Friday, March 5, 2004

Out of the Ordinary Day (2 of ?)

They've outfitted the Cutty Sark for visitors, and they're trying to museum up the place.  But, basically, you give 'em a few quid and they let you wander aimlessly around the ship.  They've got the whole history of the ship (started out in the tea trade -- apparently it is the last surviving Tea Clipper), some stuff in display cases (like all the tools someone would use in the 19th Century to rig up sails), and some of the rooms are done up exhibit-wise with wax-work figures (e.g., look at this guy sleeping in his cot).  Which was all very interesting, although I think what I liked best was that you COULD wander around aimlessly.  When I went up on deck, I was the Only Person There -- and it's just an amazingly cool feeling to walk back and forth on a deck of one of these great old sailing ships all by yourself.  (Sometimes tourists just get in the WAY.)

So, yay for the boat.  Very spiffy. 

From the aft deck, I could see the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.  (The foredeck is aimed toward the Thames, so you could get a great view of London from the South Bank.  And that Millenium Dome thing -- in whose direction I laughed, mockingly.)

So, it was off to the National Martime Museum -- although what I really cared about is the Royal Observatory, which is part of the same grounds.

No comments: