Week two

Well I have had some fun this week since classes have yet to start.

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous here - 65 degrees and sunny all week. I'm told this is unusual and will not last. So to make the most of it, I ventured to Greenwich Park in London to see some historic sights. I took a bus like the one above - as I do most places in town. There are no tubes or undergrounds close to wear I live. So I am getting very good and navigating the bus system. The plus is they are cheaper (half the price) downside is sometimes it takes a longer. Most places take 1/2 to a full hour to get there.


Greenwich Park. Very large park. This is the first place I have seen dogs since I arrived.



Greenwich park has the Prime Meridian Line running through it.
The clock on the lower part of the picture counted down to the year 2000, and now it counts up to show the amount of time that has passed since Jan 1 2000.


There are several historical parts of Greenwich. I also saw the Flamsteed house. John Flamsteed was an English Astronomer during the 17th and 18 centuries and did his work for the Royal Observatory. His works were used by Sir Isaac Newton. John Harrison also worked for the Royal Observatory and solved the problem of navigating Longitude at sea with the chronometer. This was important for navigation and his discovery lead to the British being able to navigate around the world. He also invented several revolutionary clocks during his attempts to solve this problem.




In this picture the closest is of the Queen's House and the Royal Palace of Placentia
Spiral staircase in the Queen's House. Pictures were not allowed in the rest of the building because it is now an art gallery with historic paintings. I happened to show up at the time of a tour. I did not know until I started the tour it was about the "spiritual presence" given by a certified paranormal medium. It was an interesting talk. There have been reports of everything from a midget to a large ghost horse in the house.


The following picture is looking back at Greenwich park on the hill in the background. This place has quite a bit of history. It has been home to King Henry VI, VII, and VIII. Also Henry's first two wives and Queen Elizabeth I (Daughter of Anne Boelyn Henry VIII's first wife to be beheaded). Also James I, Charles I, and Charles II.