Bookshops not Bombs

Dear all, I will explain the title of this post shortly but to begin with, I must apologise for not posting last week and for my absence from your blogs.  I have a good reason – honest!  We spent a couple of days in London, but I still had plenty of time to prepare a post.  That, however, was before I visited the dentist. 

(c) Can Stock Photo / izakowski

To be fair to the dentist or rather implant specialist, he is nothing like the picture above!!  I went to see him because of pain in my upper jaw, and an X-ray revealed an infection around one of my dental implants. The specialist recommended laser surgery to treat the infection, but it was unsuccessful and the implant had to be removed. It was all rather painful and to be honest my bed looked far more inviting than a trip to London but the hotel was booked, and so we went. 

It’s almost two weeks since the implant was removed and a week since we got back from London. I would like to say I'm fully fit but actually my mouth is still very sore, and now I have a cold! My next appointment with the specialist is in four days time so if I disappear again you will know why. In the meantime, I'm going to share a few photographs taken in London. Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope to visit your blogs very soon.

If you are still wondering about the title of this post, it’s because of this:  

A sentiment I heartily agree with spotted at Quinto & Francis Edwards Booksellers.

Quinto & Francis Edwards Booksellers at 72 Charing Cross Road. 

Quinto Bookshop: Find a bargain in our basement.

Quinto’s bargain basement: Everything from poetry to sci-fi and an old stove almost buried under books.

Cecil Court a bibliophile's dream located in a quiet pedestrian lane in London’s West End.

I spent a very happy hour at Marchpane books and came away with a lovely edition of Josephine Keeps House by Mrs. H. C. Cradock, more of which in a later post.

Close up of Marchpane's window 

and some of the delicious books on offer.

Natalie who works at Marchpane was tired after a flight home from Australia, but she was still full of smiles and happy to have her photo taken. I probably should have asked why there were at least two large Daleks around the place, but I was far too busy checking out the books.

Now as a change from bookshops some of the other places seen or visited. 

Mr Fogg’s Tavern – 58 St. Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden

I love how one can be wandering around busy streets in London and suddenly find oneself in an oasis of relative peace and quiet.  This is Soho Square located behind Oxford Street. The mock-Tudor building in the centre was built in 1895 refurbished in 2009 and is now used as a storage space for the gardeners.

The British Museum under a beautiful blue sky

The British Museum’s inner courtyard with its spectacular roof.

This may be a little macabre, but I found myself fascinated by Egyptian death and afterlife! Visit rooms 62-63 of The British Museum if you would like to see for yourself. 

 Mummy and cartonnage case.

 Squatting turtle-headed deity – Late 18th Dynasty, about 1295BC. Perhaps from the tomb of Horemheb, in the Valley of the Kings.

 Glowing decorations inside a box coffin.

This painting is part of a wall showing Nebamum watching as farmers bring animals to him. Nebamun is known today because of the 1820 discovery of a tomb on the west bank of the Nile at Thebes. 

I took masses of photographs in and around the museum, but in the interest of saving your sanity, I will just share two more. This from room 90: Prints 

This portrait of a dead child is more poignant than macabre. Posthumous portraits of children where common from the 17th to 19th century when child mortality was high. 

Illustrations of flower arrangements. Artist unknown (Karo School). Rooms 92-94 Japan.

Leaving the British Museum, there was just time for a quick walk around China Town before catching the train home.

These two were so obviously enjoying the music and each other’s company it made me smile, and I couldn’t resist taking a snap.

How would you spend two days in London?