BMWANDERS: A WEEK OF MUSEUM DISCOVERIES

Amongst other things, London is a city of museums. However it can be overwhelming to plan for and see the numerous museums around the city without being a victim of information overload.

I thought staying away from interiors of the museums for about two weeks (while spending time with family and walking around various neighborhood to get a feel for the "lay of the land") was a good enough preparation for slowly "tipping my toes" inside the walls, so I started with a small art gallery often described as "one of the finest small museums in the the world:" The Courtauld Art Gallery in Somerset House located right on the North Bank of the Thames in the Embankment area (Tube Stop: Temple or Covent Garden).

view from Somerset House Terrace

On a sunny day, the area is pretty on its own, especially if you walk around to the entrance on the river side. You could even have a cup of coffee or a quick lunch on the terrace overlooking the Thames before your visit.

The Somerset House is a pretty building on its own, with a large courtyard that's converted into an ice rink in the winter (not to mention the lovely Christmas tree, and the cafe that overlooks the whole activity)

Somerset House Courtyard

While it is tempting to stop for a beverage, I am determined to complete the task of getting inside a museum and leaving without being overwhelmed, so I march on and find the entrance for the gallery, which is free on Mondays until 2 pm (otherwise £6). And unbelievably, I am in front of one of Van Gogh's most famous painting in less than 5 minutes and there is only about 3 more people in the room with me:)

This is one of the paintings Vincent Van Gogh made after having an argument with Paul Gauguin in Arles and cutting his ear off in the year 1889. Looking at this painting is like looking in the eyes of a troubled soul, one can almost feel the emotional suffering he's going through (for anyone interested in Van Gogh or mind of an artist, I highly recommend the exhibit Van Gogh Alive, which I had seen in Istanbul in early 2012, and still remains the most moving art exhibit/show I have ever seen)

Even though The Courtauld Art Gallery offers a small number of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and 18th cc pieces, I found that the impressionist and post-impressionist pieces were the most impressive (admittedly, I enjoy impressionist works over medieval and Renaissance pieces in general), and I am still in awe that you can just walk in and take a look at a Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, Gauguin and Picasso without waiting in line or walking miles of galleries. They are just there, as if waiting for you to come for a visit... And all you need to do is, get inside the courtyard, climb one set of stairs, and walk in through the door below:

Leaving a small museum with desire to see more is a good thing, especially in London. Still I think I need a break, primarily to digest the impressions (no pun intended) left from the incredible art work. The good news is, front door of the Somerset House is on the Strand, a main street with a number of cafes and restaurants, but even better, just a couple of blocks away is the Covent Garden area lined up with all kinds of cafes, shops, and other offerings including a christmas tree made up of Jack Daniels barrels:

Jack Daniels Christmas Tree in front of Covent Garden

It's hard to believe I was in the town Jack Daniels is made just 2 months ago! Cheers Lynchburg!!

And to make sure you have an idea of what Covent Garden really looks like, here are a couple of photos:

The restaurant in the center is Jamie Oliver's Union Jacks

Lower level has lovely seating, sometimes enhanced with live music

You can choose to line up for paella and eat it there:

or you can shop at Covent Garden for a while...

This has to be the cutest photo of the day! (at Tea Palace)

or choose from many offerings in the area for a break:

Coach & Horses Pub

Boulevard Brasserie

Notes Coffee Food & Wine

Cafe Rouge

Charles Dickens Coffee House

Cote Bistro

Primrose Bakery

In my case, it was Monmouth Coffee (yes, I have a tough time letting go once I found a good thing, and in this case it is a real good coffee):

Mini ham & cheese pastry, truffle, and beautiful flat white @ Monmouth Coffee

So I was ready to tackle the next task at hand: British Museum. Now, the idea of "tackling" British Museum is daunting on its own, so I went primarily to see the size, the layout, and get a feel for how to "navigate" the marble floors, and on purpose, with an intent to avoid the popular exhibits (so I could have a desire left to come back). Magically this sign appeared in front of me, helping me achieve all of the above:

With a clear route ahead, I headed to the 5th floor, passing through the crowds at the Egyptian Mummies section (every guide book I read recommends this section, and a combination of Rome, Greece, and Middle East) and finding myself almost at a serene environment with quiet rooms and maybe 5-10 people at most on the whole floor. Yes, I can do this. I can survive a museum without running to the door for some fresh air!

The Art of Drinking in Asia was small yet intriguing telling stories on sake, tea drinking in Japan, China, Tibet and India, as well as displaying various vessels for making, drinking and appreciating these beverages. I learned that:

- Until the 1600s, sake was controlled heavily and was part of religious ceremonies, so it was mainly produced in temples and shrines (which begs the question: what is this intense connection with alcohol and religion? Beer and monks, wine and church, sake and temples? Hmmm...)

- Tea (which was first cultivated in China and spread to the world from there) became the national drink during the Tang dynasty (AD 618-907) and spread from Buddhist monasteries to all parts of society, especially with reunification of the empire and reliable transportation at the time.

- The single most important figure in the popularization of tea drinking was Lu Yu (733-804), author of the Cha Jing, the "Classic of Tea," which set the standards for appreciating tea.

And of course I got to appreciate a number of beautiful objects as I went through the rest of the Asian section covering Japan, China, and Korea:

Beautiful Japanese Sencha Pot at British Museum

A Japanese "picnic basket" with 2 bottles for sake and 4 drawers for food

Japanese Porcelain Dish ("Dawn" by Tokuda Yasokichi III, 1992)

Beautiful Korean drinking vessels

Beautiful Korean teacups

Korean porcelain display at British Museum

With my fascination for Asian cultures, tea, and porcelain, my walk through the section took about two hours, and it was the perfect beginning to the British Museum visits. There are certainly many more things to see in the British Museum such as the following, but one always needs a reason to go back... (or about thousands, in this case)

With the cold and damp evening hanging, I ended the evening with a walk to Soho and a perfect view of the kitchen at the udon shop I spotted the other day, Koya: