Come For An Afternoon At The V&A...

As flurries pelted down, my friends and I walked past the Natural History Museum on our way to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Walking into the V&A is a visual treat. The lyrically modern blown glass chandelier by Dale Chihuly hangs amid the classical architecture of the museum. Straight ahead is the gift shop. Try and get out without even a small bag! To the left is one of the current exhibits, "Decode, Digital Designs Sensation". This part of the exhibit is mesmerizing as it changes, stops to reveal a word and changes words again. We stood here about 5 minutes to see if there was a pattern, but the words appeared to be random.To the right opens into the Medieval and Renaissance wing. You'll find angels, religion, fighting, drama, fashion and love among the exhibits....the prevailing themes of life through all ages. Of course, there is so much more in this collection that is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design. The museums in London have free admittance, so I never feel like I have to see everything and I come often to these national treasures.
When you get weary, the V&A Cafe has an old world charm as you sip hot tea with scones or many other choices. We were saving our appetites for dinner, but coming here was a nice warm finish on this cold January afternoon. As my friends and I walked back to the hotel, we once again passed the nearby Natural History Museum as the ice skaters enjoyed the last week of the skating rink. The lights and decorations from the holidays were also displaying their last bit of glory. The chilly and brisk walk back to the hotel had us more than ready for our planned dinner at an Indian restaurant. In this month of short days and long dark nights, there is plenty of light to be found.?