A Walk Through Civilization

Mostly Western and given where I am I should spell it Civilisation.  In other words I went to the British Museum.
And A Proper Good Morning to You
My apartment does not come with a teapot.  Seriously.  This is Britain.  What gives?  But I have learned to improvise, so I am never deprived of morning tea; it merely gets brewed in a pan covered by a plate.
The BBC is utterly fascinated with Hurricane Harvey and is giving it major coverage.  Refreshingly to my mind the BBC ignores the forty-fifth President of the United States.
I began the day with a trip to the grocery store fortunately uncrowded on a Saturday morning.  I took my time and had a good look around although I did not come out with much.  I got some more of that cidre.  I really liked it, and it should go well with my cheese.  I also got a salad to make up for the cheese and some of a tea I really like that I can't get in the United States.  I'll make sure I bring some home with me.  I used the self check out but still needed help because the machine did not like my banknote.  Eventually I'll be independent, but by then it will be time to leave.
It's a very short stroll to the British Museum so I decided to walk around before it opened and made a nice loop through leafy Bloomsbury.  I arrived in good time to thread the entrance and go through security.  The place was packed--on a fine Saturday morning, of course it was, but I still got a good view of the pickings.  The British Museum does not go in for Modern History, but everything else from all corners of the globe is on offer and it is very well displayed and the tags are informative.  You can also rent an audio guide, but some of us are (ahem) above that being so (cough) familiar with the collection.  Of course most of the exhibits are royal or luxury items, but the Museum does make an effort to show as much every day life as it can, which is something I appreciate.  If your time is limited don't miss the Egyptian Halls--one upstairs with mummy cases, artifacts, and the tomb frescos from my old pal Nebamun.  Apparently we know more about him, and he was not such a big deal after all, which may explain the radical nature of a few of the frescos. Daring chap.
Downstairs the visitor can find the Egyptian statuary, some wonderful reliefs from Ninevah, and, of course, the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon.  They are not to be missed.  I fear Brexit has put paid to any chance of them ever being returned to Greece.
I also--finally--got to see the Standard of Ur in person.  It was on loan on a previous visit.  It's beautiful to be sure but very much smaller than I thought it was.  There was piles more than I looked at, including a special exhibition of English watercolors (Turner! Constable!) but even I get museum fatigue.
I strolled down to Holborn tube station, fed my Oyster Card and lit off for Green Park.  The park is indeed very green, but not at all elegant or manicured.  A lot of other folks had the same idea as I did for a nice Saturday afternoon walk.  After than I went down Piccadilly to Fortnum and Mason where I examined the teas and winced at the price and tried an "exclusive" scent called Pomegranate Rose, which actually smells like something one would drink.
Having dispatched my virtuous salad, I see that it is time for cheese.  First up is a raw cows milk number called Tunworth.  It is a stinky sort of cheese made like Camembert, and it smells like the French version.  I have cut off the rind, and the vehicle for consumption is some whole wheat toast.  I sip cidre.  Now for a bite.  Mmm!  Rich. Unctuous.  This tastes like real Camembert--not the stuff I can get in the United States.  You won't get this luscious copy in the USA either--raw milk and not aged long enough.
Now for the goat cheese called Innes Log (Raw milk. Don't bother to look for it in the United States).  It, too, has a rind, which I have trimmed.  I am actually doing this backwards because the milder goat cheese should have come first, but the Tunworth was far gooeier, and this cheese is firmer.  Now for bite.  Just--lovely!  It reminds me of some Valencay I had in Paris a few years ago.  It's mild tasting but the flavor develops in the mouth and is complex and rich.  No one can claim I did not throw myself into the choice.  I had five goat cheeses and four cows milk before making my decision.
And for the record the cidre, sweetish and applely and not very strong, was lovely with the cheese, but a nice dry rose would probably have been better.