It's a bit lively outside by Joyce Holliday

Last week hubby and I went to see the play "It's A Bit Lively Outside" which is based on a book written by a local lady Joyce Holliday.  Joyce had gathered stories of the Sheffield Blitz from friends and relatives and the play tells the story of those two terrible nights through these real lives.  It is a marvellous play - hilarious and tragic in equal measures.  Some of the dialogue was very thought provoking.  Whilst every one agreed the war was terrible, some of the characters were loving the fact that they were in full employment, and had plenty of money, for the first time in years - a fact that I had never even thought about before.  Sheffield was bombed on the 12th and 15th December - some time after other city's and as they waited day after  day for the inevitable, the talk changed from fear and intrepidation to indignation that Hitler didn't seem to consider the city worth bombing! 

 By the time of the first nights bombing, we had gotten to know our characters quite well and were keen for them to get into the air raid shelters.  It was quite hard watching the 15 year old girl deciding not to get into the shelter, but continue on her way to meet her boyfriend to go to the pictures (without her parents knowing!!).  And the bravery of the bus driver and his clippy (conductress) who defied company policy and continue driving the bus so that they could get all the steel workers back to their families.  The shock when they left the shelters was very poignant - not only to see bodies in the street, but also see that well known buildings and local landmarks were no longer there.  It really made me think.  We all know many local stories from the blitz, but I have never stopped to imagine what it must have felt like to experience the war so close up - bombs falling onto your home - in your own street.  One of the characters said that she felt that she was in shock for a long time afterwards, but carried on working and looking after her family as normal.  She said she had never spoken about it afterwards either.  

It was the second time I had seen the play - I saw it back in the early 1980's before.  Hubby really enjoyed it too.

Cutty Sark

One of the main reasons we chose to visit Greenwich was to have a look at the recently restored Cutty Sark - and I must admit she looked really grand against the perfect blue sky.  Again I wanted to step back and see the Thames choc a block with these wonderful old ships in days gone by.

 The Cutty Sark was originally built as a tea clipper - bringing back it's precious cargo from exotic places.  Some of these journeys took over a year to complete - unbelievable.

 The figurehead (Nannie)is a replica as the original one is restored inside.  She carries a horses tail in her hand.

 Below deck, the tea chests give you a good idea of how they would have been stacked.  On the mid deck you can read all about the crew and their fate and the voyages that were made.

 I loved it on deck, but really could not imagine being up here in rough seas.

 And I certainly couldn't imagine cooking up meal after meal, month after month,  using meagre dried ingredients for all the crew.

 The captains quarters were a lot more luxurious.  I loved the glass holders hanging above the table.

The collection of figureheads was fascinating - I would love to own one of these.

 You could read the story behind each one.

 This one had been found floating around in the Thames!  Now that's what you call a decent bit of driftwood!

They have done a wonderful job of restoring and preserving this lovely vessle.  Its wonderful to think that she has come to rest on the river where she worked.

 I can highly recommend a tour of the Cutty Sark - it's brilliant.

Greenwich Naval College

So onwards into deepest Greenwich.  I felt as if we had stepped onto the set of "Call the Midwife"!  I loved the feel of the place and the setting on the bank of the Thames is just perfect.

I discovered that the huge power station is still kept running as a back up to power the London Underground should it need to.

Our first port of call was the very old Royal Naval College - designed by Sir Christopher Wren.  We were amazed to find that admission to this was free.  I commented that Christopher had a fabulous ability to draw, and I bet the builder didn't half curse when they got the plans!

The painted gallery was jaw droppingly beautiful,

And the chapel was very spectacular too.

We didn't have time to look around everything as time was pressing on.

By now it was lunch time and we kept spotting people with takeaway cartons of very delicious smelling food, so we followed our noses and ended up in the most gorgeous food and craft market.  The food being sold was being made on the stalls and was from every corner of the world. We were very spoilt for choice.

But suitably refreshed, we pushed on.

Spontaneity

Hubby only gets 1 weekend off a month, and often this can be cancelled at very short notice.  This makes it very difficult to plan anything in advance, so often we do things on the spur of the moment - like this weekend.  The basketball team that we follow were playing at the Olympic Park, so we decided to drive down on Friday and stay overnight.  I booked us into a Premier Inn which was situated in the Westfield Shopping Centre on the Olympic site.  I had asked for a good view, and it was a spectacular view when we arrived. 

 The Sharks were playing at the Copperbox Arena - a very spectacular venue.

 However they sadly lost - but that was the only low point of the trip.

 On Saturday morning, we decided to take a short trip down to Greenwich which is an area that I had never visited before.

 We got off the tube at the wrong stop, but it didn't matter as there was so much to see.  You can now apparently pay to take a walk over the Millenium Dome - not one for me!

 We did also consider taking a trip in the Emirates Skyride Cable Cars, but I chickened out at this one too.  But it is very spectacular.

 Instead, we decided to walk the Thames Path down to Greenwich - about an hours walk for a blogger that needs to stop every 5 minutes to take a photograph.

 This area of London reminds me very much of Sheffield in the way that the industry that this area was built around no longer exists here, leaving the whole district in need of a new purpose and identity.

 Although the industry of shipping - imports and exports - is no longer on this stretch of the Thames, the river still runs through regardless.  We found this very interesting sculpture moored by the path.

 Immediately across from us on this large meander of the Thames was the Isle of Dogs - an area with a fascinating history.  Once very dangerous docklands, now a very exclusive financial districts with some stunning and very expensive apartments there too.  

 Next time I want to have a look around here too.  The old docks are still there, but unused apart from the odd floating restaurant.  The old houses by the shoreline look worth a closer inspection too.

 A lot of building works are taking place on this derelict stretch of the Thames, but many relics remain from its past.

 Again, it is a place where I would have loved to step back in time and see it in it's hey day.

 I don't know what thee plans are for this area, but builders were working on Saturday.  The difference between here and Sheffield is that there seems to be a lot more investment here in London. (excuse the very rude graffiti on the brick building - only just noticed it! )

 You know I'm a Womble a love to bring home items that I find that seem to be discarded, but Mr H refused to attempt to carry this ancient looking anchor home for me.  I can't believe it was just discarded in this way.

 There is something sad, but very beautiful in decay and rust on this scale.

And then we were nearly at our destination.