July 28, 2003

Literary London

Carolyn, Kristin and Stacy MunnWe took a boat along the Thames from Embankment to Greenwich. Our guide was actually quite good. He had been in the merchant marines for years and talked a lot about how the river and surrounding areas had changed since he was a young lad.

In Greenwich, we walked all around the decks of the Cutty Sark, a beautiful old tea clipper that is now a very well-presented museum. We hiked up the little hill to the Royal Observatory and saw the original Harrison clocks of 'Latitude' fame and stood on either side of the Prime Meridian. We explored an herb garden in Greenwich Park and visited the Trafalgar Pub (another literary stop) just for a picture, not a pint.

For supper, we sought out two London staples at one location; the Grapes pub near Limehouse, an old Dickens hangout, and good old fish and chips. The pub wasn't easy to find and is still quite a popular place. It was packed, but we managed to wrangle a table somehow and indulge in Britain's contribution to world cuisine.

Riding through the Docklands on the Docklands Light Rail at night was like being in a sci-fi movie. Lights glowed through the windows of the glass and steel skyscrapers and the made futuristic reflections on the water.