Snow in London Dec 2009

I am so happy. I am seeing snow for the first time for years, maybe for 20 years. And it is a decent amount of snow for London. It's really beautiful. It started on the evening of my birthday which was a nice present. It was a really bitterly cold day with a very strong easterly wind blowing straight from Siberia, and the snow started about 8pm. The eastern part of England got the snow, including SE London where I am. This morning I started taking photos, but it was still quite dull out. Now the sun is shining, but hopefully the snow will last all day. I feel as excited as a young child! Problem is I only have one pair of shoes in London, and they have holes in them, and I really need to go out later. I am going to get wet and cold feet.
View from the lounge

looking out at 8am

Same view in October

so nice

front garden, no footsteps
back garden with fox footprints

kitchen window sill with snow

Looking at the back garden, tracks made by foxes

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

Horniman Museum Part 2

Dec 13 2009 I went to a carol concert at Horniman Museum. It was outdoors at the bandstand on a bitterly cold evening, and I was wrapped up in 5 layers including thermal undies. Before the concert I had a quick look around the museum. I've been many times. It's quite hard to take photos as all the displays are in glass cabinets.

The Conservatory
The natural history section -

walrus

elephant skull

Apostle clock

voodoo dolls

bandstand carols

See Part 1 on Hornimans.

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

Horniman Museum

Within walking distance of mum's house in southeast London is a really great museum, which recently upgraded their aquarium. The Horniman Museum is in Forest Hill and opened in 1901. The museum was founded by Victorian tea trader Frederick John Horniman and contained his collection of natural history, cultural artefacts and musical instruments.

Today the Horniman specialises in anthropology, natural history and musical instruments and has a collection of 350,000 objects. One of its most famous exhibits is the large collection of stuffed animals. It also has an aquarium noted for its unique layout.

The museum is set in 16 acres of gardens and there are some stunning views over to London as the musuem is in one of the highest parts of London.

cedar

The newly designed aquarium is brilliant. There are open tanks of some creatures, and a large sea water pool with an enormous lobster, as well as mangrove and woodland ponds displays.

See Part 2 on Hornimans.

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission