British Library

What better to do on a rainy day than go to the library!

It is Monday, 6 May and a Bank Holiday in England. So all the students are out of school. Some shops close, many have reduced hours. Still I was surprised by the hugh line at the entrance fo the library. I thought there must be something special going on but one of the students in line told me they all go there to study! Wow! I am impressed!

Sure enough by the time I got in and looked around the museum was packed with students and their laptops lining the walls, every space taken. I’m not sure that would happen in the US.

The Treasures Gallery here has many original manuscripts: original Shakespeare portfolios, Jane Austen, and many other important British authors. Also, the draft and revised Magna Carta is here — very hard to read both the handwriting and the old English but still very cool.

The Reading Room was closed so I didn’t get to check out a couple volumes relating to any ancestry search. Bank Holiday strikes again!

This was a busy part of town largely because it is right next door to the Kings Cross and St. Pancras stations. The St. Pancras station builidng is beautiful!

Late lunch at an Irish Pub across the street. Because St. Pancras/King’s Cross stations are right there, lots of people and eateries line the street. People rolling their luggage along the street but I never want to do that if I can help it. My bag doesn’t roll very easily.

I braved the underground back to my hotel. I am starting to feel comfortable with getting around that way. Definitely stay near an underground station if you want to travel that way.