Father Time

24-hour clocks. I'm still getting used to this!

 

The Real Life

Fails…..

So I tried to go to a ballet class. Great idea – only I got lost. I looked up the address and how to get there and ventured off. Two and at least two-foot miles later, I came home. Turns out, the address was for the main road, but the studio was actually on a side street. Oh well! Better luck next week.

I tired to do laundry on Thursday. All I wanted was to wash towels – but they never dried. They were in the drier for 13 hours – drying for about 10. They are STILL wet. Now the adventure will be the Laundromat (no airing cupboard here…there is not top to the cupboard with the water heater so the heat escapes.)

Bonus = lots of time to look around in London. 

The Touristy Life

Successes…

I have an obsession with clocks. Needless to say, I had not qualms about going to a museum all about time! Wednesday, we went to Greenwich Village – home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian.

We walked under the Thames River (all the way under, like to the bottom in a tunnel). 

Foot tunnel under the Thames.

 Sometimes I wish I were Royal (but most of the time I’m glad I’m not). The palace in Greenwich is stunning – massive paintings and elaborate architecture… It was a favorite among the royal families. Today, it houses Trinity College of Music and Greenwich University.

 

The other reason I wish I were Royal – you get things built for you. If I can’t get married in a Castle, I will get married at the Queens House. This stunning classic renaissance home was built by King James I for Queen Ann – can I please marry a man who will build me MY VERY OWN house?! Inside, it has vaulted ceilings and chair rails. In the center of the home, is a cubical foyer – I mean it is a perfect cube. The best part of the house was the Tulip staircase – I’d show you a picture, only photography was forbidden. At the time, tulips were very rare in England but queen Ann loved them and had them planted on her property. The staircase does not have a central support so, as it spirals upwards, each step depends on the previous for support – unbelievable! 

The Queen's House.

Up the hill from the house is the Royal Observatory (it used to be at the Tower of London, but all the birds pooped on the telescope). We hiked up the hill and got an incredible view of London.

 

We looked into the Camera Obscura – a very neat device. You go into this completely dark room and inside is a table on which the scene from outside is reflected. I’m doing a terrible job of describing it. But it was pretty cool.

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/places/royal-observatory/camera-obscura/

 

This is not a painting. It's a reflection!

 

Best part of the day….I straddled the Prime Meridian! That’s right – I was in two places at once!

 

Last summer - the equator. This fall - the prime meridian. Next travel destination – the middle of the Atlantic to tread water at the intersection of the Prime Meridian and the Equator. 

 

The PRIME MERIDIAN.