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I'm saving up for a trip to England hopefully for a week or 10 days next year. Wish I could afford to spend a year there though. The more I dig into it, the more I want to see. I'm going to really need to focus when I go.
Be careful that you don't try to fit too much into your schedule. It is better to have a little slack time so you can spend extra time at places you find unexpectedly interesting. Vacations are never long enough to see everything anyway.
Been talking to some Brits about driving distances. As long as they're accurate, I could plan it out and see a lot in a short period of time. Being by myself will be a huge plus I think.My problem is finding out about all this other stuff. I was checking out inns and hotels outside of London. On the hotel websites I clicked "nearby attractions". I shouldn't have done that. Plus I need to think about these other museums I want to see. Do I want to drive around England and take in as much as possible or spend time in museums? That's a hard decision to make. British Museum is a definite, but the Royal Naval Museum also looks quite interesting.There are some things I have to see and go to like my ancestral home of Somerset. I found out Stonehenge is on the same road along the way, so that's an added bonus. I was going to spend 2 days in the British Museum, but may extend it to 3. However, if time is going to be an issue, I could probably do it in a day if I go quickly. I'm not one to stand and contemplate something for 45 minutes anyway. "I came, I saw, I took a picture, I left" is my museum mantra...but sometimes I do tend to get in 'the zone' and lose all aspect of time. (like I imagine will happen in the ancient history section). Did want to see a rugby match, but I think I'll skip that and just go to the Rugby Museum instead. Also want to see Hadrian's Wall, but that may be too much as it's a 6-7 hr drive from London.
If you can, you should check out the Tank Museum. They have the largest collection of tanks in the world and most of them are operable. The only thing that comes close in the State is the Patton museum at Fort Knox. The ordnance museum at Aberdeen has more vehicles but most of them are inoperable. What makes the Ordnance museum special is Anzio Annie, the last surviving Nazi railgun, captured by the Americans in Italy during WWII.
I'm more a naval history person, scout. 🙂With all this reading about British sailing and Navy, I have an urge to watch Master and commander. Never saw it before.
With all this reading about British sailing and Navy, I have an urge to watch Master and commander. Never saw it before.
You've never seen it before? It's a very good movie. Arguably the best movie Russell Crowe has been in. I was hoping they would make a sequel.
Be sure to visit Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory when you visit then.You should probably read Mahan's book too.
Absolutely! And I'll keep that book in mind. I just purchased this book. N.A.M. Rodgers is a good naval historian.I think the 'Mary Rose' is at that museum as well. I don't know if the public has access though.
Mahan's has a deceptive simplicity to it. I am still not sure if I buy it 100%, it fails to adequately explain the rise of the great land powers of China, Russia, and the Persians.
You've never seen it before? It's a very good movie. Arguably the best movie Russell Crowe has been in. I was hoping they would make a sequel.
Just watched it last night. Awesome movie!
Try the Royal Museums Greenwich, especially the National Maritime Museum if you have time.http://www.rmg.co.uk/And the Top 10 things to see : - Meridian Line - Planetarium - Harrison’s timekeepers - Nelson’s Trafalgar uniform - Voyagers - the Wave - Compass Lounge - horizon screen - Prince Frederick’s barge - Great Hall and Tulip Stairs - 4.5 billion year-old meteorite - Time ball - The Sublime Society of WCF http://www.sublimesocietyofbeefsteaks.org/History/History_and_Context.html
Thanks Aetheling. Looks like they are right in London, so that would be doable. I believe the Cutty Sark is at or nearby one of them as well. I could probably find out, but are there ferries to Holland from England?
Two possibilities:1. from Harwich to Hook of Hollandhttp://www.stenaline.nl/en/ferry/london/2. from Dover to Calais then by train to Amsterdam (or from Hull to Rotterdam but it seems a bit longer)http://www.poferries.eu/index.html#The shortest crossing is Calais but you need to take the train from Calais to Holland (163 miles / 262 Km to Amsterdam)The following link seems to provide a lot of useful information:http://www.seat61.com/Netherlands.htmPS. The Cutty Sark is located near the centre of Greenwich, in south-east London, close aboard the National Maritime Museum, the former Greenwich Hospital, and Greenwich Park.http://www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark/
Great links! Thanks. I kind of wanted to make it just a day trip if possible, but didn't realize it was so far. Probably be better off flying to Amsterdam.
