Natural History Museum, London

The Natural History Museum as you get to its front entrance.

Another worth visit in London is to Natural History Museum, located in South Kensington. Not only housed a huge collection of specimens, this museum also collaborated in many scientific research, especially related to nature and conservation. Located on Exhibition Road, next to two other popular museums (Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum) in London, Natural History Museum lure its own unique visitors from all around the world.

Natural History Museum previously was known as British Museum (Natural History) until 1992. Even though the legal separation from the British Museum was happening earlier in 1963. That’s part of the story of the Natural History Museum, even though, as we know the beautiful Alfred Waterhouse building was opened in 1881 - and the museum keeps on expanding its collections together with its roles in educating the public and research.

The gigantic blue whale skeleton at the Hintze Hall.

This moa (Dinornis novaezealandiae) was identified by Richard Owen only by its single fragment of bone (before it was completed).

There are many reasons why people are attracted to this museum, especially if they watched the documentaries by the BBC or National Geographic. More than that, educator and students also need to see by themselves all the specimens on display in order to understand more about the nature (especially when it comes to dinosaurs and specimens outside of their geographical areas).

Here at this museum, everyone is dedicated to give their best in their field start from its first Superintendent in 1856 the palaeontologist Richard Owen. Richard Owen was known to be very detailed in identifying all the specimens to make sure it is original. From there the Natural History Museum keeps on expanding its function and change the way we look at the museum.

Giant gold nugget.

The mineral collections from the Earth Hall.

The best experience starts soon after you see this magnificent museum’s building. Rather than just huge, it is carefully designed with beautiful façade and animal sculptures will make you astonished. If you can, make sure you visit this museum during the weekdays, as during the weekend or public holidays it will be long queues of people from all around the world. But that’s not all, there are many other surprises of the building’s architectures that will amaze you before you even see any of its exhibits.

Since its establishment in 1881 until today, this museum specimen now comprising of some 80 million items with five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology. Only some of these specimens will be shown in its exhibitions, while most of the specimen being kept for conservation and research purposes. If you are lucky, you might be able to see some of them if there’s any special exhibitions during your visit.

Life size blue whale replica at the Mammal Hall. 

Other mammal replicas in the same hall.

Same as the previous visit to Kew Gardens, it is important for you to make sure what is the main things you want to see in this museum? One day visit won’t be enough for you to explore the whole collections displayed on their exhibition halls; unless you just wandering around without any attention to the collections.

You can check their floor plan in advance and at the same time, check the interior of the museum through Google Maps to get an idea which is where - so it will help you to decide which areas is more important. You also need to check their website for more details about the current exhibitions (as sometimes there will be additional information regarding closure of exhibitions too).

The dinosaur is one of the important specimens here.

Skeleton of Triceratops horridus at the dinosaur area.

I need to visit this museum twice when I visited London recently (first visit was two hours and the second visit was around four hours: still I missed few areas). As I need to speed up my observations, I took as many photos as I can for future reference (and I put it in the fanpage album so we all can see it). The light condition in the museum also is too dim, so taking photos is a little bit tricky!

There are many things happening around here at the Natural History Museum. Not all of it you can see during your visit, the details of these activities are posted on their website. You might want to see about the usage of new technologies in order to unravel many things that we still don’t know about the nature. Then, with the latest technologies too, the information will be shared with the public - you need to check the 3D skeleton ofthe blue whale.

There are many other interesting information available on their website, where you also can become a member to get membership benefits. If you are interested in nature and sciences, Natural History Museum is one of the place you should visit. I hope I have shared some important information here and the rest is up to you. If you have any question or information to share, don’t hesitate to share it at the comments section below or email it to me at wikipelajar(add)gmail(dot)com.

Wonderful World of Botanical at Kew Gardens, UK

The entrance at the Victoria Gate.

Recently we (Myrokan blog) had this opportunity to visit the world most renowned botanical garden that also known as Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Kew Gardens is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world that also played many important roles in introducing specimens of plant and trees to many other countries such as rubber and tea. Kew Gardens not only keep living specimens of plants, but also dried specimens, seeds and DNA, libraries, illustrations and many other records related to plants. That’s what makes Kew Gardens one of the most important places that we visited in London.

