Cutty Sark Short Story

Raincoats and umbrellas are practically a Londoner’s uniform, so when a sunny day in the city comes around, it cues a celebration. The grey sky turns blue, the mist in the air dissipates and the sunglasses finally come out of hibernation. Of course, the dreary weather always returns too soon, so you ought to relish the reprieve – and afternoon in Greenwich is a surefire way to do it. Perhaps you have been to this London borough before; maybe you have browsed the shops, toured the Old Royal Naval College or visited the Queen’s House, now a museum. But even if you believe you’ve seen every nook and cranny Greenwich has to offer, if you visit on a clear day, you’ll find an entirely different, and ever so enjoyable, experience that is steeped
Its brilliant lights, ornate décor, colorful horses on golden posts and nostalgic music know no age. To your surprise, you might (will) find that you enjoy it more as an adult than you did as a child. Spending time by the river is also a must. Luckily, the Cutty Sark is just across from a bike path along the Thames, so you could ride or stroll along it over to the O2 arena, home to sporting events and entertainment spaces. For those of you feeling adventurous, you can sign up for “Up at the O2,” where you actually can climb the stadium’s iconic white dome roof and see panoramic views for miles. If that O2 experience is beyond your comfort zone, you can still find stunning sights from within Greenwich Park. On your way there, you should stop at Greenwich Market. Walking into either of its two archways, you’ll come to a relatively small space that is covered by a glass ceiling and occupied by dozens of booths and tables, which form a wide central aisle and a few perpendicular ones. The goods range from handmade wire figures, to British flag patterned bowties and hair ribbons, to unique jewelry. My personal favorite vendor is Moviemats, where you can buy parts of classic movies’ film stocks that were actually used in theaters when the films first came out – as you can imagine, the “Star Wars” strips are going
There is Turkish, Italian, Cuban and Asian cuisine, just to name a few, and that does not even include the delectable dessert choices. True, you can make this market an indoor activity on a rainy day, but when the weather is at its best, you probably will face less crowds, and better yet, you can take away your food for a picnic in Greenwich Park. A five-minute walk from the market, Greenwich Park is a massive, hilly space that you could dedicate an entire day to and still not see it all. The tree-lined paths and numerous trails make it easily walkable, whilst the wide patches of grass in between make the perfect playgrounds, dog parks and snack spots. You will likely come across sculptures or, much to a bird-watcher’s delight, birds and other wildlife that have made the park their home. The real star of the park, though, is the Royal Observatory. Famous for being the location of the Prime Meridian, it was built to help ships navigate more easily. The observatory was commissioned by King Charles II in the 1600s, and demonstrates an emphasis on the importance of astronomy in its