Day 1 London: Christine and the Wellcome Museum

Last night I slept remarkably well. Asleep by 8.30pm, I woke several times during the night, but managed to get myself back to sleep, and woke refreshed about 6.30 am. Couldn't ask for better than that!

I had arranged to meet my friend Christine, from Watford,  at my hotel at around 11.15am. As considerate as ever, Christine was concerned I would be jetlagged, so the hotel was easy for me, and not too hard for her. She arrived with the current What's On booklet for the Wellcome Collection, around the corner on Euston Road, and an information brochure on the Museum Mile.  After we'd chatted and laughed our way through coffee, and she had satisfied herself that I was not jetlagged, on her suggestion we walked around to the Wellcome Collection.

I had visited this marvellous museum last year.

We worked our way around some of the permanent Medicine Man collection. Here photography, and posting of photographs taken, is permitted.


It is a hugely varied collection, from demonstration models,













to sculptures about body image
















and icons.





We spent some time in the current special exhibition Ayurvedic Man: Encounters with Indian Medicine. Unfortunately photography is not permitted. It had some very interesting pieces, some of which can be seen on the Collection's website, which describes the exhibition in these terms:

Taking its name from the 18th-century Nepali painting, the ‘Ayurvedic Man’, this exhibition showcases an exquisite range of material from Wellcome’s historical collections, including Sanskrit, Persian and Tibetan manuscripts, vibrant gouache paintings, erotic manuals and animal-shaped surgical tools.

Ayurveda, translating as ‘the knowledge of long life’, is a centuries old but ever-evolving set of medical practices from South Asia. Today it continues to be transformed by biomedical and cultural exchanges. However, several questions remain: Who owns medical heritage? And what is the contemporary relevance of collections built from colonial encounters?

It is such an intelligent use of a collection. I especially liked the four wooden votives from 1898...an offering in votive form to Sitala, the Hindu Goddess of the Smallpox.     the exploration of karma as a medical phenomenon and a wonderful watercolour of a woman swinging below an aubergine plant. The last is reproduced on the Restaurant menu. The aubergine (for my friends who grow them) is used in traditional Indian medicine to treat conditions such as inflammation, neuralgia, cardiac debility, ulcers, bronchitis, cholera, asthma. fever and general weakness.(pdf text file at https://wellcomecollection.org/exhibitions/WduTricAAN7Mt8yY) 

Christine generously treated me to lunch at the Restaurant. I had  the Moroccan Carrot Soup, sourdough and butter. Delicious. Christine's Roasted fennel, salmon and quail egg salad does not show to advantage in my photo!



I don't have a bucket list of places to which I want to travel. My recent travel has been to extend my knowledge, skills and relationships in embroidery and family history. That has led to the blessing of friendships with like-minded people- and the joy of catching up with them when I can. In that I feel rich.

The world looks so much better after a good sleep and the company of a friend! It really was a Welcome!

Christine was also able to tell me that yesterday's blog post did not load properly in the email version. Apologies to those affected. I have consequently removed the video and replaced it with still photos. I won't try that again!