Greenwich and Grumblings

Friday the 18^th dawned relatively brightly.  We were excited, still, from our big night out to see TINA. Breakfast at this very convenient and not quite ‘sketchy’ hotel was definitely a ‘continental buffet.’  A tiny basement eating area, a lady whose job for two hours is to make toast and keep it coming, a basket of croissants and a second of boiled eggs was about it.  There were cold cereals and blessedly hot coffee and hot tea.  But we are easy to please luckily.  A hot beverage and something to take the edge off and we are happy.

We gathered our things from our rooms and set out to explore the city. A couple of short blocks and we found the nearest Hop On Hop Off Bus.  It was called the BigBus.  It was 45 GBP for a two day ticket, which exchanges at a rate of $1.21 to the pound.  We were using the bus because we find them convenient to get where we want to go and usually they do.  But London was grumbling this weekend.

Double demonstrations have traffic diverting everywhere.  Our taxi took twice the time and cost from the airport yesterday.  The bus today was a nice ride.  We changed routes at the Marble Arch to go toward Westminster.  The bus bypassed a few of the ‘sights to see’ but did get close enough so that we could transfer to the included boat for the tour to Greenwich.  

Because Elva is now using a cane full time when we are out and about there are some advantages for all of us!  Thanks Elva. Escorted by way of a separate, very level path along the Thames, we were placed aboard at the very front and ahead of the rest of the crowd.  Great seats and smooth sailing.  The views of the city were so different from the calm of the river.  No hustle, no bustle, no diversions, no protestors! The sun came out to shine on us as we left Westminster and the complicated Houses of Parliament behind and passed the London Eye, The Shard, and the Pickle.  

The Parliment building seen through the front window.  Westminster Bridge with an iconic double decker bus, and the Elizabeth II Tower.  The clock is finally uncovered from the restoration but you never do see Big Ben.  Ben is the massive bell that tolls the hours in lovely London town.

St. Paul's dome, second in size only to the dome of St. Peter's in the Vatican. The skyline of a small portion of the one square mile of the City of London.

We paused briefly at Tower Dock to let some people on and off before we continued under Tower Bridge.  This is not to be confused with London Bridge which is admired by the many visitors to Lake Havasu city, Arizona!  The guide pointed out St Paul’s cathedral of the famous black and white floor you might remember from the wedding of Charles and Diana.  We passed Whitechapel which I am sure you know this Halloween season is the home of Jack the Ripper! 

After passing some retired military boats and a cargo ship from Brazil we turned the corner at Cannery Wharf and many little sail boats.  The mud flats of Oliver Twist were on our right and very expensive loft dwellings on our left.  The Cutty Sark came into sight!

We had reached Greenwich where the Royal Naval Academy still trains sailors but more of the college classes than the sailing ones.  The Maritime Museum takes up much of the space but students flowed in and out of buildings as classes changed.  We walked past the famed last tea merchant sailing ship, Cutty Sark, stopping only to peak into the glass surround to see the hull and marvel at the height of the ship when not in water.  We also saw many mastheads of various sizes and descriptions.  Of course there were busts or full bodies of women but also dolphins and dragons.

At the top of the street was the park where Elva chose to enjoy the infrequently seen sun from the comfort of a park bench.  Carol and I made our way across the large field and up a steep paved incline to the Observatory and the Flamstead House.  The site was selected by Christopher Wren and the design commissioned by Charles the II in 1675!  The first Royal Astronomer was John Flamstead who came up with the standardization of telling time that the ships at sea could use.  

Our view. across the broad park, from the Observatory pathway.

Here also is the ‘time ball.’  This was installed in 1833 and is highly visible to ships in port and others.  The large, bright red ball, drops at precisely 1:00 pm GMT or Greenwich Mean Time.  Most of us still call it that although since 1935 it has officially become Universal Time.  Calculations are now made intragalactically but we use the name that harkens back to when the ball was dropped manually and not by the Shepherd Master Clock.  And just so you know, this is where we get the phrase ‘keep your eye on the ball.’  The Master of a sailing vessel would have a man whose job it was to do just that – keep his eye on the ball so the ship timepieces could be set and recorded.

Of course for me the highlight was to stand with one foot on either side of the Prime Meridian Line.  It has been a goal ever since I did the same to the Equator!  Just as the rain begin I accomplished it!  Then, because we time things carefully, we moved into the buildings and avoided being drenched by the ‘English sunshine!’

 

We did need to pop our bumbershoots up briefly as we left the building but then the rain stopped.  Elva had wisely vacated her bench and crossed the street to the Greenwich tavern to have a bowl of steaming hot sweet potato soup.  We joined her as we had planned and each had a light lunch of a fish cake and a Diet Coke.

Under the warming sun we made our way back to the City Circle boat and the guides nicely had more things to point out to us so that the ride was not the same.  At the Tower Dock we left the boat and made our way back to the BigBus.  This may or may not have worked out the best way possible.  Remember the route diversions? By now they were even more diverse.

We wanted to go to St. Paul’s but the bus route no longer permitted it so we got off at the recommended stop.  We had good directions but it was quite a long walk and uphill.  I guess that was to be expected since we were leaving the riverside.  I interrupt myself here to say that the Brits are delightful polite and helpful.  Everyone we stopped for directions or to re-verify them never hesitated to pause in the rushing to be wherever they had to be to help us get where we wanted to go.  So very kind.

The original Blackfriars building.  A pub, of course!

We did make our way to St. Paul’s but the inside was closed for the day.  We went round the corner to One New Centre to go up to the rooftop bar, not for a drink but for the view.  I discovered this in August when Adam and Claire took Ruth and me there.  Although it is only on the 6^th floor of the shopping center you are at eye level with the dome of St. Paul’s and have a nice view of the major sights including all the way from the tower of London to Westminster!  I highly recommend it if you are heading to London, especially because free is the best price.

Leaving the sunset behind us we made our way to the bus stop.  After a pretty long wait we were just crossing the street use the rest room at the McDonald’s when we saw the bus coming.  We didn’t know that because of the lane closures, reversed one way streets, and road diversions that the bus line was not running after five p.m.  That was the last bus!  There were a lot of us gathering to take the ride hoping to enjoy the city lights.  Other Hop Ons came along and when we asked the drivers they said they had seen our brand at the last stop but none ever came.  Apparently they decided to change the route.

We decided it was getting too late to make our way back and still go out to find dinner.  Remember, we had been in London only about 36 hours after a very long flight and a very busy two days of tourism.  We ate at McDonald’s, hailed a taxi, enjoyed our nearly hour ride to the hotel, and called it a night!

So today was full of Greenwich - amazing must see, and Grumblings – climate warriors, Bexitists, and mine!