{"id":19009,"date":"2018-11-02T06:10:03","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T06:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/?p=19009"},"modified":"2018-11-02T06:19:43","modified_gmt":"2018-11-02T06:19:43","slug":"cultured-kids-32","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thesojournseries.com\/bavaria\/cultured-kids-32\/","title":{"rendered":"Cultured Kids #32"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Our
Our Lake District Neighbours<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Half term has already been and gone for most, and here we are in November already<\/em>.<\/p>\n

For our half term break, we introduced the Small People to one of my favourite parts of the UK – The Lake District.\u00a0 Although we spent a lot of the time hiking (with an interlude of a day out at Blackpool in the middle!!) and exploring places like Castlerigg<\/a>, but we did manage to cram in a few doses of culture along the way.<\/p>\n

\"exploring
exploring Castlerigg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Lakes (not unsurprisingly perhaps given the beautiful inspiration on the doorstep has a huge arts & crafts scene, and also boasts many galleries and museums.\u00a0 \u00a0If you happen to be in the area, then I really recommend a visit to Keswick’s Art Gallery and Museum<\/a>. It’s not huge, but it is packed to the rafters with amazing historical artefacts found in and around Keswick, from mummified cats, to trays and trays of delicate bird eggs collected in Victorian times (a sweet sign perched on top says “this is not something we would dream of doing today, but we must all learn from our mistakes<\/em>!) and I bet you haven’t seen a geological piano anywhere else either? We also managed to catch the exhibit on the life of a local who happens to be one of the world’s best mountaineers,\u00a0 Sir Chris Bonington<\/a> who is truly inspirational to someone like me who’s knees felt a bit funny at the top of the Zugspitze<\/a> which in comparison to some of the mountains he’s climbed is a mere hill…<\/p>\n

\"Slate
Geological Piano made from a type of slate. Sounds amazing!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We also managed a visit to the small but perfectly formed Derwent Pencil Museum<\/a> where I could spend a small fortune on their exquisite pencils that come in all colours of the rainbow and beyond (more on this Museum and many other Keswick attractions soon).<\/p>\n

\"Keswick
Biggest Pencil in the World apparently!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here I had perhaps one of my favourite moments of our entire break.\u00a0 I\u00a0suggested my older two might like to take part in the drawing demonstration, and catch up with me later (I was busy trying to read all the information boards with a squirming toddler). Some ten minutes later they reappeared.\u00a0 Somewhat surprised at how little time had passed, I asked whether they had finished, to which my 13 year old replied “a man just came and sat down very still and didn’t say anything, so we waited for a while and then left”. It turned out he was the life model. Whilst they are used to still life drawing (my daughter especially was obsessed with making me look like a pushy parent and spent hours drawing in art galleries<\/a> when she was tiny!), this was their first encounter with a life model…<\/p>\n

Anyway, if you hadn’t guessed already it’s that time again. We would love to hear what cultural things you have been up to over half term too, be it art, gallery, museum, music, travel, dance or theatre based…<\/p>\n

Favourites of posts of CulturedKids #31 hosts,\u00a0 Scarlett of Diary of a Londoness and Catherine of Cultural Wednesdays were Museum Mum’s Michael Jackson on the Wall at the NPG<\/a>,\u00a0 Explore Phnom Penh with Kids<\/a> By Go Live Young,\u00a0 Walk the Streets of Danish History<\/a> by Oregon Girl Around the World and Shetland With Kids by Scots 2 Travel\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n