Sunday 15 January 2012

London, 7:46 am

Our house is on the north bank of the Thames; Greenwich is just across the river.

The twin domes are of the Old Royal Naval College. Behind the college (though you can’t see it from the photo) is the Royal Observatory, designed – as architect Christopher Wren said with engaging honesty – “for the observator’s habitation and a little for pompe.”

The Royal Observatory is of course most famous for being the ‘home’ of the prime meridian. Our house is very close to the meridian – at 0°0'47"W, to be precise. I would have liked to say: I cross the prime meridian when I step out to buy milk, but that is not exactly true. The nearest convenience store is also in the Western Hemisphere. But only just.

3 comments:

relativelytruthful said...

...and yet, as i recollect, you said exactly that. :D

Sroyon said...

What can I say – the temptation is strong.

Spaax said...

Don't you know? He never lets truth stand in the way of a good story.