Back to the UK after 50 years

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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

 

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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.

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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.

 

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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