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LadyEllen -> Victory, our trip to Portsmouth (England, that is) (10/29/2008 12:11:51 PM)
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We decided not to do Rome in the end. Paris was suggested for the week but that too was rejected, for similar reasons - not easy to justify the expense, when you might have to lose 20% of your workforce next month.
So, we decided on a two day trip to Portsmouth, mainly because neither of us had been there and it would help out on someone's school project about Henry VIII's flagship the Mary Rose too.
The four of us left bright and early Monday in the Jag, having booked the family room at the fabulous Queens Hotel on the seafront for the evening. Going on a trip with my ex and our offspring and sharing a room raised some eyebrows amongst those members (both of them) of the extended family that have a problem with me, but so what - lots of friends share rooms dont they?
Monday afternoon we booked in and took a walk to the Spinaker Tower - which turned out to be over a mile from the hotel, though it had looked closer! We didnt get up the tower though - for one there was a 45 minute queue and for two it was surrounded by lots of good shopping and for three there was a huge navy ship to watch as it was tugged out to sea. Monday night we ate out at the same spot.
Tuesday morning we set off the dockyards to see the Mary Rose. Having seen it raised from the seabed back in the 80s (I ducked out of class registration at school to watch it in the computer room - single - the school had) it was amazing to see what had been a crumple of wood on a platform, looking as it should. Even through glass and a heavy mist of water and wax being sprayed to preserve it, it was a sight to see.
But then - having walked past her on the way to see Mary Rose we went straight outside to see on board what is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen - Victory.
Pictures simply do not do her justice. Absolutely amazing is all I can say - she is huge, roomy, exquisitely built and appointed - absolutely amazing.
If anyone has the opportunity, I cant recommend highly enough a visit to the dockyards - our family ticket (valid 12 months) was £51-50, but the price is worth it simply for the amazing experience of seeing Victory and touring her from top to bottom and bow to stern - how mankind could have produced such a wonder, in the pre-industrial age at that is absolutely amazing.
We had to confess - there was a lot more to do in Portsmouth than we had allowed time for. As it was we spent six hours in the dockyard and still didnt see some of it - particularly the Warrior, but we were all tired and cold and had to get home. We shall definitely be going down again soon!
E
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