It's raining, it's pouring!!

Having been battered by Storm Clodagh with rain, high winds and flooding in the northern parts of the country, we were now facing Storm Desmond ( good to see that not ALL freaky weather is named after 

women!!). We decided to spend some time indoors and headed up to Euston Road to visit the British Library:

That's St.Pancras International Railway Station to the right and the entrance to the British Library on the left:

                                       

                                  

                                      The piazza and entrance to the library

Outside a statue of Isaac Newton, he of the Laws of Motion and Gravity and also of the apple falling on his head!! See I did remember something from "O" level Physics!!

The British Library is the National Library of the U.K. and the largest library in the world by catalogued items.It is also a major research library holding 170 million items from many countries,in many languages and in many formats, both printed and digital.

The library collection includes around 14 million books and carries copies of all the books produced in the U.K. and Ireland including a significant proportion of overseas titles distributed in the U.K. It is also home to several manuscripts of great historical importance including the Magna Carta, Beowulf, the Gutenberg Bible, Handel's Messiah, Shakespeare's First Folios and even some of the Beatles musical manuscripts!

For a Saturday, the place was hopping with people. Students, patrons, visitors and tourists.

  To those that say libraries are defunct in this digital age, come and visit this place and think again!!

Four storeys of rare and valuable books and manuscripts stored under climate controlled conditions.

                              

  There was an Alice in Wonderland exhibition taking place, some of the original illustrations from Lewis Carroll's work are stored here.

 

                               We didn't visit, the queues were horrendous!

                             

 

                             

The library was the largest building constructed in the U.K.in the 20th century. These models will give you some idea of it's size. It also has several underground floors:

                     

       And for those that know how much I value libraries and all who work in them!! I saw this book bag at the library shop and thought of our hardworking librarian, Helen. I feel this should be posted above her desk!!          

                                                        Oh so true!!

      

                                    And on the way home via St.Pancras Station:

                                  

                                   

                                          Decorated with characters from Disney movies.

                                              And a piano available for all to use:

                    This guy put on an impromptu concert, he was really good.

                        Lots of colourful flowers on display at the flower stall:

          A lovely colourful coat that caught my eye - you know how I like bright colours!!!

                                 

  I was tempted to try it on - until I saw the price tag ...... £480 ($960!!!!!!!) it wasn't even lined!!!

                                          Oh well, one can still covet!!

                      And best of all, the great (and priceless) view on the way home!!!

 

                                          Talk soon

                                              Zoe