We prepared for an amble round the Victoria and Albert museum with a beer and Lebanese food in South Kensington. This is the way to spend a Friday night. I think the V&A is amazing, personally. It is free, architecturally elegant, and groaning with actual treasure – such as the following:

Indian C18 painting of a “composite bull”, the work of some loopy Rajasthani Arcimboldo. I especially like the natty avian hooves.

This must be a sculpture of Achilles being dipped in the styx by his mother Thetis, rendering all his body except for his heel invincible. Also known as ‘Michael Jackson’s dangle gambit’.

A beautiful screen from a Mogul palace, finely carved from stone. Imagine that. Islamic artisans could not include figurative designs in their work for religious reasons. Thus they became masters of embellishing Qu’rans and palaces with decorative calligraphy and geometrical patterns. Shame they don’t do this in India any more. If someone one was knocking them out now they’d probably be all wonky and with lots of broken bits all stuck together with toothpaste.