Of quirky museums and more

The London Canal Museum; Source: Wikipedia

Off-beat, quirky, not to mention eccentric; where else but in London would you find museums dedicated to just about anything?

Museums may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you have to appreciate the fact that London plays host to an array of them, no matter what the subject or how odd.

From a canal museum, to one on tennis, just name it and it’s here.

“It’s fascinating,” says student Seby Fernandes, speaking of his amazement at discovering that London has a museum for literally everything.

“I’ve been in London for a year, and take every opportunity to visit the most eccentric museums I can find. My all time favourites are the Horniman and the Jewish museums,” he adds.

Talk about odd!

Fancy discovering a museum that features only stationery. Well, the Smythson Stationery Museum on Bond Street does just that.

mindZgap ventured deeper, and found that the quaint little museum actually doubles as one of London’s oldest stationery shops.

Entry is free and it’s packed with wartime memorabilia like telegrams, old engraved dye stamps and stationery from the colonial days back in India.

There’s also the Museum of Childhood, a couple of minutes walk from Bethnal Green tube station.

As the name suggests, you can find just about anything related to when you were a child here.

From exquisite dolls houses (the largest collection in Britain, mind you!), to Victorian-style clothes and toys galore, the displays make for the perfect trip down memory lane.

For more of an ‘artsy’ theme, then why not visit the first and only museum in the world (that’s what the museum claims!), devoted entirely to every aspect of fans and fan making.

More than 3,500 fans from around the world, predominantly antiques dating back to the 11th century constitute the collections on display.

If bizarre is what you’re after, the Museum of Freemasonry should do the trick. With an extensive collection of Masonic engravings, photographs, pottery, and items that belonged to Winston Churchill, you won’t be disappointed.

For more information on quirky museums that might take your fancy, check-out www.britainexpress.com or www.talkingcities.co.uk

Strange, but true degrees

Britain is host to some of the most strangest degrees in the world; Source: Naveen Kumar

 

Host to some of the largest, most conventional degrees in the world, British higher education also has another side to it – a more quirky side.

England is by far where you want to be when it comes to pursuing an educational degree.

To keep its head afloat in this highly lucrative business, the UK has had to branch out beyond its narrow range of academic courses to include some very eclectic vocational and specialist degrees.

From acupuncture to wine, aromatherapy, pig and poultry production, knitwear and folk music, have your pick!

As the only degree of its kind in the world, a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Golf Management Studies does actually exist.

“The University of Birmingham, in collaboration with the Professional Golfer’s Association  (PGA) aims at a generic approach to sport and golf”, says the University website.

Richard Lenis, an ex-student of the course told mindZgap, “ This degree is not a walk in the park, as some people think. It is as difficult and strenuous, if not harder, just like any other course.”

Who you gonna call?

If investigating spooks, haunted houses and the survival of bodily death is where you’re interests lie, then this next course will be just perfect.

Tony Lawrence, director of the two-year parapsychology course in a BBC article says, “Coventry University offers a two-year Masters programme in Parapsychology. It is less about Hammer House of Horrors and more about proper methodology.  It promises “an honest, open systematic examination of the evidence for these exceptional human experiences.

Students will use yoga and meditation to extend or enhance their personal development.”

The surf is on… In an interview with the BBC, the principal of Swansea Institute, which has a degree in Surf and Beach Management “maintains it is not a ‘Mickey Mouse’ course”. Professor David Warner said graduates would gain a valid qualification for the tourism industry that would lead to meaningful employment, are his claims to negative comments , such as “Surfing is a hobby, not a subject”. So where should universities draw the line, in light of their courses bordering on absurdity? I personally feel, that in order to survive, courses are just going to get even more imaginative, to attract thousands of young people from across the globe. With the government target at educating one in three, what more can be expected?

 

 

More than a funny red nose

Red Nose Day posters are plastered at Sainsbury’s, red noses are being sold in every street corner, Let’s Dance for Comic Relief has dominated Saturday night TV and a bunch of celebrities have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. And all for what?

Well, all these campaigns and activities are in aid of Comic Relief, a charity that aims for ‘a just world’ free from poverty.

For 22 years, it has been running campaigns and activities which people can take part in to raise money for a good cause.

The BBC and Sainsbury’s are two of its biggest supporters says Time Out. That explains the posters!

Talking to mindZgap, Michelle Hannon, an employee at Sainsbury’s in Watford, Hertfordshire, feels a sense of pride to belong to an organisation that supports Comic Relief so ardently.

“We have had a good response this year, in spite of the recession. Our red noses sell like hotcakes and our customers are always inquiring about ways in which they can contribute.”

Do Something Funny For Money!

An article in the BBC reveals, “All donations go to different projects and schemes that support people suffering in both, Britain and Africa. Fund raising happens throughout the year and builds up to a live show, this year on 13 March.”

