Thames Clipper and Fan museum

 This was a day when I finally got to visit the fan museum, I had picked up this leaflet in London somewhere a while ago and kept it in mind for a rainy day? I love using fans when I have been dancing as one gets so very hot at times and a fan and a cool drink of water are excellent coolers.

 I have two antique fans myself, collected when I was a student, one of cream lace, very old but stil in it's taty well-worn box, and one of creamy feathers. So this museum seemed a lovely idea.

 This was the map and somehow as I have never been to Greenwich I thought it indicated that the water bus was indicated? So I investigated it and decided on the Thames Clipper route as used by commuters.

 I departed from Embankment and had a 15 minute wait as they leave every 20 minutes...
The quay where I waited swayed gently on the swell of the Thames.

 This was the view while I waited.

 Soon we boarded the ''Aurora'', which seemed apt as I had seen the Aurora recently on the Winter BBC year programme. Filmed by a craftsman in Wick, Scotland.

 Above the ship you can people crossing on the footbridge which connects the Embankment with Waterloo.

 
It was very comfortable inside. With a bar/ restaurant and very comfy seats, I almost dozed off!

 Off we went, to the London Eye first.

 Then we turned about and went the opposite way.

 I love the contrast of these 3 architectural structures: sleek black versus red and white brickwork or the tan elegance of Big Ben?

 Bye bye eye. Hello  South Bank with the Festival Hall with your celebrations going on, bit blurry .

 Now we went slowly eastwards.

 At Bankside, a stop I'd never heard,  of we stopped right next to the Globe , Shakespeare's theatre in London.

 We got a good many views of the SHARD, London's latest, newest and tallest attraction?

 We stopped at London Bridge as well, where I have had meetings recently and ''discovered'' this new shopping complex: it's under that elaborate metalwork archway.

 Couldn't see the name, was it HMS Belfast?

 Tower Bridge

 Lots of interesting buildings, loving this view from the river, changing all the time....

 It got quite choppy I assure you! Actually some large waves were formed and slapped against the sides.

 Underneath Tower Bridge...

 And out the other side.

 Then when the Thames suddenly looked much wider- after Canary Wharf- we heard a speeding warning and the clipper sped much faster down the Thames.

 And then we arrived at Greenwich with the first sight being the Cutty Sark:

 And some very ''nautically orientated'' shops:

 When I got to this church I thought I was a bit lost, but all was well.

THERE it is!

Now although it came highly recommended as a ''gem'', let me warn you: it's just two rooms of historic fans, then a contemporary exhibition of foreign fans and a little shop. That's IT! I was a tad disappointed, as I'd expected a whole house of fans, 6 maybe 8 or 12 rooms full of them, but still here are a few snippets to wet the appetite:

 I liked this simple Dali sketches fan...

 This was an ivory one, amazingly delicate and beautiful?

 My ''vulgar'' taste shows through, I liked this mother of pearl one?

 And of course this lace one, except you could not see it properly?

 This was amazing and one of my favourites there:

 I learned that circular or oval fans are called cockade fans, the usual shape is a folding fan and when the sticks form part of the ''blades'' as well it's called a Brisee fan. Like the mother of pearl one earlier.

 There was a mural painted in the orangery, but it was getting dark so it looked sad and gloomy.

 I think I had seen it all and shopped and discussed the workshops all in less than 45 minutes?

 I liked Greenwich though: Lovely shops! And pretty Georgian streets?

 But I had to get home so back towards the Cutty Sark I headed...

 LOOK! Ancient and current forms of transport in one view?

 I rather fancied working in this offcie: such gloriously HIGH ceilings aren't they?
I dream of living with such ceilings again in my life, soon I hope!
I have lived twice with such ceilings: in student postgraduate accommodation in Newcastle upon Tyne and in a flat at 1 York Street , Llandudno. It gives a sense of peace, of contemplation and
SERENITY.

 But it can also be verrrrry cccccold as all the heat rises!

 I then had a full 20 minute wait for a clipper to take me West again. I had a lovely hot snack while I waited.

And it got dark while I waited too.