During a spare hour last week, I visited the Victoria & Albert museum.
I believed I was there to investigate the Oceans Liners: Speed and Style, an exhibition about the ‘romantic and remarkable age of ocean travel’.
I did visit it, but then I bounced tigger-like into the ‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic’ exhibition. I should explain that I was given a year’s membership as a Christmas present, something that makes this sort of impetuousness more economical. One of the members’ benefits is access to the Members Room on the fifth floor, where I had just enjoyed a strong cappuccino. Something that makes this sort of impetuousness more probable.
Inside the Pooh exhibition there was a mock-up of a bridge and stream, together with an introduction to the game of Poohsticks. Sadly the stream was all illusion. The water was a static hard plastic.
I wondered how many children who saw the exhibition – and they vastly outnumbered the juvenile adults like myself, quite rightly – would be inspired to pause over a bridge and play the game over water that was wet and moved. Judging by their expensive-looking urban attire, a minority perhaps.
I was delighted, as all water-readers will be, to find Poohsticks being given its own space indoors in South Kensington. But I did find myself wondering if there were now some city children who believe that they can walk on water.
A deck pool being enjoyed by mannequins at Ocean Liners, Speed and Style:
A strong cappuccino for one in the Members’ Room. Strong enough to need a knife and fork.
