A TRIP TO GREENWICH
After spending the first part of the week in the city, we were ready for a day trip. We decided on a river cruise down the Thames to Greenwich, home of the time-keeping meridian that divides the world in half. If you board a ferry at London's Westminster Pier, you'll sail past Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and beneath Tower Bridge on your trip (two hours each way).Although only 8 miles from London, Greenwich is a small seacoast village, quaint and full of charming little family pubs, and it only takes an afternoon to see the village's highlights. The high-masted clipper Cutty Sark is docked there, and you can climb aboard and see how the sailors lived in amazingly tight quarters, keeping pigs and chickens on board for food. Downstairs is a collection of figureheads, the painted wooden torsos of women that adorned the prows of the ships, and to see the ladies all freshly painted and lined up is a delightful tribute to the romance of circa-1880 sailing.
You'll also want to trudge up the hill to the Old Royal Observatory (joint admission to the Observatory and the National Maritime Museum is L6 for adults, free for children under 16) and take a picture of yourself straddling two hemispheres. At this spot of zero longitude, time is measured for the whole planet, and we had fun taking pictures by what was, at one time anyway, "the most accurate clock in the world." Jordan loved putting a pound in a nearby machine and getting a little certificate telling him the exact time, down to the millisecond, that he visited Greenwich.
TOURING HAMPTON COURT
Another absolute must is a day trip to Hampton Court. About an hour from London by train, Hampton Court was built in 1514 and was the favorite castle of the great Tudor king, Henry VIII. You can choose between two guided tours, one emphasizing the original Tudor sections, and one the "improvements" added by William and Mary in the 18th century. Costumed guides lead you through in relatively small groups, making this one of London's best historic places for kids.As I mentioned, my kids and I made it a point to learn all we could about the dashing but quite dysfunctional king during our vacation. On our first day in London, we posed among the wives at Madame Tussaud's. The next day at the Tower of London, we saw where the poor little teenage queen Catherine Howard had been brought down the Thames and in through Traitor's Gate before Henry had her beheaded for adultery. (A couple of guidebooks from the Tower gift shop helped round out the story.) Now, here at Hampton Court, we walked down the Haunted Gallery, where legend says you can still hear Catherine screaming to Henry for mercy as the guards arrested her and dragged her off. Tom, our guide, asked the kids if they knew why the gallery was haunted, and they were able to spew out the whole tale in impressive fashion. "Catherine's our favorite wife," Leigh said solemnly.
Hampton Court's ornamental gardens are gorgeous, whatever the season, and we had wonderful cakes and pastries in the outdoor café. After lunch, we went through the Hampton Court Maze, an enormous labyrinth made from boxwood that leads to a figure of Henry in the center. Jordan made it twice, but Leigh and I became so confused that we had to take the emergency exit. (Hey, at least we got the part about Catherine Howard right.)
Kim Wright Wiley is a frequent contributor to FAMILYFUN.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated August 2005.
