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  • Day 29

    Les Musées and Les Misérables

    October 2, 2017 in England ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Big day. Natural History Museum in the morning and Science Museum in the afternoon. Both were really good. Only saw parts of each as they're both massive so hopefully will get back later.

    Natural History was great - saw dinosaurs (including lifelike moving roaring T-rex). Saw mammals as well and some human biology exhibits. Some were a bit dated but still very good.

    Science Museum was also great. Steam engine exhibit surprisingly interesting! Never knew it was so important to Britain and that James Watt was revered as a hero so much. Enjoyed the exhibits on space and the exhibit on the changing relationship between humans and technology through time. There was also an interesting if rather sobering exhibition on medical advances that developed from World Wars 1 and 2. Mini documentary at the end of the War Wounds exhibition was moving.

    Then a stroll to Harrods to make us feel poor. Success. Most stuff pretty pricey and fancy but got some nice donuts (typical us). Then upstairs to the Christmas shop - Radi was pretty happy. Walked away with a little ornament. Stopped through the toy store part - not as magical as I remember but probably more enjoyable when you're 7. Still good though (note their board game selection was poor - can't win em all I suppose).

    From Harrods a quick trot to West End. Ate at C & R Malaysian restaurant (thanks to Em for that suggestion). Yum. Then a short stroll around the district and into the M & M store. Pretty cool but out of our pay bracket.

    But then, wandering to the show, who did we see but Samwell Tarly of Game of Thrones in the flesh! (Or at least the actor who plays that character). Very cool.

    Then Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre. Old theatre and not amazing seats (back of dress circle so top of stage cut off, but not too bad - although for future, closer seats better as you can see the emotion more). But the show was fantastic!

    Valjean was great, as was Gavroche and Marius. Javert good but not perfect. Eponine OK but not quite right (though Radi ended up liking her)? Cosette didn't quite get it - one of those weird warbling opera voices that just jarred with the other voices. But overall very very very good show. Rotating set and barricades were really well done and music of course great.

    Then home to bed and ready for another day of adventuring!
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