Show Me the Mummies!

Whenever I'm in a new city, I usually look for a museum with Egyptian things. While I find it disrespectful, in a way, to move the bodies of mummies out of their burial grounds, I also find it simply amazing how carefully certain cultures prepared the dead for the afterlife. If we think of the way we treat the dead in the US today, it's slightly similar to the Egyptians' methods (in terms of organ removal and preservation), but there's nothing natural about what we do. We preserve our dead for a few extra days so that we can get one last look at the faces we loved, and in so many cases, those faces have been so changed by death and preservation that this seems like a waste. The Egyptians preserved bodies to make sure they lasted through the centuries. They were careful and brilliant, and they didn't do it to make the dead look pretty in a box. I find something comforting about the way they cared for dead bodies, and something plastic and horrifying about the way we do it now.

Thank you for attending my TEDTalk, back to our travel stories.

I set out today for the British Museum, but I needed to find a post office first. For about as long as he's been a human person on Earth, I've been sending my nephew postcards from the places I visit. It's an easy way to let my family know where I am, to show this kid in rural Virginia a little bit of the world, and live out my dream of being a muppet. Remember Uncle Traveling Matt, the Fraggle who explored the world above ground, and was, apparently, left-handed (like me!)? I sign all my postcards Aunt Traveling Karlie. The kid has a stack of these cards now. It's nice.

In looking for a post office, I stumbled upon a major shopping area: Oxford Street. So I had lunch (biryani and 90s rap: I love it when you call me "big papa," too, Biggie.).

Then I looked in a few stores, including one of my favorites, UniQLO. I didn't appreciate what I had in Korea, but gods I love this place. (Spoiler: I'll be back twice in the next 2 weeks to spend ridiculous sums on clothes that I will probably wear to tatters).

Post-shopping, I headed to the British Museum. It's free to the public, and the building is huge and labyrinthine. I went slowly through the Egyptian and other early civilizations' displays on the ground floor, wowed by the sculptures and the hieroglyphics. I found a collection of clocks and watches that was all shiny and coggy and clever. Then I had to pee, and I found the toilet, spent 30 minutes in line, and left for fresher air. I didn't find any mummies, but (another spoiler), I'll discover them later.

I did see Hamm:

And there was this amazing display of artwork that I wish I'd written down a name for. See how each line is words?

I felt I hadn't walked enough, so I spent the next few hours winding home for one last night in my horrible AirBnB. All told, I walked 45 miles this week. Here's a view of the Thames on my walk towards Battersea Park.

Mmmm, chana masala called from the kitchens along the road home. I got a take-away curry, ate in the cluttered back garden, gleefully packed my bags, and read till I passed out. Off to the dorms tomorrow! My own bathroom! Joy!