From 'La Mole' to Penge

It's a strange winter, milder than normal but much, much wetter. There hasn't almost been a day since Christmas without rain. Parts of the country are flooded (but at least now we know - thanks to a UKIP councillor - that it was caused by the Parliament approving gay marriage).

Two Saturdays ago we were granted a reprieve from our humid punishment, and the sun shone on both the UKIP righteous and us sinners, and Adrian and I went out for the day.
We had thought of going to Hampstead but as the Overground was closed for engineering works, we decided for Greenwich, which is much closer.


Adrian and I on the DLR from Lewisham to Cutty Sark

and here Adrian with the Cutty Sark, and the entrance to the pedestrian tunnel under the Thames




We have been Art Fund members for a few years: apart from free entry to some attractions, we get a 50% discount on most exhibitions at London museums. So we had booked tickets for "Turner and the Sea" at the Maritime museum.

As we got to Greenwich early, we did a bit sightseeing at the Old Royal Naval College "Sir Christopher Wren's twin-domed riverside masterpiece". I hadn't been in years, although I saw it in a number of films since my last visit (the list of movies filmed there is rather impressive)





One dome belongs to the Chapel





and the other to the magnificent dining hall.





It took the painter - James Thornhill - 19 years (from 1709) to paint the walls and ceiling, a celebration of British naval power



Very fittingly this was also the place where Horatio Nelson's body was laid in state after the Battle of Trafalgar.









The exhibition


was really interesting and we both enjoyed it.

The next stop in Greenwich was the small, unusual and intriguing Fan Museum






(Marie Antoinette and the Dauphin, the future Louis XVI)

It was high time for a nice cuppa and perhaps a slice of cake, and our wishes were granted in the small but beautiful museum tea-room











After tea, we went for a walk in the nearby Royal Park, the former hunting grounds of Henry VIII.
We walked up to the top of the hill where the Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian Line are located to enjoy the views of London.
The London skyline has certainly changed since I was there last!

We then walked across the common to Blackheath village



where we took a bus to Beckenham and to our favourite fish & chips for an early dinner.

All that fresh air and sunshine made us hungry!



We really enjoyed our day out. We were a bit tired when we got home



but it was so lovely to feel the warmth of the sun on our faces and to visit beautiful places.