London Days 1 to 3

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CAROLINE AND IAN IN THE UK

London: Day 1 – Hounslow, National Gallery

Into Central London to meet Aless and Josh at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, and afterwards for a good chat at a Covent Garden pub.

Hounslow Central, West London on a wet Sunday morning

Trafalgar Square

Aless with some famous sunflowers at the National Gallery

Vincent van Gogh: Van Gogh’s Chair. Oil on canvas, painted in 1888.

Paul Cézanne (1839-1906), Hillside in Provence. Painted about 1886-1890.

Henri Rousseau (1844-1910): Tiger in a Tropical Storm. Oil on canvas, painted in 1891.

London: Day 2 – Thames ferry, Greenwich, Canary Wharf, Docklands

Down the Thames by river ferry to Greenwich to visit the Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House, then back to Canary Wharf and Docklands by light railway for a pizza dinner, and tube back home.

River Thames, MI6 (left) and Vauxhall Bridge

Westminster, Big Ben

London Eye

Royal Air Force memorial

Cleopatra’s Needle

Tower of London (centre)

Tower Bridge

Canary Wharf behind older buildings

We got off the ferry in Greenwich to be greeted by the sight of The Cutty Sark in dry dock. The ship was built in 1869 to carry tea as fast as possible from China to the UK (hence the name ‘tea clipper’). Later, the ship transported wool from Australia; and over a long period since the 1950s has been extensively restored to become a popular tourist attraction.

The portrait of James Cook by William Hodges (no relation) in the Maritime Museum at Greenwich. Hodges was the ship’s artist on Cook’s second voyage to New Zealand

An indication the museum is not averse to portraying radical reinterpretations of Pacific maritime history

The Queen’s House, Greenwich. Although built for Queen Anne of Denmark by her husband James I, she died before its completion in 1635. It was later given to Queen Henrietta Maria by her husband, Charles I (James’ son).

The Tulip Staircase in the Queen’s House (though really they’re lilies)

‘Armada Portrait’ of Queen Elizabeth I by unknown English artist, about 1588

Greenwich Park and Royal Observatory from the Queen’s House

Docklands Light Railway (DLR)

Canary Wharf – London’s modern financial centre

A blue sky day in the heart of the Docklands

London: Day 3 – Albert Memorial, Harrods, Marlow

In the morning the sun was out and the day calm as we headed back to Central London on the Piccadilly underground route. First we made our way to Kensington Gardens to see the Prince Albert Memorial, with the Albert Hall just across the road. Then it was time to do some shopping for chocolate in Harrods, before taking the Elizabeth Line train out to Maidenhead, on the western edge of the city. There we were picked up by British friends, Jim and Monica, and taken to their home town of Marlow, right on the upper reaches of the Thames.

Kensington Gardens…

Albert Memorial – for Prince Albert who died in 1861. Its four outer corners represent the four British Empire continents of Africa, America, Asia, Europe.