rise buildings with a uniform appearance, characterized by their tall, narrow shapes and flat roofs. The water in the foreground reflects the overcast sky and the buildings.

I was in London while MI6’s (other name of SIS) headquarters were being built and one Sunday afternoon I was walking on Vauxhall Bridge (the bridge in front of the building). I still remember a car stopped, a woman got out and started to take lots of pictures of the site with a sophisticated camera. I started to stare at her, very surprised someone would find so interesting a site, it wasn’t a touristic attraction after all. She got back in the car and they drove off. Later did I find out what the building was for.

Trafalgar SquareThe image shows a tall column with a statue on top, located in a public square. There are fountains and people gathered around the base of the column. Surrounding the square are several historic buildings with classic architecture. The sky is clear with a few clouds.

A group of people is sitting on a large lion statue in an urban area. The sky is cloudy, and there are buildings in the background. The statue appears to be part of a larger monument or public square.

The image shows a large sculpture of a ship inside a glass bottle. The bottle is mounted on a stone pedestal against a backdrop of a clear blue sky with a few clouds. The ship inside the bottle appears to be detailed with sails and masts.

London EyeThe image shows a large Ferris wheel, known as the London Eye, situated on the bank of the River Thames in London. In the foreground, there is a riverboat named "City Cruises" docked at the riverbank. The sky is overcast with dark clouds, and several buildings are visible in the background.

Piccadilly CircusThe image shows a large building with multiple electronic billboards displaying various advertisements. The prominent ads include a Sanyo sign, a Samsung ad, and a McDonald's ad featuring a dog and a hand reaching for food. The sky is partly cloudy, and there is a street lamp visible on the right side of the image. The building has an arched architectural design on the lower level.

Marble ArchThe image shows the Marble Arch, a white marble monument with three arches, located in London. The structure features intricate carvings and is set against a backdrop of trees and a partly cloudy sky. There are people visible near the arch, and a road with white lane markings runs in front of it.

Fish Channel, yes there is such a TV channel that shows … an aquarium round the clock.  I think it is a simple and brilliant idea. They say watching fish in aquarium can be a way of reducing stress, perhaps watching an aquarium on TV does not have the same effect but still.The image shows a television screen displaying a menu for selecting TV channels. The menu includes options such as "BBC ONE," "BBC TWO," "ITV," "Channel 4," "five," "INFO CHANNEL," "Visit London TV," and "Fish Channel." The "Fish Channel" option is highlighted. There is a small preview image on the right side of the screen showing a scene from a movie or TV show with two characters. The bottom right corner of the screen has the logo for "Radisson Edwardian Hotels."

The image shows a television screen displaying a vibrant underwater scene featuring a variety of colorful corals and marine life. The corals are in different shapes and colors, including red, orange, green, and purple. The scene appears to be from a nature documentary or an aquarium display.

One Comment

  1. Some of my best memories of London are some of the things in the very pictures you posted above. Great city/country.

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