Saturday 7 January 2012
Instead of a sleep in his morning we got up early, took the train to London Bridge, then hopped on board a Southern train for Rochester. For my Kiwi readers, that’s east of London. Historically it was a port town, but not now. Containerisation saw the end of small ports like this one. But fortunately for the area, Charles Dickens was born around here and that alone brings many tourists, like us. Not that that is why we came. I’ve a book about great day trips out from London and this was the next closest.
The information centre provided us with…well information and a map and we were off to Chatham. First stop the Dickens Centre where we were suitable regaled of the story of the great author and many of his world famous characters. Animatronics and holograms populated the custom built village telling his stories. It is an anniversary year this year and in a stage play in London; his umpteen times great grandson is in the cast of one of the plays about him. After lunch a short bus trip and a wee walk took us to the Royal Engineers Military Museum. My Dad was in the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) unfortunately they have no archives there about them, but we spent a happy couple of hours following the story of the history of The Royal Engineers. Without them and their WWII attacks on Germany’s heavy water manufacturing apparatus, Germany may well have developed atomic weaponry and changed the entre course of world history. Something that doesn’t bear thinking about. It was dark when we exited the military museum so time to head back towards the station and a train back to Crystal Palace via London Bridge. Hmm and hungry too so a nice tea at the local pub was in order and very nice it was too thank you.
Instead of a sleep in his morning we got up early, took the train to London Bridge, then hopped on board a Southern train for Rochester. For my Kiwi readers, that’s east of London. Historically it was a port town, but not now. Containerisation saw the end of small ports like this one. But fortunately for the area, Charles Dickens was born around here and that alone brings many tourists, like us. Not that that is why we came. I’ve a book about great day trips out from London and this was the next closest.
The information centre provided us with…well information and a map and we were off to Chatham. First stop the Dickens Centre where we were suitable regaled of the story of the great author and many of his world famous characters. Animatronics and holograms populated the custom built village telling his stories. It is an anniversary year this year and in a stage play in London; his umpteen times great grandson is in the cast of one of the plays about him. After lunch a short bus trip and a wee walk took us to the Royal Engineers Military Museum. My Dad was in the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) unfortunately they have no archives there about them, but we spent a happy couple of hours following the story of the history of The Royal Engineers. Without them and their WWII attacks on Germany’s heavy water manufacturing apparatus, Germany may well have developed atomic weaponry and changed the entre course of world history. Something that doesn’t bear thinking about. It was dark when we exited the military museum so time to head back towards the station and a train back to Crystal Palace via London Bridge. Hmm and hungry too so a nice tea at the local pub was in order and very nice it was too thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment