Greenwich (pronounced ….

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Gren—itch, not Green-witch, another of those English words pronounced differently to what you’d expect

Todays cycle ride

took me to another stretch of the river Thames

Where I found .,

The Cutty Sark. A high speed sailing ship that carried tea from India to Britain

Its in Greenwich a famous location in London with many sea going links.

The entry and exit to a tunnel under the Thames

I was opposite Canary Wharf office blocks in the east end of London

The first time I’ve explored South London, where I used to live, in over forty years. Actually I’m discovering so much more, including the extensive network of cycle lanes.

Factoids

… words from the t’internet.

Greenwich is famous as the home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), the Prime Meridian Line, and a rich maritime and royal history recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Time and Science

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): The starting point for the world’s time zone system, established here in 1884.

Prime Meridian Line: The 0° longitude line at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, where you can stand with one foot in the eastern hemisphere and one in the western hemisphere. 

Landmarks and Maritime History

Cutty Sark

The world’s last surviving 19th-century extreme tea clipper ship.

It’s been a long time coming

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I used to make them with Manjula in Mysore and visiting friends in London.

This is probably the first since Manjula left for another world.

It used to be a big favourite ….. Stuffed pancakes (burritos) Mexican style.

It might seem to be nothing special but its a step in the right direction, to start cooking again.

But how did it taste?

Brain ache

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I knowingly failed twice yesterday, on the word quiz wordle. First to guess the word and second to pronounce and therefore understand the word properly — once it was revealed.

It was Liven

Pronounced Ly-ven or Lie-ven but I couldn’t get past pronouncing it as Li-ven.

This not necessarily about the vagaries of the English language but is maybe evidence of a deteriorating brain.

It’s sometimes feels as if it’s full of cobwebs or little stomping men.

…

So I’ve stopped cycling and I’m distracting myself, observing the Thames river.

Could it be …

Age deterioration or almost twenty years living in Indian English

Or stop overthinking you idiot.

Hit the road.

SF3 Comments

I’ve cycled for sixty years and encouraged my sons to be considerate cyclists to other road users and especially pedestrians.

At times I’ve joked that the first task to learn (for all forms of transport) is how to stop.

I worry that the many inexperienced cyclists who rent electric cycles haven’t discovered that basic skill.

I’m familiar with people (in India) no knowing or following the basic rules. Here in the UK, because it’s such a contrast to what came before —- its a shock.

Mayhem on the roads and it’s incredibly dangerous.

Were the politicians and police asleep or comatose when they failed to anticipate this chaos.

The majority … of the Inexperienced cyclists on rented electric cycles ignore the signals, travel on payments, weave in and your, come close to mowing down people who are on a crossing

I’ve no idea of the accident rates but I’m scared

It’s a real danger and all at relatively high speed.

They generally don’t wear helmets, aren’t focussed and sometimes on phones.

Then they block pavements when discarding the cycles.

It’s got out-of-hand.

Thinking back

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On this trip I’ve visited places I used to live.

Now I’m also visiting family, here my sister Claire and brother Jason, who live between Sheffield and Rotherham in South Yorkshire

They live next door to each other! Really?

She’s got out the family photos.

Oh no!

Brothers in law Richard and Mark
Family group
Sisters Janet and Claire
Andy Claire Stephen
With my brothers and sisters maybe 40 years ago
Liz
Tricia
Stephen

It’s also been an opportunity to revisit my Sunday School Chapel, second home and school in Sheffield.

Reflections

I first tasted honey at Sunday School and was taken aback. It was amazing. Why had I never had this before? I was maybe age eight and it was probably too exotic and costly for my family.

Compare and contrast.

It’s useful to return to my home city and country. I’m initially shocked by the price differences with India.

I expect the U.K. to be a little better organised but it disappoints.

More later ..

West Yorkshire

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Warning … when you travel north.

I’ve moved from tropical London to typical Yorkshire— wet, windy and coldish.

Initially I didn’t feel cold as London was scorchy but here it’s a serious to contrast to what I’m used to.

But this morning staying at Jill’s is nice and sunny

A lovely stone built cottage

The fact is everywhere is fab as I’m meeting great friends.

…

Next stop South Yorkshire.

Here I am with Belle

My sister Claire’s dog.

More signs

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On the road

My good friend Vinay saw a similar sign while studying in Oxford. He joked about signs in advance of planned roadworks when most countries will no have signs when they’re actually doing the road works.

London is not the best city for cyclists, but they’re trying hard with extensive signposted cycle routes.

I’ll write again about sharing information which I consider to be very important.

I’m both …

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Happy and sad.

I have lovely memories — of visiting Bath with Manjula eight and nine years ago.

We went in this church (Abbey) and on this bus for a tour.

Imagine a two thousand year old Roman Baths

Well there is one here.

Sorry but I didn’t pay to go in this time, it’s expensive.

So I can’t show the actual bath.

Lots of tourists from U.K., USA, Europe, Japan, India, have paid.

The famous Royal Crescent.

A visited with Manjula and now those times together trigger a waterfall of memories, sometimes felt in tears.

Factoid

It’s so expensive here in England in London’s famous Covent garden it costs £1.50 (150 Rupees) to go to toilet (washroom).

Bath is a beautiful city and very middle class.

Grief is always with us. It diminishes (relatively)by other parts of life surrounding it.

Memories remind us and we’re both happy and sad.

That loss sends our life Ourselves and our worlds in different directions.

It’s hard at times.

Portugal.

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is on the list to visit this year — maybe I’ll get there but meanwhile ..

I’ve discovered little Portugal in South London

a local Portuguese cafe

In Vauxhall, a shortish walk from Brixton.

Its — Just around the corner from the very first place I lived in London in the early 80s

It’s changed a bit now

Posties now have too much to carry in their tradional one bag.
A favourite place for MAnjula in Brixton market
I’m staying nearby
Accessible buses

Cycling South London

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Visiting places from my first years in London

East Dulwich
Amazing art.
Liz, Ben and my first house together. No bathroom so we’d use the slipper baths or visit Gina
Just around the corner. Peckham Rye.
Old
New
Our last London house before moving out of London in 1986 to Hebden Bridge
Goldsmiths University for my social work course

London has so many open spaces. Usually green but it’s been very hot this Summer.

I loved visiting the old places but also realised how forgetful I’ve become.

I’d stopped to chat with Goldsmiths students. They were elected to positions in the Students union.

The Union provides services to help support students and events for entertainment.