Imperial War Museum: WWI

I visited the Imperial War Museum in 1998, and had decided recently it was time for me to return and refresh. The Museum concerns itself primarily with the major wars of the 20th century, WWI and WWII, a formidable enough task for a single museum. Fortunately, the IWM is by no means the only British museum that concerns these and other wars. I'll just post some pix I thought of particular interest or insight.

Entrance to the old museum; two WWI 15 inch naval guns...

In the gift shop: the gin craze continues; the Spitfire 
craze continues

"We happy few..."

Interesting display on ship camouflage, "dazzle," introduced in WWI and continued
in WWII; thought to confuse U-boat perceptions at night...many variations

Closer-up, an example; I always wanted to repaint our last US RV
(Le Sport) in warship camouflage; or maybe zebra...

The Empire was not a happy place as it entered WWI

A 42cm siege mortar shell, such as chiefly used to destroy French
and Belgian towns

The reliable French 75mm field artillery piece, prominent early in
the war

Enlistment posters

Weapons

Gas masks

Battles of Verdun...one of the war's many campaigns

Irish rebellion, encouraged by Germany

Development of convoy tactics, responding to German submarines  

War in the air begins

And is increasingly mechanized on the ground

Map of a "creeping barrage" of artillery that enabled the Canadians

to seize Vimy Ridge

Official war artist Paul Nash's depiction of "no man's land"

The war ended as German troops saw its futility;
French troops had already mutinied...

A Walk In The Park; And Then Some

August 28th we undertook a walk in the park, Regent's Park, and especially its Queen Mary Rose Garden. Many of the roses were on the wane, as expected, but a surprising number were still going strong. And in any such British park or garden, there was much else to see.

Flocking together

Japanese garden

I used to grow these, successfully, despite the winters,
in our pond in Missoula

Water feature

Incredible borders

As far as the eye can see

The neighborhood adjoining the park is not bad; Regent's University

Other considerations prompted us to walk on, through Fitzrovia and
Marylebone, and Hyde Park, to Kensington Palace and its gift shoppe;
above, cavernous Marylebone Station 

Sculpture along the way

Truly cavernous Paddington Station

Just the main hall

Old Paddington Station; now apparently just the underground

More sculpture along the way: The Wild Table of Love, by Gillie and Marc

Joining in the love

Still processing, but I think it's something very English

Block after block of these

Finally at Kensington, among the Diana memorials

William III stayed here

London Scenes And Out-Takes, 5

Missoula friends Kim and Dave were in London for a week, and we accompanied them on several of their visits around town. And later daughter Rachel arrived, and we did several more visits together...Buckingham Palace, the Globe, Sir John Soane's, and several great meals at Dishoom, Poppies, and Fallow. We might have done more with her but were sidelined with more sickness. 

Lunch at the George Inn 

Frequent patron

Interior views

Waddle and daub removed to open out what were sleeping chambers,
centuries ago, now restaurant dining areas

Us, there

Filling in some sights from Portobello Road...the "Travel Book Shop"
that figures in the Julia Roberts/Hugh Grant movie NottingHill; it is
really a tourist trinket shop...

People lined up to get their pix made in front of the blue door where the
Julia Roberts character lived...

Trying to look regal at the head table of Henry VIII's great hall at Hampton Court

Trying to look regal, Part the Second

Jousting in one of Hampton Court's many gardens

We finally did the Hampton Court Maze and had some tense
moments trying to find our way out...if you try it, be sure to
bring adequate water, food, fully-charged cell phone...maybe
some bread crumbs; note the emergency phone number...

Daughter Rachel arrived and we did several sights together...here,
walking to the Globe, noting the red columns of a former railroad
bridge across the Thames; near Black Friars

Before and after shots of the Globe stage for Comedy of Errors...first
performed December 28th, 1594, at Gray's Inn

Fortunately, we had read synopses of the play and were able to follow
it; more or less...Shakespeare (!)..."algebra on stage"

Exiting the theater, a great view across the river