I blame Herschel for making me feel that I wasn't 100% well-educated until I had seen the British sites - where Shakespeare performed at the Globe, where Henry chopped off the heads, and where the East and West meet at the Greenwich Meridian. I have always wanted to be that cheesy tourist who stands with one foot in the west, and the other in the east. And now I can say that I have done it! Did I feel cut in half or perfectly symmetrical at that moment? Well no.. I mostly felt embarrassed by all the other cheesy tourists waiting to have their pictures taken on this historic ground. Still, it was worth it! And, I have the cheesy grin to prove it!
The Greenwich Maritime Museum - with a sterling collection of toy boats..
We think this is the top of Greenwich Cathedral - anyone out there know? Either way, it's beautifully ornate.
This one is for you, Mom! This is Sir William Herschel's telescope. Perhaps the very one that he used to discover Uranus and found Herschel.
Approaching the moment of truth..
Getting closer... our little feet on East and West waiting in the queue.
Abstractedly, architecturally and practically splitting the world in half.
Ta daaa!!!! I think I am more West than East in this picture but that is probably true in life as well! So peops, this is it - the Greenwich Meridian. Not sure it's worth all the hoo-ha but I guess it's novel to say that you've seen it. At least they don't charge you to stand there.
Cape Town represents!! But why are we grouped with Sydney? Sorry! I think I am frustrated by the fact that every second American thinks I'm Australian! Now really! South Africa - we need to represent and give our accents more air time! We have 46 million people and Australia has 26.. clearly the Aussies are getting out more!
Greenwich park with Canary Wharf skyline in the background. Looks like a good picnic spot!
http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/conMediaFile.5351/Our-Lady-Star-of-the-Sea-Church-Crooms-Hill-Greenwich.html
ReplyDeleteThanks AlexAlice!! The mysterious steeple is as follows:
ReplyDeleteIn 1793 the Roman Catholic church of Our Lady Star of the Sea was built at Crooms Hill, Greenwich. It catered mainly for Catholic seamen at the nearby Royal Hospital. Irish-born seamen at the Hospital formed most of the congregation, though Portuguese-speaking seamen from the Cape Verde Islands, Brazil, India and Portugal often came to services here. The present church dates from 1851.