Greenwich Park

Looking up the hill to the observatory and the Time Ball which by dropping daily at 1 pm  allowed Londoners to correct their wind up clocks every day.

 Looking back down the hill towards Canary Wharf, which looks even odder from up here.

 Loads of folks just come up here and stare out over the cityscape.

 With the odd photographer of course.

Now this is a 'hawker stall' I can recommend for a decent bacon bap.  Also serves tea grown in Cornwall.  Cornwall, a county in the SW of England that is. 

River Trip

 The trip starts at the London Eye, just opposite Big Ben.  No need for detail, Ben's silhouette is enough of a signature.

 First stop at the City and St. Pauls.

 Back across the river to HMS Belfast, the last of a breed from WW II.  A must visit, in my view, to remind ourselves of the grim reality of war at sea.  A dehumanising living space.

 Tower Bridge.  No need to open the bridge for us.

Canary Wharf.  I was surprised that this part of London had not changed much since these tower blocks were built nearly 20 years ago..  They still look like an island in a sea of crumbling docklands.

Our landing place, Greenwich. 

Our transport departs for the Millennium Dome, the end of the line.

The Cutty Sark

Amazing to think this wooden ship used to sail to Australia and back.  Brilliant restored.

Docklands

Via the Docklands Light Railway (DLR)

 The Millennium Dome is now a very popular concert venue, concerts of all types, rock to opera.

 A secret London venue,  the Long Play, a Tibetan bells music piece which will not repeat a phrase for 1000 years.  We visited on the 233 day of the 13th year,  just to note our presence.  Cannot remember the time!!

The music is computer generated, of course.  Lets hope the power supply last 1000 years more.

Meanwhile out the window on the Thames, a bit of history passes by.

There is now a walkway up to the top of the Dome.  Reminded me of people walking on the Sydney Bridge.

And so to good bye.

Our last get together before Gek and I journey back to the East.  Till we all meet again, guys.

Bath

Two British icons, one with an appropriate change of use, given it's position.

To an older, more sedate part of the city.

Bath's very own Ponte Vecchio.

Silverstone Pits.

Lined up and ready to race.

A new three wheel, as seen at the factory a couple of days ago.

I love club days at Silverstone. All so informal.  You are able to walk anywhere on the circuit, including the hallowed pits.

Just beautiful, with a touch of menace.

Could this lead to a life long passion?  I wonder.

Silverstone Bentley Weekend

We positioned ourselves on the top left corner, Copse Corner

Not the best of videos, but it does give a sense of the speed these bad boys are doing in 80 year old racers.

It was really heartening to see that racing Morgans are thriving and that they are still so much part of the day,

 along with the Bentleys.We did see a couple of waltzers, bur didn't catch them on camera.

Tewkesbury

In 1939, my grandad Wilson  photographed  The Olde Black Bear pub.  He was on a cycling holiday, starting in Lemington Spar and ending in Bridge North to take the tran back to Bolton in Lancashire. 

 This day, I was here with two of his great, great grandchildren, Isaac and Noah.  

Bidford-on-Avon

Granddad  Wilson was here in June 1939 on his epic bicycle ride from Leamington Spa to Bridgnorth and, since we were motoring by,

we just had to stop and stand, more or less where he stood 80 years ago.

The Malvern Hills

 After the Morgan factory visit, time for a little exercise,  walking the hills.

 Big sky's

 and big views all the way into Wales. Photographs cannot communicate the sense of  beauty on such a wide scale.  Awesome, in a try sense.

The Malvern hills form a north/south ridge to the east of which is Herefordshire and to the west of which is Worcestershire, giving you an unrestricted 360 degree view from the conical peaks.

Morgan Factory Visit

Had to bring the lads here, given the opportunity.  I had owned a Morgan for 40 years from 1963 when my Dad bought me a Series 1 4/4 for 25 pounds

 Henry Morgan on the first three wheeler he built  in 1909.

Fast forward 104 years, the latest model with her grandma in the background.  This beauty is as powerful as a F1 car.

 Isaac in rapped  attention.

Boys with our ultimate toy.

Gloucester Canal

 Best to start a journey well fueled....with pizza.

But before we go, a few lessons in mechanics.

And peering  into the past.

We are off.  The boat, The Queen Boadicea II, participated in the evacuation of Dunkirk. 

Someones floating home.

Lacock Abbey

During four days in October 2007 Lacock was also used to film some scenes for the sixth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

 

"NO,   don't go in there!!!"

A very atmospheric interior.

Lacock Abbey, dedicated to St Mary and St Bernard, was founded in 1229 by the widowed Lady Ela the Countess of Salisbury, who laid the abbey's first stone 16 April 1232, in the reign of King Henry III, and to which she retired in 1238

 Today, odd characters walk the cloisters.