Six and a Half Hours at the ROM

I know that I haven't been regularly updating this blog for some time now.... the truth is that lately, nothing much inspires me to do so.... plus, I've been in the zone for so long (the USMLE zone that is), that any prolonged diversion from the zone inevitably ends in stress and anxiety... we all know what happens once in the blogosphere right?.... it's hard to get out.... I have become classically conditioned to associate blog with said anxiety that even when I do have free time, I usually don't spend it in the blog world anymore....

Luckily, for this much neglected blog, the drought seems to be over.... at least for a while anyways.... This is thanks to blogging friends Gina and Leah, who are now officially real world friends as they became the first bloggers I have ever met in person.... Leah and Gina were kind enough to invite me to join them and their families for an adventure at the Royal Ontario Museum aka the ROM.... I have been eagerly awaiting the return of the dinosaurs since they closed the dinosaur exhibit a few years ago to prepare them for the big move to their new home in the Crystal.... they've been settling into their new home since December now, but like I said I've been in the zone....

I immediately recognized Gina and Tony as they walked towards the ticket line where I was standing.... with a warm greeting hello, I was happy to finally put a voice to the blog.... soon after, Leah, Andrew, and Samantha made their way towards us.... it felt like I knew them all already even though we'd never met in person... with the formalities out of the way, we made our way to find us some lunch... food before dinosaurs, I always say.... we ended up at a sushi place in Yorkville.... Gina even took a picture of my chirashi lunch.... mmmm chirashi.... thanks for the pics Gina!
With full bellies, we headed for the ROM to work it off....Hmmm is this really a museum caliber artifact? I've got a few of those in my closet....
I love salakot....reminds me of a wall in my bedroom....Say cheese...The ROM's old facade peeking through the new Crystal walls....Tibetan scriptures... FREE TIBET! This is the mummy of Antjau circa 715-525 BC....
He was the son of Ankhhor, and the husband of Tjesnitperet..... He was not given any titles, but may have been a wealthy landowner or trader....He was a descendant of Libyan mercenaries on his mother's side....
Gina poses by an Egyptian tomb.....
Turn around Gina and Tony....Say cheese....Contemplating Anciet Egypt.....Discussing Ancient Egypt.....
Tony, Leah and I contemplating Ancient Egypt.... (pic pilfered from Gina, thanks Gina!)Little boy contemplates Ancient Egypt....
slow down lady, take the time to contemplate the wonders of the ancient world.....Don't rest on your laurels, no matter how golden they may be.... from the Ancient Rome and Greece collection ....
Hark! Are the Dinos back?.....
Yes they are! Tyrannosaurus rex.....
Say cheese.... yikes, never mind!
Big ass Barosaurus lentus.... His name is Gordo...



















Gordo was "discovered" in the ROM vaults in 2007.... he had been in the ROM since 1962, but had been stored away as separate collections of bones..... when it was realized that he was actually one big skeleton, he was mounted to make the largest dinosaur skeleton on display in Canada.... he is 27 m (90 feet) long....
And to think, Gordo was a vegetarian.... How you get so big eating food of this kind?
Say cheese Gordo.....
A baby Gordo.....
Stegosaurus sp. ....
Horned dinosaur, Chasmosaurus belli....
Allosaurus fragilis.....
Giant Sea Turtle Archelon ischyodus....
Giant Fish Xiphactinus audax.... Mushu's distant cousin?
Albertosaurus libratus beside a smaller "Toronto" Raptor (Deinonychus antirrhopus Torontonius)....
Sorry, can you tell I like dinosaurs? Last one I promise.... This is Q, he's a Pterosaur or Pterydactyl Quetzalcoatlus northropi.... one of the largest known flying creatures of all time.... Q has a wingspan of 12 m or 39 feet....
I lied, a couple more... Pteranodon sternbergi....
Say cheese...
okay bye dinos....hello bats....
Are you looking at me?....
Galapagos Giant Tortoise.... these guys were alive and kickin' it pretty good in front of everybody to see.... Leah told Samantha that the boy tortoise was just itchy.... ba-dump-bump....
Say cheese....
Despite all the well deserved hype about the architectural wonder of the new ROM Crystal, my favourite architectural wonder of the ROM is still the rotunda.... the old main entrance....
That All Men May Know His Work.....
Wow that was a lot of pictures eh? Well, it was a 6 hour day afterall. A great day, I even got a present at the end from Leah, and Gina and Tony drove me home.... What a great bunch of peeps eh?Thanks again guys, hope you had a great long weekend.... until the next adventure I'll see you in the blogosphere. Cheers!

Say cheese....
TECHNORATI TAGS: ROM, Royal Ontario Museum