Making the most of big city living

Today we went to the Museo Storia Naturale – or the natural history museum. It cost 3 euro total for me and the two kids. I was accompanied by the sister of the woman we are working with which popped me over the threshold for comfort zone stretching, enabling me to brave the metro and bus. Hopefully soon I may be brave enough to do it by myself (with the kids).

What an amazing collection of dead animals! If you try not to remember that every stuffed animal you see has been killed, gutted, transported across forests, glaciers, continents, rivers, seas etc to get back to a place where they could be stuffed and that half of the animals are probably endangered – it was certainly fantastic to see them up close in spectacular displays. Silas spent the entire time jumping up and down and exclaiming: look, look, look at this amazing …..It is wonderful to be accompanied by those who are still wonder-full, constantly awe-struck and always hungry to know more.

When we hit the Triceratops, Silas was apoplectic. He turned around to find a T-Rex just behind him and he had arrived at boy-heaven.

We still have a large selection of museums to work our way through and, obviously, some major art galleries. However, I am already envisioning Gwilyms paw prints on priceless art and my resolve is weakening.