http://london.cafebabel.com/en/ This is the Babelian space dedicated to all things London en Tue, 11 Nov 2008 11:34:43 +00:00 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Dotclear http://london.cafebabel.com/en/post/2007/07/25/The-Science-Museum urn:md5:370f942d69c6461f385656f1bf6cf6b3 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:59:00 +02:00 Karo London is... <p>The Science Museum by Nina</p> <p><img src="http://london.cafebabel.com/public/london/operation_1846.jpg" alt="Operation" /></p> <p>Another offbeat thing to do in London is to check out the British Science Museum's exhibits on the history of medicine. It certainly gives you an appreciation for modern technology - for better or worse.</p> <p>In the display you'll find old medical instruments that you would think had been used to torture prisoners, not to heal patients. Pacemakers were the size of a 4x4, a roof-shaft made for a blood-cooling device, kidney dialysis was performed with what looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.</p> <p>There is also a section with sculptures depicting the historical evolution of medicine. It really shows how far we've come in the last 2000 years. In the earliest days, the museum shows how the cavemen believed that sickness was caused by demons in the brain, so they'd use rocks to make holes in peoples' skulls to let the demons escape. On the Roman battlefield, soldiers would be healed in private homes. During the Medieval times, cathedrals served as hospitals. During battles at sea in the 17th to 19th centuries, some people got limbs amputated without anything but a shot of whisky and a piece of leather to bite on for comfort.</p> <p>Even on land, people were not drugged before surgical operations up through the mid-1800s. The surgeon would perform operations in a suit and bare hands and other people could stand around and observe. Until the early 20th century, doctors' offices were normally just a furnished room in their house (sometimes this is still around today, but is rare).</p> <p>After looking at how much things have evolved even in the last 50 years, I would rather wait another 50 years and let things evolve even more before my next doctor's appointment!</p> http://london.cafebabel.com/en/post/2007/07/25/The-Science-Museum#comment-form http://london.cafebabel.com/en/post/2007/07/25/The-Science-Museum#comment-form http://london.cafebabel.com/en/feed/rss2/comments/6 http://london.cafebabel.com/en/post/2007/07/24/Living-in-London-is urn:md5:c24384880020f3a5cee3b0ebf6605de8 Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:57:00 +02:00 Karo London is... <p>Living in London is… by Laura</p> <p>Welcome to this interactive category of the blog !</p> <p>Our goal is to share and exchange insider knowledge of the Global City with you newcomer, temporary resident, Londoner born and bred, expat, city-hopper or future Londoner for life! All comments welcome!</p> <p>Brick Lane.</p> <p>Home of the Bangladeshi and the ‘alternative’ communities, prepare for the multi-kulti journey Brick Lane will take you through. For those who have had a spell at living in Berlin, welcome back! This area of the city has the same indie, alternative edge the German capital is renowned for. Live-in bars, beer gardens, clubs, live concerts, open-air art exhibitions, sheesha lounges, second hand stores, there’s no other place in London to chill out on a lazy or rainy week-end.</p> <p>Hungry? Stop off for a bagel to whet your appetite at the top end of the street. The two neck-to-necks bagel shops offer the best New York buns in town as the steady queues indicate. Mint tea in one of the hazy Middle-Eastern sheesha lounges will wash down the snack and allow you unwind in their cushy chairs and eavesdrop the foreign conversations around you. Alternatively, hop into Benglatown in the southern part of the street for a budget and tasty meal from the sub-continent. Be sure to haggle the offers waiters waiting outside their restaurants will throw at you. Generally no alcohol on the menu so bring your own bottle from one of the near-by corner shops if you want to splash out.</p> <p>One of the Indie crowd? Then dress the part! Leggings, bright neon tights, golden shoes, Robert Smith-like hairstyles, keffiehs, Converses full of holes. You’re going to have to in order to mingle with the art students, graphic designers, entrepreneurs of all sorts oozing coolness and detachment as they stroll in the Lane coffee in one hand and shades on their noses. Browse through the independent designer or second-hand clothes shops or through the adjacent indoor markets for that unique present you’ve been eying for your best bud. Vinyls, vintage dresses, past issues of Vogue, quirky household objects all available and exposed to the Fashionista’s heart content.</p> http://london.cafebabel.com/en/post/2007/07/24/Living-in-London-is#comment-form http://london.cafebabel.com/en/post/2007/07/24/Living-in-London-is#comment-form http://london.cafebabel.com/en/feed/rss2/comments/3