The decision was taken today to have gender based day trips.Linda and Charlotte went to a horse show in London while the guys opted for Pourtsmouth to take in a bit of British naval history.First stop was the Fort Nelson built after 1859 to protect the Portsmouth docks from the the French and the Spanish it was part of an aggressive fort building project undertaken b. The range of exhibits was huge ranging from different types of 17th century canons and medical issues in wartime to tanks and real howitzers (fun fact a type of gun rather than a brand).I have to say the most bizarre but interesting exhibit for me was the steel sections of the “super gun” that was being built for Saddam Hussein. Hussein’s Super-Gun. Apart from the exhibits the building itself was brilliant to work around with long “secret ” passages where munitions were kept, access to watch towers and clear views of the fortifications themselves showing how the fort could defend itself if directly attacked.
After a democratic vote ( that’s the way us guys work) we went to the Royal Navy Submarine Museum . See Royal Navy Submarine Museum. Submarines have always been a fascination of mine and the fact that the British do museums so well this was another outstanding place to spend time.The great thing about it is the fact that whilst there is a traditional museum and collection about submarines there are actual submarines to actually walk through.The first R.N. submarine the Holland I has been preserved and is now so well renovated that you can actually get on board-unbelievable to think that people actually could go to sea in it.
We then went on a guided tour of yet another outstanding renovation that of the HMS Alliance.Apparently seven million pounds has been spent on bringing it up to the standard it is today.You can see from the photos how much is packed into such a small space.An added bonus was that one of the guides had served on subs and when into deep detail about the routine of escaping from a disabled submarine at depth.
We had some lunch and a wander around the Portsmouth dockside and drove home after a great day!
