Left about 9:00 for Portsmouth. My current favorite old time author ('scuse me - old tyme author), is C S Forster. I loved the Horatio Hornblower series on TV and read all thirteen books once in the wrong order. Ron downloaded them onto my Kindle, so I have been reading them in the correct order during this trip. The Victory is Nelson's flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and is exactly the type of ship Horatio used to sail. So far in my reading he has progressed to being the post captain of a ship of about 20 guns or so and the Victory was over 100 guns, but the time period is the same and things like a midshipman's sea chest and the 12 pound cannons and a million other details really came to life for me. I also toured the Warrior (1860), took the Harbour Tour and went through the Maritime Museum. Portsmouth is a booming port, and there were modern battleships, fishing vessels and transport ships as well as the historic Warrior and Victory. There is also the Mary Rose, a ship that went down with all hands in the 1600's, but they are rebuilding that museum and I didn't get to visit it.
Nelson died on board ship during the battle, and his body was packed in a brandy barrel for the 3-month trip back home to England. The ship is manned by the Royal Navy and they all look so tidy and neat in their uniforms.
There was a man - retired bosun - tying knots. I bought something called a man rope knot - it took him about three hours to tie it, and is can be used as a paperweight. Just a ball of unraveled rope with a fringe on top. Very cute!
The Maritime Museum was very hands on - I got to wear and tack a toy sailboat across a fake pond with a huge wind generated by a fan. Yet another advantage of coming this time of year - no competition from the kids that would normally be fighting over this exhibit. I also chose the correct type of shot and loaded and fired a 12 pound cannon (virtually, anyway) and blew alternately the rigging down and I hulled the side of an enemy ship. Very bloodthirsty and fun.
It started to rain while I was in Portsmouth. I can't complain (well, I can but shouldn't - there has been a lot of wind but very little rain during my whole trip).
Oh I forgot - I finally got to see "oakum" - shredded rope. Hornblower used it to bulk out his silk stockings so his skinny legs would look more presentable, and apparently it was also used as toilet paper!. The guide mentioned that last little tidbit as some young boys were handling the sample - perfect timing on his part and the oakum was dropped to the deck accompanied by loud moans and groans by the boys.
Came back to the room and sat with the window cranked open. The 11-slot car park is directly under my window and I finally went over to watch as I heard a car going back and forth at least 20 times trying to park in the middle one of the three parallel spots in the lot. I have been fortunate every time I've come in and out and been able to get a good space. I have already cleared it with the front desk that someone will come park my car if I don't get one of the good spaces - I am not comfortable with tricky parking at home with my automatic car and a left hand drive. I can see crumpled fenders everywhere if I were to try it here.
Found out the crop with the yellow flowers I see everywhere is rape seed - used to make canola oil(?) A lot of local feeling about planting so much instead of food crops, so there must be a lot of money in it somewhere.
The "Cat Eyes Removed" signs are to warn drivers that the little reflective lights down the middle of the road have been removed. Apparently some study somewhere said that drivers pay more attention if there are less highway signs to distract them, and this was interpreted to mean that these little lights should be removed. It is hard to believe that will result in safer driving on country lanes where both directions of traffic share the same lane and there are no street lights!
Great supper tonight - scallops (with the little pink 'corals' still attached) at the Old Tea Shop across the street.
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