Kew Garden founded in 1840 in the area that originally was the exotic garden at Kew Park. That park itself had been enlarged several times with the merging of the royal estates of Richmond and Kew in 1772. Within this area many garden structures had been built and some of them still remain until today.

The pond right in front of the Museum no 1.

The temperate house just been reopened two days earlier.

Well, there are so many things happened back there, but here we want to see other important things that we still can see at Kew Gardens and other activities related to it - that will give benefits to us and the future generations. Even though they have only taken care of plants, but the further study of these plants is actually for human benefits such as for agriculture, medicine, farming, cloning, seed bank, references, cataloguing and you can check more on their website – included at the end of this article.

Knowing more about Kew Gardens is important before you plan to visit it (well, no one can ever visit the whole of the areas within one day – so you must know which areas that important to you, or you can visit it several times). Maybe the best way to do it by asking these few questions;

• Are you just want to see the plants in Kew Gardens?
• Are you interested to know how Kew Gardens keep the specimens of the plants and trees?
• Are you interested to know the history of Kew Gardens and their buildings (such as their glass houses, their garden structures, bridges, canopy walk, cottage, palaces and many other buildings in Kew Gardens)?
• Are you interested to know more about the activities conducted here in Kew Gardens?
• Are you interested to participate in activities conducted by Kew Gardens (exhibitions or scientific activities) in their vicinity or online?
• Where you can find the map of the whole area?
• How you are going to explore the area?
• Time of opening, as the time will change according to the seasons.
• How you can contact Kew Gardens in order to get more information in case you need some help?

The Palm House another important glass house with huge size.

The tropical plants and trees can live vigorously inside this glass house.

It might hard for us to see this plant in their own natural habitat.

There are many other questions you can ask during the preparation to visit Kew Gardens. By identifying your priorities you will save lots of time and you will know exactly where to look at during your visit. Even though I managed to see what I want during my visit, I still missed a few things - I think I could improve it if I plan it properly. The other reason is, there are too many things to see.

The best thing was, during my visit the Temperate House has just reopened two days earlier. I also joined the tour guide that explaining more details about the history, the process of restoration that cost around £41 million and take a look at the Temperate House itself. It was closed for the past 5 years for the restoration process. There are many interesting things about this building that we should talk about it separately – hopefully I will get a chance to do it.

The Temperate House not only important for its functions but also for its architecture.

The plants and trees had been relocated back into the Temperate House.

Kew Palace, another important building in Kew Gardens.

Flowers of plant at the Queen’s Garden.

Flowers of plant at the Queen’s Garden.

There are few more glass houses in Kew Gardens includes Palm House, Waterlilly House, Princess of Wales Conservatory and Davies Alpine House. All of the glass houses, housing different types of plants - so please try not to miss it. You can use optional transports in the gardens either bicycle or electric train to help you travelling around. I used the electric train and still I missed few!

Here in this article I shared a few photos during my visit. If you want to see more photos you can visit our fanpage where I posted more photos. I hope it will help others who unable to visit to Kew yet to see how it look like and to get the general ideas of what Kew Gardens is.

The Princess of Wales Conservatory glass house.

Orchids of tropical planted in this glass house.

Another beautiful tropical plant’s flower.

Another beautiful view of the pillar’s covered with tropical plants.

You can see different types of plants in the same glass house.

Carnivorous plant specimens, is one of important plants that I want to see here in Kew Gardens.

Besides visiting Kew Gardens physically, you still can learn more about it or get involved with their activities online. Check their websites to learn more about their activities. You can easily get in touch with them to know more about any activities that you can get involved with. So this is the link to Kew Gardens’ website.

There are many other things I would like to share about the details in each area of Kew Gardens, perhaps I can do it soon. Before that, you can ask me if there is any question - don’t forget to see the photos that I posted on my fanpage to get more ideas about Kew Gardens.

On The Other Side of Bangkok 2017 Trip

Wat Arun seen from the other side of the river.

For the past few years I travelled to Bangkok to meet my friends and also to see the tourist attractions in the city. I missed it last year and this year when I returned to Bangkok, I found more positive things happening in this city that make it more wonderful. There are more places to visit in Bangkok alone, but here let me share something that I saw in this trip.

