It's still Christmas

Unlike my antipodean relations, it's still Christmas here, if only for another 14 minutes. I felt the need to express my disappointment at the lack of prior planning and preparation that prevented my first northern hemisphere yuletide celebration from being a white one. Despite skidding across the carpark on the way to work numerous times on frost and ice, on Christmas Day itself, there wasn't even a frost. Bollocks to that. Next time, dear weather overlords, get it right!

But why is the pumpkin gone?

A recurring question during the time that I have been in the UK relates to the significant absence of pumpkin. It appears that once Halloween is over, it becomes virtually impossible to source any pumpkin other than butternut (which, incidentally, is called butternut squash over here). If one is lucky enough to find one, it's barely big enough to feed a person for more than one meal, and will cost you a fortune for the privilege.

Although this is not strictly a travel story, it does specifically relate to my time in the UK. I removed the skin from my knuckle whilst peeling said pumpkin for Christmas lunch today. Small, expensive pumpkin, plus blood, does not a tasty lunch make.

Oh dear God!

I was merrily making lunch today, with the sun shining through the window. All was at peace with the world, and I wasn't actually cold for a change. I could see that it was becoming a little hazy, and within about 3 or 4 minutes, a thick fog had rolled in.

I swear to God the temperature plummeted. I went from just right at about 6 degrees, to turning up the heater and shivering under my doona (duvet for you English folk). I took the photos at about 3.45pm, a couple of hours after it rolled in (and just minutes from sundown, as if that would make a difference).

This country is an advertisement for moving to warmer climates!

The (not as good as I expected) Christmas lights

I left the museum and headed into Oxford Street. After a little shopping and some dinner, I braced myself for the walk down the street to see the lights. Suffice to say I didn't make it the whole way - I didn't see the point. I don't know if in the end I've missed something exciting, but I sure didn't see anything too exciting in the first half. Every year they have a theme for the lights (it was Ice Age when my parents were there once), and this year it's Enchanted. Whoopee.

Because that was as exciting as, oh, I don't know, smashing my head into a brick wall repeatedly, I headed for Trafalgar Square. I'd heard all about the Christmas tree that was donated by the Norwegians, as it has been every year since 1947, so I was expecting something good. Well, it was big, and it had lights on it. It was pretty plain actually. I think the one in the city in Brisbane is much better, and it certainly doesn't come all the way from Norway. Still, I like the fact that it's the 60th one that they have had donated.

British Museum

After I'd finished at Harrods, I went to the British Museum. I got there, despite Transport For London's best efforts to stop me through their ineffective operation of the underground. On a side note, I swear it was their mission today to delay me and annoy me as much as possible - I did not catch a single train that wasn't delayed for one reason or another, and all up I caught 10. It would have been 11 but I gave up on the last one and caught a cab.

The museum was huge, and I don't know if it's just because I didn't go through the main entrance, but I didn't have a map to guide me around, so it was also a little confusing. I think I will have to go back more than once to take it all in, and especially to see the Terracotta Army which is currently being exhibited there.

I saw a great range of displays, from medieval England to ancient Greece, Egypt, and Rome. I also saw some stuff about Africa, and this other exhibit that had a theme about healing (I think - either I didn't pay enough attention or it really wasn't clear). It would be the perfect excursion for my old History's Mysteries class, if it wasn't on the other side of the world. Walking through the museum was like walking through a virtual reality-edition of the unit. I took plenty of photos to perhaps use in future.

They have the Rosetta Stone on display there. It's awesome to see things that I've read about, and even taught in classes - it really does bring history to life.

This is a decorated limestone sarcophagus, from the 4th century AD.

These are glazed bricks and stone carvings from a palace in ancient Persia.

Artwork from the Nubians (related to the ancient Egyptians).

A mummy (so cool to see those), with amulets for the afterlife laid out in a funerary arangement.

Last, but certainly not least, the Rosetta Stone. If you don't know the significance of it, then befriend Google.

Harrods baby yeah!

I took myself on another little trip to London today. I was supposed to meet up with friends late in the day to go and see the Christmas lights, but someone (not mentioning any names) is a snob who wouldn't respond to my texts, so I ended up going all on my lonesome. It was all good though, and I'd planned on doing a few other things before then anyway, such as a trip to THE department store, Harrods.

Oh, if only I had a few grand to drop on random luxury items. Let me just say, walking through the shoe department was my own private hell. The Jimmy Choos alone made me long for a sugar daddy!

One thing that this trip did make clear was that I'm a little lacking in the Christmas spirit department. The crowds were huge, as one would expect on a rainy Saturday so close to Christmas. You had to push and shove to get anywhere, and it was clear to anyone with even a single functioning brain cell that it wasn't going to be a good idea to stop in the middle of the walkway. So, when this absolute muppet did stop, is it any wonder that I, along with half of England, ploughed straight into his back? And what did Sir Knobulous do? He turned around and abused me. What was I supposed to do? Using my best (and loudest) teacher voice, surrounded by Chanel and Valentino and D&G amongst others, I told him that if he was going to be such a twat and stop in a CLEARLY DEFINED walkway, then he damn well deserved it, and that perhaps he should open his damn eyes. The woman behind me applauded.

All that aside, the store was amazing. Not just because of the brands and all that jazz, but the actual building itself is amazing. There are Egyptian escalators, mermaids in the seafood section of the foodhall, and a general air of opulence which, lets face it, most of us don't see on a day-to-day basis.

One downside - the 2007 Harrods named Christmas baubles this year are crap. I had intended to buy one for me and one for my mum, to add to the collection, and even the promise of buy 2, get one free couldn't induce me to part with my hard earned cash. They were just damn ugly. Get onto it, Mr Al Fayed.

Christmas lights

Because I won't be home for Christmas (home meaning either with the family in Australia or in my house in England), I'm not bothering to get a Christmas tree. I was contemplating getting a real one, but I'm don't think I can be bothered with that either. Still, a package of presents arrived, so I had to do something to tittify the place! I compromised over the lack of tree - I have lights up now, and I will put the presents under a plant that I have.