Day 5 - Big Girls Don't Cry

Tuesday, September 3, 2013 

It's a quarter to midnight and we're just getting into bed - it's been a busy day! Woke up this morning and popped over to Sheila's Cafe for a bacon sandwich and omelette for Chelsea and I to share.  The hotel charges 15 pounds per person for breakfast which is outrageous, but at Sheila's I can order a tea, coffee, and food for around 8 pounds total.  Proves you just have to walk down the lane a short ways to save money and get delicious food.

After breakfast we went on the tube down to Westminster to board the City Cruise line for the trip down to Greenwich to visit the Cutty Sark and the Fan Museum.   It was another great day for weather - very warm around 24 degrees and lots of sunshine.  We boarded the Red Rover and were lucky to find seats on the outside of the cabin in which to view the Thames and the City.  There are so many famous landmarks that we pass by our way to Greenwich the Parliament Buildings, Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, and the Globe Theatre.  The trip to Tower Bridge took half an hour and then another half an hour to Greenwich.  Along the way we passed one building called Olivers Wharf. If you were accused of Piracy you would be given a last drink of rum there and taken to the pier. You would then be attached to the pier at low tide and left for three days. After three days you would hopefully be dead, having drowned, or you would then be shot and left to rot on the pier.

Division between Westminster and London

The Tower of London (most specifically a view of the White Tower)

Tower Bridge

Traitor's Gate at the Tower of London

Oliver's Wharf where pirate were given a lost shot rum before being put to death

The building with the red balconies is where pirates were tied to the pilings and left to drown when the tide came in.

Big Ben and the Parliament Buildings

Cleopatra's Needle

We got to Greenwich and went to see the Cutty Sark, a beautiful merchant sailing ship that they've dry docked in order to preserve it and show to future generations. It was originally built to sail to China to trade for tea in 1896. It's a sleek, full masted sailing ship with a narrow hull sheather in Mentz metal (a combination of 70% copper and 30% zinc) used to detract barnacles from attaching to the hull and create greater speed.  The preservation work was wonderfully done, and the Cutty Sark now rests suspended by beams so that it seems to float in mid air.  

The Cutty Sark

The Cutty Sark was built to sail fast around the Cape Horn to pick up tea from China and get back to Britain as soon as possible in order to secure the highest price.  Back in the day the first tea cargo to dock could get up to ten extra shillings on a box of tea.These ships were so beautiful with their full sails, but with the advent of the steam engine and the opening of the Suez Canal, they were no longer useful as the steamers could  go up the Mediterranean's shorter route. Clippers couldn't do the route due to a lack of wind currents for sailing. .   

Stern end of the Cutty Sark

We started our tour in the hold of the ship where they would store the thousands of containers of tea.  It must have smelt wonderful at the time. To this day you get a whiff of tea down in the cargo hold. Up on the deck were the crew quarters with their tiny bunks - I can't image how those large men managed to fit into them. The Captain's Cabin was quite nice with a large dining table and small stove for warmth and light.

We couldn't agree more!

From the Cutty Sark we made our way to the Fan Museum as this was a must for Chelsea as she loves the Victorian and Regency period.  This museum is housed in a small, brick house with two floors of fans on display.  The teach you all the parts of a fan ( who knew there were so many) and even hold workshops to construct them.  They also had displays of fans from all over the world - there were even two from Canada from the West Coast Natives of British Columbia. At the end of the tour we exited through the gift shop where we purchased a few fan inspired souvenirs.

Chelsea on the deck of the Cutty Sark

Wheel of the Cutty Sark

We then went to the Naval Maritime Museum where we saw Lord Horatio Nelson's Dress uniform (he was a very tiny man), plus mast heads from sailing ships, as well as an original Royal barge. Chelsea told me she had goosebumps when seeing Lord Nelson's uniform as the bullet hole from when he was killed is still visible on the front. I wish we would of had more time in Greenwich as it was so interesting, plus we didn't see the Observatory nor the prime meridian, but we had to catch the last boat back to Westminster.  There was also a Greenwich Market which looked interesting, but we'll do it next time! 

Figureheads salvaged from former ships

Bottom of the ship sheathed in Mentz metal.

More figureheads salvaged from former ships

Yet more figureheads!

It was time to return to Westminster on the Cruiser so we boarded but to our delight the upper deck was open so we cruised home under the blue skies with a great panorama view of the city from both sides of the Thames.  We had a great guide - they're not professional Tour Guides but rather just the Thames boatmen that provide commentary as we cruise down the river.  Our guide on the way back was very funny and kept us entertained with great stories of the famous buildings, districts, and living life on the Thames.  

We disembarked at Westminster Pier and we barely had time to get back to the Hotel, change, and make our way to the Prince Edward Theatre in Soho to see Jersey Boys.  When we arrived at the Theatre, however, there was a mix-up with our tickets as they weren't there.  This was sounding bad, but the Box Office Manager helped us with our situation.  He had to phone Ticket Master to see why our tickets were cancelled.  In the end, it all worked out as we were upgraded to better seats than our original tickets for our inconvenience and at a much cheaper price.

Chelsea and I loved Jersey Boys!  It's the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and their success from their beginnings in New Jersey to becoming world renown entertainers.  I never realized how many hits they had, not even that they sang these great songs such as Sherry Baby, Big Girls don't Cry, Walk like a Man, Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye), Rag Doll, and Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You.  As with all London Theatre that we've seen, the singing and music was electric and the audience went wild.  It was like we were back in the 60's listening to their great sound. Here's a link to our favourite song of the night:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGFToiLtXro

After the show Chelsea and I wondered around Soho from Leicester Square to Piccadilly. It was like Stampede time in the middle of the week as there were so many people strolling, eating at outdoor restaurants, or drinking pints of beer in front of the pubs.  Chels and I split a small pizza at Cafe Fiori and just soaked up the festivity of the place. Chelsea really enjoyed the night life in Soho and wants to go back before leave on Sunday.  It was now after 10:00pm;  but the night was still warm, so we strolled down to Piccadilly Circus and caught the tube home. It was a long day , but such a great one!  Tomorrow, Windsor Castle and the Great Kitchen Tour.