Bangkok is one of the biggest cities in South East Asia countries with more than 8.3 million populations with its unique cultures but still consist of different races. It’s always wonderful to return to Bangkok - and there always another Wat to visit, nice places such as floating markets, or new malls that scattered all around the city. Something different this time, I will stay in the Silom area as it will be easier for me to meet my friends that will come from New York.

Motorbike taxi another convenience way to travel in Bangkok. 

Bike rental also available in some places.

Fruits seller at the market.

Another thing that I like about Bangkok is that I can easily take a train directly from the airport straight into the city - in fact directly to the hotel where I stayed (just few meters away from the station). Even though it is easier to take a taxi, well you know travellers like me always want to try something different whenever possible. Some other reason why I prefer to use train in Thailand than taxi is for the traffic condition in Bangkok that always unpredictable.

Met my friends the next morning - they stayed one station away from me. I thought I could walked a little until I found a taxi to go to their hotel. I only found that I already reached the next station, then to safe my time I saw the motorbike taxi (that was the first time I tried it in Bangkok). Morning traffic is busier, so the taxi never get into small alleys. While motorbike taxi, not just cheaper but also faster during this rush hours. Another experienced and I made it to my friend’s place to have out breakfast together.

Waiting for the train at the Silom MRT Station.

Another train lines in the city of Bangkok.

Bangkok seems less crowded (actually it is well arranged this time). Their pedestrian walk also cleaner and sellers in proper strategic places. They also keep their area cleans. It will be much better if they put more rubbish bin, so it will be easier for people to throw away the rubbish. Anyway I believe they will do it soon.

Other than meeting with my friends, I also managed to visit two more tourist attractions in the city. Wat Arun, always on renovation for the past few years of my visit to Thailand and now it’s open again to visitors. In order to visit it, I need to go to the pier near Wat Pho, well why not I visit this another wonderful attraction.

Directory of Wat Pho.

Walking around the vicinity of Wat Pho.

Another sight that you will be amazed with.

Wat Pho is one of oldest temples in Bangkok with its function as royal temples. It is associated with King Rama 1 that reigned from 1782 to 1809. It was originally known as Wat Photaram or Podharam, from which the Wat Pho is derived. Also located in this complex is Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn a group of four large stupas, each with 42 meters high. You will notice how big it is until you get close to it (and it almost impossible to get it into your photo). Here more than thousands of Buddha images can be found include the largest reclining Buddha with size of 15 meters high and 46 meters long.

Wat Pho also considered as the earliest centre for public education in Thailand. Here houses the school of Thai medicine and also known as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage - and still taught and practiced until today. It will take few hours if you really want to see all the details of this complex. There are many stories for every buildings and statues that placed all over the places.

Among thousand of Buddha Statues at Wat Pho.

Wall painting at the temple of Reclining Buddha.

Many other statues can be found all over the places.

From Wat Pho you can just walk to the pier where you can take boat to cross the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun that looks majestic from afar. For the past few years Wat Arun was under long restoration works and only open again recently to the tourist. Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan the full name of Wat Arun derives its name from the Hindu god Aruna, can be seen as the morning light when the first light in the morning reflected from its pearly iridescence surface. Wat Arun can be seen from afar for its central prang (Khmer-style tower) has height up to 86 m (282 ft.) - there’s no official height measurement done so far. Wat Arun surely become the best iconic temple to see from the other side of the river. It’s also one of the best photos object during sunsets and night time as the light hitting its surface make it looks shining.

Crossing the river to visit the Wat Arun.

The surrounding area of Wat Arun.

The fence of War Arun.

Wat Arun is totally different from any other Wat here in Bangkok as it’s resemble giant stupa instead of temple. Anyway they are stairs to climb up to some points from each of its sides. Anyway tourist can only climb to the first level - it will be nice if we can climb little bit higher. All around the Wat there are many other ancient Chinese figures of soldiers and animals that make it more attractive to see. All I can say, it’s nice that I can make here at last.

At the entrance.

Climbing stairs to the first level.

Tiny pieces of porcelain decorated the temple.

For this visit I used many other public transports provided in Bangkok includes Grab Taxi, MRT, motorbike taxi, boat and BTS. It is so convenience to travel around as Bangkok is popular with its traffic jam. With all the improvement in Bangkok, the tourist industries will keep on flourishing to boost its economy.