Sunday 26 January 2014

One Hundred and Twelfth Doodle - A wander in Greenwich

A sort of New Year's resolution I made this January was to start doing wee illustrated reviews of places and events I went to in and around London. Seen as this awesome city has so much amazing stuff going on, seems a shame not to explore it and share it right? Perhaps what I think is total balls, but meh! You guys can decide for yourself :)

So yesterday, wrapped up in my new winter coat (god bless Superdry ey) a few of us took a wander down to Greenwich. Our two aims - go and see the Greenwich tunnel and the Astonomy Photographer of the Year exhibition. And visit some pubs, o' course!

Cutty Sark just before the storm, ooer!

We wobbled through Greenwich Park and up that slope to the Observatory (oh my days I'm so out of shape) and enjoyed the view over east London - bloody lovely. I know it was a Saturday but by god it was busy, I swear I stood on at least six children and sat on a few unknowing ladies. Oh well.

The Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park

I had seen a post about the free Astonomy Photographer of the Year exhibition online (check it out here) and the images had blown my tiny little mind, so I was very excited. And as awesome as the photographs were, the 'exhibition' itself was a bit of a disappointing sham. A tiny, packed room with very small copies of the photos. I mean, the pictures I looked at on my computer were bigger. I was expecting amazing blown up prints my pals and I could goggle at in awe, that would make us wonder about the infinite nature of the universe and the incredible talent of these fantastic photographers; but instead we left feeling squashed, hot and frustrated. Hmm.

The Greenwich Tunnel - we saw someone cycling ahhhh! Such a rebel.

After climbing over several sets of bleating tourist families to escape the Observatory, we pottered down to the river in search of the Greenwich Tunnel. Impeccable timing actually, as we dived in just as the heavens opened and thunder started smashing it's way across London like a petulant toddler. And we did not want to get in it's way.

The tunnel itself was especially creepy and pretty awesome, though when we read about the history of it and it's refurbishment from 2010, well...they've hidden the refurbishment well. To me though, the fact that it was damp and dank made it even cooler. And the lifts had wood cladding, I felt like I was in a 70's sauna. Can you get groovier than that man?

A view over the Thames just as a mahoosive thunder storm hit

Trying to look intellectual and tha'
 
 Greenwich itself is a lovely area of London, and taking the DLR there transformed four 20-somethings in to giggling excited children who had to sit at the front (on the magical sky robot train) and attempt to chat up the driver. SUCH FUN.
 

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