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London, United Kingdom
Monday, Jun 26, 2006

Museums and Walking Around

David Murray
2007-03-04 10:05:28

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Realising that there was no point in moping around, one year and two days, I walked back into my old office. Nothing had changed. All the same people were there, but I was different. I was now thinner, and I was also going back to a new department. It was quite exciting.

As the first couple of weeks went by, I realised that I needed to be a tourist, to stop myself getting bored. I also re-found my good friend Ebay, and I went on a little spending spree. Armed with a new SLR, I finally went to the Victoria and Albert Museum as there was an exhibition about Ernesto Guevara, or as he is better known as, Che Guevara. Thinking that it was going to be a big story on his life, what it turned out to be was the story of the photo that has now gone all around the world. Basically, a guy took a photograph of him whilst he was on a stage with Fidel Castro. The photo has been everywhere, and changed into many different guises. It didn't take long to go through, so I had a quick wander around a bit more of the museum. There was some interesting Buddhist sections, but we had to move on as the girl that we are staying with, Abi, had to leave, so we walked with her to South Kensington.

Once she was gone, we kept on walking. We have decided, or maybe it is the Jewboy tight part of me that has decided not to spend money where we don't need to. We made it down to the Thames, crossed over and went into Battersea Park. We have been here before, but only for ANZAC day ceremionies, and as they have now moved the ANZAC day ceremony to Hyde Park corner, we haven't been there for at least three years. In we went and we came across the Peace Pagoda. It was funny seeing this in the middle of the park, considering that England isn't really a Buddhist country !!! Still, it was nice. As we walked, we found a game of cricket, so we had a quick watch and then went to the ANZAC memorial. Nice and small, with a map of the Galipolli campaign, it brought back the memories of ANZAC day, and how nice it was, compared to where it is now, I think the Australian Government has made a mistake in spending tax payers money and building something that is in the middle of the biggest round-a-bout in London.

The following morning, we went back into the city to have another walk around. We went back to Trafalgar square and found that Nelson's column was now slightly uncovered. There has been a restoration over the last year and finally it was finished. As we were taking photos, a group of protest marchers came past. They were calling out that North Cyprus was Turkey. Personally, they looked and sounded like a bunch of Southern Londoners !!!

We walked back along the river, taking in the day, and have come to the point that while we are here, we are going to play tourist and see the stuff that we have not seen before, because after all, that is what we really are.