---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <no_re...@yahoogroups.com> wrote :
---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <s3raphita@...> wrote : Re "Get a boat down the river to Greenwich, have lunch in the park- preferably something purchased in the market - and then stroll up the hill to the Royal Greenwich Observatory": Whenever I have friends visiting from Up North or from abroad that itinerary is what I always suggest when the sun shines. I must be an authority on the Observatory display by now. But it's the plain marker that shows the Greenwich Mean Time boundary line that always brings on the selfie mania. Funny how something completely notional and conventional can strike a chord with people. Yes, the Greenwich Meridian, one of the great British inventions. I've got a few pics of it myself, no selfies though as my camera is a bit heavy for one of those funny sticks. Greenwich has many joys, I like the Queens House art gallery next to the main nautical museum. It's got a fine collection of Flemish seascapes and a room of artwork done on Cook's voyages, amazing vistas of Easter island and portraits of Polynesian kings. Must have blown the minds of the public when they brought them home. Last time I looked in there was an exhibition of modern art from the First World War. That was intriguing, cubist trench warfare anyone? Like the Imperial War Museum this stuff is better than you think, perhaps because it's so out of the mainstream art world. I have a friend who is an art lecturer and I suggested we spend a day at the War Museum art gallery, he scoffed loudly but I was pleased to see his sneer change to amazement when we got there. Hidden treasuers. My other favourite thing about Greenwich is the riverside walk to the Thames Barrier, it's a different perspective on London. All industrial wasteland or wild new buildings, but it has a peaceful atmosphere and great scenery. I love that structure in the first photo here. What is it exactly? It looks like an art installation itself. Have you ever gone digging in the mud by the Thames? There is an almost infinite amount of old Victorian boots and even older clay pipes and broken glass and pottery buried or even right on the surface. I am not sure you are actually allowed to dig for this stuff but we took a tour that allowed us to take these artifacts if they were partly submerged. Still, so much civilization made its home on the banks of that amazing river for, what, 1000 years? ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <no_re...@yahoogroups.com> wrote : Here's something to do on a Saturday afternoon in London. Get a boat down the river to Greenwich, have lunch in the park- preferably something purchased in the market - and then stroll up the hill to the Royal Greenwich Observatory and have a look at the history of Mankind's study of the stars. In another building is the only planetarium in London and it's also the site of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest> always nicely presented with the pictures backlit in a dark room. You'll be surprised that a lot of these images were captured with easily available amateur equipment. Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2015 shortlist - in pictures http://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2015/jul/09/insight-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-2015-shortlist-in-pictures http://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2015/jul/09/insight-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-2015-shortlist-in-pictures Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year ... http://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2015/jul/09/insight-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-2015-shortlist-in-pictures Highlights from the competition, which is now in its seventh year, with entries from enthusiastic amateurs and professional photographers View on www.theguardian.com http://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2015/jul/09/insight-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-2015-shortlist-in-pictures Preview by Yahoo