An interesting fact I picked up from the official Red Nose Day website, “Red Nose Day swings round every two years, this being its twelfth year in the running since 1988.”

Although Comic Relief generates a positive response from people most of the time, some like Mark Eglinton have a few questions.

Eglinton, a retired school teacher, has been contributing to the charity for two years now, and wants proof of how exactly his money has benefited kids in Africa.

“All I want to see is a bit more evidence of the good that is being done. For instance, if the charity was to say, oh, we bought new benches for the kids to sit on in this school, then that would be enough,” he told mindZgap.

So maybe Comic Relief needs to iron out a couple of issues, but in the end it’s for a deserving cause and raises millions of pounds for charity.

According to the website TV.com, “One of the most fundamental principles of Comic Relief is the ‘Golden Pound Principle.’ This means that every penny donated goes straight to the people who need it. Salaries and all operating costs are paid for by sponsors.”

No one’s asking you to climb Kilimanjaro or to make a national spectacle of yourself on tele, just put a red nose on your conk, and Do Something Funny For Money.

Treasures out of a car boot

Whether you are looking to integrate with British life and bag a bargain, or both, why don’t you swing by a car boot sale?

If you don’t have the faintest idea what they are all about, the clue is in the word itself.

A car boot sale is just that. CAR. BOOT. SALE. Selling things out of a car’s boot.

Britain is legendary for them, and they happen all over the country, mainly on a Saturday or Sunday during the summer.

A car boot sale in the UK; Source: Wikipedia

Some do run throughout the year though. So, there will always be one in walking distance or a bus drives reach from you.

A school playground or field or even an open area play host to these jumble sales on wheels.

Booti-ful bargains

Although most items are second-hand, they appear to be brand new.

Vintage clothing is on sale next to toys, cheap running shoes next to second-hand electronic goods.

A ‘car booter’ for ten years now, Lou Rogan told mindzgap, “I just love checking out car boot sales, because you never know what you may come across.

Over the years I have got some fabulous bargains for under a fiver, like a beautiful writing desk for my daughter.”

Keep your eyes peeled.Your local newspaper will provide details of the closest one to you or you can even check online to check venues and timings.

So, instead of being cooped up inside on a Sunday morning, go bag yourself a boot-iful bargain.There is bound to be one about!

London alternative

Yes. London. Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Harrods, Madame Tussauds. London!

People thrashing it out at Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park; Source: Daniel C.

But, if you have the opportunity to live in London for a substantial amount of time, you should certainly do more than just the obvious attractions.

For instance, have you ever wondered what really goes on “behind the scenes” of your favourite television show? Well, now you have the chance to find out.

Many popular shows actually give out free tickets to provide people with the opportunity to be a part of their studio audience and (best of all) get on telly for no extra cost!

Having got the opportunity to sit in on a recording of itv’s Loose Women was a dream come true for fan Hazel D’Souza. “It was an unforgettable experience,” Hazel told mindZgap with a twinkle in her eye.

“It is well worth checking out how a show is put together and you can get to see a new series many months before it is screened. Besides, interacting with the stars was just mind-blowing,” she said.

Websites like hattrick.co.uk or tvrecordings.com can help you locate and reserve free tickets for shows that take your fancy.

Order..Order in the House!

If you happen to be in central London, then why not pop in to attend a House of Commons or Lords Session. It could be right up your street!

The tradition and history surrounding Westminster, right from its wig-wearing judges to the verbal duels during Prime Minister’s Question Time is an experience not to be missed.

For recent and forthcoming Sessions in the Houses of Commons and Lords, check out The Weekly Information Bulletin on the official UK Parliament site.

Another unique way to experience an alternative London is by working as a Match Steward at a Football match.

From checking tickets to sneaking-a-peak of the match, this is one way you can immerse yourself in true British culture, while making a quick buck at the same time.

Match Steward Roy Almeida who frequently works at Wembley Stadium said, “I normally work at Wembley on a Saturday. As I have only been in the UK for six months now, working part-time as a steward has opened up a whole other side of Britain to me – a more relaxed atmosphere spent just having fun with friends and family, in comparison to the humdrum and stress of normal life.”

To find out more on how to find jobs as a Match Steward, visit jobs.trovit.co.uk.

Your stay in London would be largely incomplete if you do not make at least, one trip to Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park.

Considered as one of this cities most eccentric attractions, anyone who has an opinion to air and anyone who cares to listen, can gather at this iconic place, which has somewhat been lost to email and online chat rooms.

Open conversations can quickly turn into loud and contentious debates. If you have a mind to take part, then feel free to join or otherwise just stand on the sidelines and be prepared to be well and truly entertained.

All you have to do is just dig below the surface to unearth some of London’s most eccentric, yet hugely satisfying attractions, the experience of which encapsulates the core of “Britishness”, although of a different kind