Thursday 30th May London part 2

Continuation of 30th May....

Once we boarded the river cruise boat for the hour and half trip to Greenwich returning the Westminster. There were two captains of this boat, each taking turns on giving a live commentary of the sights we could see from the boat. They explained various parts of history relating to the buildings we passed as we travelled along. The Mayfair Hotel being the last mooring where the historic Mayfair left before sailing to America, the punishment pirates were given in Wopping. The pirates were tied to stakes at low tide, drowning in high tide, their bodies left for several days before removal. Hence the expression of wopper as the bodies had expanded and sometimes burst having soaked for several days. Eck! A story about the Island of Dogs. 

We arrived at Greenwich with a commentary of the Greenwich Mean Time, the time marker we use throughout the world. An expression of 'keep your eye on the ball', came from the mariners waiting for the ball to drop at 12 noon in Greenwich and synchronizing their time. The Cutty Sark and Royal Naval College were other areas of interest. A great cruise on the Thames and I highly recommend. 

   

   Mayflower Tavern in the middle of two warehouse buildings

                                      Red ball which drops at 12 noon Greenwich

                                                 Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

                       This boat is loading fresh water for the cruise ship Silver Seas
                                       which is moored near the Tower of London.

The Globe Theatre where Shakespeare's work first played.

In the forefront is the Millennium Foot bridge.