London and Portsmouth

London Top 10

1.  Pub walks

2.  Tower of London

3.  Pub Walks

4.  Tower of London

5.  Henry VIII personal equipment protecter

6.  Pubs

7.  Tower of London

8.  Side streets - with pubs

9.  Beer

10.  Fish and chips

June 3 London

Caught the train to Portsmouth, about a 2 hour ride.  Uneventful, except did see a castle on a hill just outside of Barnham.

Also went through the grape growing area of Docking, the same (?) that saw from one of the Pub Walks (see they are a good thing!)

Took a half hour walk from the harbour area to the ferry terminal to drop off bags.  Then headed back to harbour and toured around the Historical Navy base.

Here they have the HMS Victory and HMS Warrior on display.  Spent a far bit of time in the Victory.  This is Admiral Nelson's ship for the Battle of Trafalgar!  Amazing place, and there is now way I could sail in a boat like that!  I think I was able to stand up once!  Victory was launched 1765.

The Warrior was launched in 1860, as the first iron/wood boat, powered with both steam and sail!  14 knots under steam, 13 under sail and topped out at 17 for both!

The propeller can even be retracted into a well to reduce the drag.

While on the Warrior, 3 guys ran up the exit ramp and jumped into the water from the boat.  Water must have been cold!  But it did cause several police to show up.  I don't think they caught them!

Interesting as there were a few still hanging around the harbour area, now maybe they were just drunk, but I will swear they were speaking some foreign language as I had no idea what they were saying!

Wandered around and ended up in a huge shopping plaze.  Very flashy!  Several warehouse outlets as well.  Best part, got 2 pasties for 2 pounds!  They were closing shop for the night!  Very good as well!

Ferry was scheduled for 11 departure, but did not leave the dock until almost 12!  Maybe I am getting a bit old for overnight trips just to save a nights accomadation!!!  50 pounds for ferry!  Got a bit of sleep.  Was a bit worried as there were at least 3 bus loads of middle school kids terrorizing the station, but they were on another ferrry.  Saved.  I ended up with a different group!  Almost 2!  Surprising as all the service shut down during the night!

June 2 London

Last day in London!!!

Off to Vietnam Embassy to pick up my visa!

Walked to Buckingham Palace and around Victoria Fountain in front of Palace.  Lots of people around.  Not able to get a tour as they do not start until July.

While there, the police stopped all traffic.  A black car went by, not sure who was in there but they waved, will just pretend it was the Queen, waving to me, of course.

Walked through St James Park, on way to the Churchill Museum and the Cabinet War rooms. This is actually the place where they met!  It is a huge underground set of rooms!  Reinforced to protect against the air raids.  The displays are great and some of the formats are excellent.  They have a moving time line, where you can get the details of events, right down to the day, with some copies of documents.  Very well done.  One particular Churchill quote caught my eye - "I never get indigestion from eating my own words"

I then headed to Westminster Abbey, as I was not able to get inside the last time I went by.  Only had an hour though.  There are a lot of famous people buried - kings, queens, PM, and event Sir Issac (Newton) that is!  And he is right up beside the altar, with Charles Darwin on the other side of altar.

June 1 London

To Oxford Square and Oxford St, the main shopping area.  Wandered through Caenaby Road, SOHO and Bloomsbury areas heading towards the British Museum.

British Museum has a lot of ancient history - Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, British, North American, actually the world.

Great displays 

then through Russel Square and Bloomsbury Square.  Down Chaning Road toward Leicester Square area, through China town

Walked by many theatres - tribute to Queen and Mouse Trap (the Agatha Christie, 58 years in the showing)

Caught a couple of underground trains to the Victoria station

May 31 London

Bank holiday, which is a stat holiday.  Lazy morning after the BBQ  last night.  Very thirsting this morning, I guess I did not have enough wine last night!

Today off to do another pub walk!  You can not get any more civilized than that!  Stopped at a pub in country for fish and chips!  They were great!  Went very well with the beer!  Then off on a walk.  Part of North Downs way.  Followed a river (really a stream) for a bit, which has had a gun powder factory along it!  The factory did blow up we were told.

Lots of "reminders" - grinding stones, pipes, tracks, tubes, and old walls and dams.

Then continued around fields of grain, along some roads.  Great walk.  Ended up at a church on the top of the hill!  Great views.  The hard part was done, a gradual up hill.  All down hill of here.  Walking back saw a few llamas in a pasture including some young ones!  They had been sheared.