Back to the UK after 50 years

[OZDUCK]

This TR has been delayed again because we have 'visitors'. Our DIL had to travel back to Taiwan with her parents and is trying to sort out some medical problems for them So we are having our son and grandson stay with us for two weeks. My son runs his own business and usually starts work around 05:00. So we are looking after our grandson during the day except for two days a week at daycare. He is a very nice kid but also a very active 3 1/2 year old and we certainly aren't that anymore.

Anyway onto the second day in London. This was a much quieter day. We had a late start as our German friend was coming from Paris on the Eurostar and was then going to drop her bag at our place before joining us for a visit to Greenwich. We eventually got away around 10:30.

We walked down to Cadogan Pier on the Chelsea Embankment to catch the Uber Boat. This was about a 1.6km walk.

We passed the Battersea Bridge and the Albert Bridge' It was very cloudy and we had some early drizzle.









Once again we had a interesting trip on the Thames.

The London Peace Pagoda (1985) at Battersea Park



The Battersea Powerhouse



With all the expensive apartments on top Battersea Power Station Apartments



As you can see - Vauxhall Bridge



A little mound to rest on



Palace of Westminster



The Millennium Bridge

 

[OZDUCK]

This time we passed under Tower Bridge







There are numerous apartment developments on this part of the Thames on the old wharf areas





The 'curved' building in the background is the Fenchurch Building - known as the "walkie talkie". The next day we went up it to the viewing platforms on the 36 - 38th floors.

 

[OZDUCK]

We got off at Greenwich Jetty. This vessel was moored just a little upstream






The Cutty Sark Cutty Sark - Wikipedia







Our main objective was to walk up the hill to take in the views from near the observatory.

The gates to the parkland





It is quite a steep hill up to the viewing point and I think my wife was hoping for a payout from my life insurance policies when when she took this photo



But the views are worth the effort. We were lucky enough to get a little bit of sunshine during this part of the day









The O2 arena. The building with the four chimneys is the Greenwich Power Station



There is a monument to General Wolfe. The General who captured Quebec City from the French in 1759. Both he and his opponent Montcalm died as a result of this battle.



It was interesting to see that this monument was unveiled by a descendant of his defeated foe. That damage is from shrapnel during WW2.



The observatory and the dropping of the time ball at the

 

[OZDUCK]

Our next stop was at the National Maritime Museum. Unfortunately when we got there I found out that the Nelson, Naval , Nation Gallery was temporarily closed. That gallery was one of the main reasons I had wanted to visit.

National Maritime Museum

Discover epic stories of exploration and endeavour that have shaped our world today

www.rmg.co.uk

5 metre long model of the WW2 battleship HMS King George V that took part in the sinking of the Bismarck



The dog collar of a dog that was owned by Admiral Nelson



The result of what I think was probably the most egregious destruction of a historic artifact in the recent history of the UK. The remnants of the HMS Implacable - "She was originally the French Navy's Téméraire-class ship of the line Duguay-Trouin, launched in 1800. She survived the Battle of Trafalgar only for the British to capture her at the subsequent Battle of Cape Ortegal." Having survived the Battle of Trafalgar and then being captured she was in active service in the Royal Navy until 1844. Then she spent decades as a training ship.

HMS Implacable (1805) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Film of the scuttling

A Royal Barge

















Some salvaged figureheads



This photo shows how big they can be

 

[OZDUCK]

Back to the town











We walked under the river via the Greenwich Foot Tunnel. There are numerous signs all through the tunnel stating that bikes must not be ridden but only pushed. The signs were ignored by 90% of the bike riders we saw. A YouTube video I saw explained that because the tunnel is controlled by two different 'councils' on either side of the river who can't agree what day of the week it is the rules and regulations have not be updated for decades. The fine for riding a bike is Two Shillings.





Apparently it is common for the lifts at either end of the tunnel to be out of order but luckily they were both working on that day









There was some bomb damage to the tunnel in 1940



The repaired part of the tunnel is noticeably smaller.

 

[OZDUCK]

We then caught the Docklands Light Railway at the Island Gardens Station



The DLR to central London passes through the redeveloped Canary Wharf area.

A relative of mine





Limehouse Basin





We went dack to our apartment and then hooked up with some more German friends. We were all going to attend the reunion in Cambridge.

The group of us had a perfectly fine 'suburban Italian' meal together.





Their version of Garlic Bread

 

[Flyfrequently]

Did you get to the Fenchurch Building @OZDUCK ?

 

[OZDUCK]

Did you get to the Fenchurch Building @OZDUCK ?
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View attachment 528063

Yes - we were there the next morning. That visit will be in my next lot of photos. Just one to go on with.

 

[Noah Count]

No intention of hijacking - in general I do not read TRs about the UK or EU as I have lived there as a kid and an adult. I trust you do not mind as I have taken some screen shots of your photos and sent them to my dad asking have you been there or have we gone there and in most cases the answer was yes. The other reason I like your TR is for reasons I was not prepared for - earlier this year I had a 4 day work trip to the UK, war in the middle east broke out and I got stuck. My wife would call to tell me I was not on holiday and the priority was to get back home. I was living day by day in London and going to sites I had not been to for many years and after a while I got board. Mum and Dad came to the rescue and before long I was staying at villages I did not know existed and then into Scotland, it was a case of staying with family and friends but not wearing out your welcome. 4 days became many weeks and your TR photos highlight some of the things I should have got to or revisited.

