15 July

Spent a terrific day visiting some more museums.  At the Natural History Museum, there was so much to see.  I never thought a taxidermy alligator would fill me with nostalgia for home, but it did.  The manatee, however, was not a manatee, it was a dugong.  It was interesting seeing even just animal exhibits with a British slant -- realizing that American flora and fauna was suddenly not the center of the universe, and also how diverse/unique the wildlife we have to offer when seen on a global scale.  I surprised myself by being fascinated by the "rock room".  It was all cool!  Except the temperature inside the areas that didn't have A/C -- that was pretty hot and sticky.

Then we had only a brief amount of time to spend in the Victoria & Albert Museum -- but I definitely need to go back.  It was breathtaking!  I was amazed by some of the artifacts they had -- whole altars and religious pieces that moved me, especially.