Day 3 - December 7, 2006: British Museum and Chelsea Football Club

See Ming had another full day of meeting at the Chelsea Football Club, so I went to the British Museum on my own.
(All captions within quotes are taken from the official descriptions of the exhibits at the British Museum).

Russell Square, just across the road from the Museum
	Coming from the Russell Square tube station, the entrance to the museum didn't look that impressive. I discovered on the way out that this was the back entrance. The British Museum has been free to the public since 1753.
The bottom floor had exhibits focusing on the rituals of Asia, Africa and the Americas - including this hentakoi from the Nicobar Islands. Two thumbs up!

Eagle Beaver pole from British Columbia, Canada.

On one of the higher floors were the exhibits from Korea. This stone statue of a Korean official didn't seem too special, but then an old lady came by, took a little hand-drawn man cut out of paper and put it on the statue to take a photograph, so I took one too.
	The star exhibits of the British Museum were the Egyptian mummies. There are some 130 mummies at the Museum. This guy's name was Djedhor.
The outer coffin of Lady Henutmehyt.
	Granite sphinx of Taharqo.
And of course, the oldest exhibits were from Sumeria. This stone bull is dated 3300-3000BC.
	Inscribed stone from Babylon describing the achievements of Nebuchadnezzar (604-562 BC).
A stone kudurru from Sippar. About 954 BC.
	The Royal Game of Ur. Around 2600 BC. It's quite similar to Backgammon.
On the highest floor were exhibits from Japan, like this kaiseki dish. 1620-1640 AD.
	" *Hans Schäufelein (c.1480-c.1540). The Nativity with the Holy Family, angels, and a shepherd,c. 1512* Stencil-coloured woodcut." I forgot which wing the paintings were in. You were allowed to take pictures of them but not with flash.
Finally finished with the back of the building, I walked towards the main wing on the front, and realised just how big the whole building really was.
	Another of the British Museum's most recognisable set of exhibits - these items dug up at the site of a 7th century Anglo-Saxon King's ship burial at Sutton Hoo (near Woodbridge, Suffolk). The buried king was most likely Raelwald of East Anglia.
Check out the helmet.
	The souvenir shop. I could see from the giant skylight that it was starting to get dark, so I headed back to the hotel.
Meanwhile, See Ming and her colleagues had finished their meeting and were being given a tour of the Chelsea football club.
	This funny guy was giving the tour. Click: hereto hear him talk about the stadium. hereto hear him talk about the trophy. hereto hear him talk about the jerseys. hereto hear him talk about their first keeper. hereto hear him talk about their first star player.

More pictures of Chelsea Football Club taken the day before and this morning...


	Our original plan was to head back out to town to get some nice food but the weather was so cold and wet, we just ate at the Harry Ramden's fish and chips nearby, and retired to the hotel room.

>>> Day 4: National Art Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum