May 26, 2003

May 26, 2003

In the morning we drive into Heathrow Airport, turn in our rental car, and head to the terminal. I wait in line with Aimee and see her off. I have to stay for business. She is not happy that I ask her to carry my flyrod back with her.

Tomorrow, Memorial Day, is also a bank holiday for Britain, so I have another day of playing tourist. I take the tube to Victoria station and stash my luggage at a bag check. I have several hours before I have to catch a train to Southampton. I spend most of the time at the British Museum. I have been here several times already but it is always a fascinating place for me. I describe it to Aimee as the place where the Brits stashed all the historic artifacts they plundered during their empire days; like the Rosetta Stone from Egypt, and the Elgin Marbles (Sculptures off the Acropolis pediment).

I have some time left and the British Library is not far away so that is my next stop. It has a Treasures gallery that like the Museum has more icons of history albeit mostly the paper versions. The artifacts include two Magna Carta copies, Gutenberg first bibles, Captain Cook’s Journal, Shakespeare plays, maps, and numerous famous early manuscripts. For the “younger” and hipper, there is also lots of Beatles memorabilia.