Bank Holiday, it must be raining.

As promised today has been wet. We were having visitors at about 1100 so it was a case of Helen setting to with some baking and me doing some cleaning up to make it look as though we are a little civilised after all. We went down to Kings Cross to meet our daughters boyfriend Joe and his Mum Dawn and then dragged them up the hill to the boat in St. Pancras Basin. Neither of them had seen the boat before so were pleasantly surprised by what they saw. It was then a case of tea and coffee and cake.

Dawn and Joe adding to the list of our visitors.

They had planned to go over to the Nottinghill Carnival but with the weather they decided to change plans and head to the Natural History Museum. We were heading to the British Museum so at the Tube entrance we bid farewell and went our separate ways.

It seemed that everybody else had made their way to the museums due to the rain so it was busy. We headed to the Sutton Hoo hoard display as we had not seen it before, and you have to start somewhere!

 The Great Hall of the British Museum.

The famous Sutton Hoo Helmet as it has been found and conserved on the left and how it is thought it would have looked on the right. The objects extremely beautiful and belie the fact that the Anglo Saxons had no high culture etc.

I was fascinated by the massive cauldron that was also found in the tomb. It was with a chain that would have suspended it above a fire from a beam. The chain length has told them height of the building it was for and it was over 5 mt so not a small low building at all. The various artifacts also showed that there was trade from all over Europe and almost to the Asian borders. There were also other hoards that had been found. One of over 8000 items was found on the Ribble Valley and called the Cuerdale Hoarde. It was made up of silver coins, jewelry, ingots and bits of stuff that had been cut up ready for something. It is unsure whether they were just there for their value of silver rather than objects. The Viking coins were from over in Ireland and it was though that it may have originated from the Vikings when they were expelled and landed at the Ribble. The display reminded me of that game 'Pick up Sticks'.

Part of the Cuerdale Hoard of Viking Silver

We then looked round the rest of the Ancient British galleries and then wandered in to the history of money area, and on to the ancient European section and finished with the Egyptian Gallery to see the mummies etc. On the way out we came across the Enlightenment Gallery which was a room of bits and pieces. It was a good way to finish as it rounded the day off and the facsimile of the Rosetta Stone was there.

The Enlightenment Gallery at the British Museum.

On the way back to the boat we got wet through so it was a relief to get back to the Basin. Just as we got inside we saw a parrot that was eating. It didn't fly off when we came round the corner so was relatively tame. I think it is one of the parrots that has become naturalised in London rather than a pet though. Combined with the fox we had here last night we really are seeing wildlife here in the middle of London. It was good to sit down though, and have a cup of tea!

I'm not sure that this is a ring necked parakeet or not, especially as it is ringed.