January 6, 2020: Today marks one month since we arrived in London. The first days after arriving we had much to do. Our new roost came with scant provisions. We had to buy blankets, pillows, kitchenware, among numerous other things. We had to buy Luna a litterbox, a bed, litter and food. We had to connect with the utilities companies for service. We had to get Wi-fi. And, having done all that within a few days, we were ready to explore London. Only we both fell sick! And even now we both are fighting colds. This circumstance has curtailed our activities.
Today, we decided to go to the V&A Museum, which first opened in the late 1800s. One could easily get lost in this museum. The museum spans 5000 years of human creativity in virtually every medium, including a comprehensive collection of decorative wrought iron. And it's free to enter.
Eddie and I share an appreciation for the cafeteria. The V&A is the first museum in the world to have a café, and the cafe's décor reflects the eclectic tastes of the Victorian era with stained glass windows, dark teal-stained wood and gold painted Elizabethan-style paneling. The café rooms were designed by Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co, (the decorative firm that William Morris established in 1861). There are three intimate eating rooms. Not only are the rooms a joy for an aesthete such as myself, the desserts are excellent, and it's a perfect place to sit awhile and enjoy a strong cup of English tea on a rainy day.
The other rooms that we like are the Cast Courts. Opened in 1873, these two side-by-side rooms display copies of the world's most significant works of art and architecture. Trajan's Column, a massive pillar commemorating a victory of the Roman emperor Trajan, dominates one room. The Courts were established at a time when overseas travel was not easy. These rooms brought together art and architecture from around the globe for educational and inspirational purposes. The collection stimulated the imaginations of countless British artists and designers of the Victoria age, and continues to do so today.
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| In the Cast Courts |
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| Note Michelangelo's David on the right |
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| Inside the Cafe |
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| Bust of a Woman by Franceseco Laurana Circa 1472, Cast Courts |
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| Marble Angel by Matteo Civitali Circa 1496, Cast Courts |
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| The Dying Slave (left) & Moses (right) by Michaelangelo, Cast Courts |
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