 

[OZDUCK]

No problems with sending the screen shots. I am glad that my photos have been of interest/use to you.

 

[OZDUCK]

The next morning a group of Australians and Germans who were attending the reunion went to the Sky Garden - "the capital’s highest public garden, it showcases two destination bars and two beautiful restaurants, alongside a range of private hire options for events. Visiting the Sky Garden is free but spaces are limited. Visits must be booked in advance through this site, and can be made up to three weeks in advance." It is on the top three floors (36 - 38) of the Fenchurch building that is in the City of London financial district. Londoners have nicknamed it the "walkie talkie' because of its shape. You have to pass through a security checker with scanners and x ray machines before admission. "Free access to the public is provided in 60-minute slots, until 18:00 on weekdays or 21:00 on weekends & Bank Holidays, after which the garden is available only to paying customers of the catering facilities" There are outside terraces with glass walls about 2 metres high.

"During the building's construction, it was discovered that for a period of up to two hours each day if the sun shines directly onto the building, it acts as a concave mirror and focuses light onto the streets to the south. Spot temperature readings at street-level including up to 91 °C (196 °F)and 117 °C (243 °F) were observed -- during summer 2013: the reflection of a beam of light up to six times brighter than direct sunlight shined onto the streets below, damaging parked vehicles, including one on Eastcheap whose owner was paid £946 by the developers for repairs to melted bodywork. Temperatures in direct line with the reflection became so high that City A.M. reporter Jim Waterson used the intense heat to fry an egg in a frying pan set down on the pavement." A permanent awning has since been erected to stop the problem. The same architect designed a building in Las Vegas that also had severe reflected heat problems.

20 Fenchurch Street - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Sky Garden

London's Highest Public Garden

skygarden.london

The building itself. You can see the viewing floors



Nearby is The Monument - commemorating The Great Fire of London in 1666





With a few sitting blocks with appropriate phrases



Inside







St Paul's with the Post Office Tower in the background



The Shard - 95 stories. The highest building in the U.K.







The Gherkin - 30 St Mary Axe - in the middle. I actually thought it was taller than what it is.



A plethora of bridges.

 

[OZDUCK]

More Sky Garden views

HMS Belfast - took part in the sinking of the Battleship/Battlecruiser Scharnhorst during the Battle of the North Cape in December 19433.



Buildings at Canary Wharf and Isle of Dogs



The Tower of London





One of the least surprising labels I have ever seen

 

[OZDUCK]

After the Sky Garden a few of us wandered around the financial district area.



A suitably expensive looking drinking fountain



Circa 1668 -said to have been built by Sir Christopher Wren



Formerly National Westminster Bank - 1932



The Bank of England under reconstruction



Royal Exchange - 1844





















A bit of old and new

 

[OZDUCK]

Then we went to Camden Town to meetup with most of the people attending the family reunion

Still not a particularly salubrious area. A fight broke out among some local 'identities' while we were trying to assemble the group



Camden Lock Markets













We had a group meal with around 25 of us. The food was neither cheap or very good. The menu descriptions bore little resemblance tp the actual meals

We can't remember or recognise my wife's meal - perhaps cauliflower. But it was a meal she didn't enjoy and was determined to quickly forget.



Basically bacon and eggs rather than the oven baked deluxe gammon meal I ordered. It also took an excessive amount of time to arrive as 'it needed to be baked longer".



I had no real liking for this area or the markets and would not suggest it as a place to visit. There are lots of comments about it being overrated as a destination and I tend to agree with them. Some of the group went for drinks but we headed off on our own way.

 

[OZDUCK]

Choosing a destination virtually by random we ended up at what seemed a much better market. I don't think I was at all in the mood for Camden Town.

Borough Market

Welcome to Borough Market: a historic market in central London with an emphasis on high quality food, sustainable production and social connection

boroughmarket.org.uk

Borough Market - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It has been at this site in Southwark since 1756 and the current buildings date back to the 1850's. The Shard is nearby.





It is known for gourmet foods. There were also plenty of interesting looking restaurants dotted about.













The railway arches have been incorporated in the market

 

[OZDUCK]

Continuing our walk





A drinking house has been at this location for over 800 years. The building has been rebuilt a number of times over the years, and despite the sign, the current one dates to the 19th C.

The Anchor, Bankside - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Someone puts in a lot of work on the floral side



Reconstructed in 19997. A point of interest is that the driving force behind the reconstruction, Actor and Director Sam Wanamaker, is the father of Zoe Wanamaker - My Family, Poirot plus much much more.

Shakespeare's Globe - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[SYD]

Choosing a destination virtually by random we ended up at what seemed a much better market. I don't think I was at all in the mood for Camden Town.

It has been at this site in Southwark since 1756 and the current buildings date back to the 1850's. The Shard is nearby.

View attachment 528269

It is known for gourmet foods. There were also plenty of interesting looking restaurants dotted about.

The railway arches have been incorporated in the market

We go every visit for oysters!

 

[OZDUCK]

e hen walked across the Millennium Bridge

An interesting light



Looking back towards the Tate Modern





Southwark Bridge and the Tower Bridge



Two great shiny hairless domes



College of Arms



One last sighting of St Paul's

 

[OZDUCK]

We go every visit for oysters!

There seemed to be foods for every appetite there.I would have loved to have tried some of the food but we had just eaten that unsatisfactory meal. The next day we went through it again with the rest of reunion group. But this was done at a run with no chance to sample the local wares.