It was thrilling to land at Greenwich subway station. Thrilling because we are at the place which has a line defined which is reference of global timing difference between countries. It was unbelievable for me to have arrived on this place. Came out of the station and started walking towards the Greenwich observatory. GPS showed that the medieval commercial ship Cutty Shark is nearer so we followed that route.
Greenwich is well crowded town and I see lot of crowded streets and shops full with life. This sends a feeling as pilgrimage. This is the place where Henry VIII was born. But his palace almost wiped out in fire and now we see only a wall with his photo as his birth place.
Places to visit in Greenwich
There are some palaces, Old Royal Observatory, Queen’s House, University of Greenwich, Greenwich park, Queen Anne Court, Royal college of Navy, Cutty Sark, old sea port, a tunnel, National Maritime museum.
As per my experience in Greenwich we can spend our time as
Cutty Sark – 1.5 hours, Queens House – 30 minutes, University of Greenwich – 10 minutes
Royal Observatory – 2 hours, National Maritime museum – 30 minutes, Remaining places including Greenwhich market – 2.5 hrs
Cutty Sark is world famous ship and fastest of its time. It was built in 1869 by John Willis at cost of pound 16,500. The ship made a total of 8 voyages. It used to cover distance between China to London in 10 months.
It is recommended to book your ticket in advance but the tickets are also available on Cutty Sark counter. Lower deck displays the history of Cutty Sark.
It was built in 1869 to get tea from China to London. Its weight is 963 tons. It first sailed in 1870 and was fastest at 20 miles per hour. There is a film show to learn about how Cutty Sark was designed and survived until it became a museum. It travelled in whole world for cargo of tea, wool, coal, cocoa beans, paper and shark bones, shoes to pepper. In its life it travelled a distance of 2.5 times of Earth to Moon.
In 1922 it was spotted by a Portuguese and offered to buy it as training ship.
In 1869, the Suez canal opened which shortened the route from China to London by 3000 miles. The ship speed is controlled by sea winds.
Inside on first floor of deck we can see certain original items like piano which this ship brought. These is a big globe depicting routes of the ship which it usually followed.
Top floor of the deck is actual rooms where they ate, played and slept. We can well visualize the actual life on boat. Steering system is one of the very few preserved in ships.
90% of the ship lower deck is of teak wood imported from India. All the metal parts painted in white are original parts belonging to this 170 year old ship.
With Chinese tea ports open and facing competition from Americam shipping, London merchants began building their own fast ships. Between 1850 to 1870, nearly 280 british ships took part in trade.
Epilogue
This ship is now kept in Greenwich and it is worth visiting if you happen to go to this city. It is better to buy ticket of Cutty Shark, Royal Observatory as combo offer for 21 pounds at the counter of ship. This reminded me the Indian warship displayed in Karwar’s Ravindra Nath Tagore beach.
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