On a Saturday morning, we took the train (20 minutes) to Blackheath. While Central London seems to be swarming with tourists and students, Blackheath seems to be where families live. The heath is almosted connected to Greenwich Park. On the Saturday morning there were popup markets, kiddy football practice, cricket matches, people running or cycling together....
The official Greenwich Prime Meridian Line is in the courtyard of the Royal Observatory. Luckily the line actually spews out below, where I could photo John without shelling out 16 pounds/pp for something so arbitrary, yet another manifestation of imperialism. The viewpoint by the Observatory is nonetheless magnificent.
Going down the hill towards the River Thames, we first stopped in at the Queen's House (1600s). Its Tulip Stairs had us enthralled. The National Maritime Museum is really a children's affair. Going by the Cutty Sark (1800s clipper), we crossed the Thames via the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, opened in 1902, replacing ferries for workers at the docks and shipyards. Of course, nowadays there is barely a shadow of the industrial activities along the Thames. There is a path along much of the river on either bank. We followed it to Canary Wharf. Along the way, there are redevelopment projects of many different eras, including many ongoing. A significant percentage of the world's cranes seemed to have migrated from China to London. In fact, walking through Canary Wharf, I could easily imagine myself in Shanghai.
We started our day trip by catching the SouthEastern Line at Charing Cross Station.
Getting off the SouthEastern Line at Blackheath (Sun-Ling at left).
Football practice on the heath.
View from Blackheath to Canary Wharf (pyramid roof in the distance).
Cricket.
View from Greenwich Park to London.
The Royal Observatory is adjacent to the "possibly dangerous" viewpoint.
Prime Meridian Line Posing.
The Queen's House is the white building in the middle with the Canary Wharf financial district skyline behind.
The Tulip Stairs at the Queen's House.
View from Queen's House to Canary Wharf.
The famous Cutty Sark, a British clipper ship.
Inside the Greenwich Foot Tunnel (SL at left).
Looking back to Greenwich from the North Thames Path.
Remnants of the Great Eastern shipyard and slipway.
View from the Thames Path.
Canary Wharf financial district.
View from Canary Wharf west to Central London.
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