So I had to go to London for some school workshops and something on my 'Things I need to do in London' list was the HMS Belfast! It's a warship that served in WWII and the Korean war that is just sitting in the Thames with Tower Bridge in the background....crazy, eh?
You can probably hit this photo and you'll be able to see the details of the ship....
This shows you where HMS Belfast served...the 'Arctic' and North Cape (if I remember right) were off the coast of Norway, then it was at Normandy on D-Day and then in the Korean war....
This is the ship's bell...and the most interesting I thought was....
Apparently a ship's bell in the Navy doubles as a BAPTISMAL BASIN! Hilariuous, eh? Look at all those names of babies born to crew members and then baptized in the bell! That was just so funny to me!
The rear guns....
Inside...big guns!
Calling in the orders....(I hate war! UGH!)
Big bullets/shells!
The HMS Belfast even had torpedoes! I didn't realize that ships also had torpedoes!
I thought it was awesome to see how these guys lived...that was their 'laundry', i.e. a bucket that the guy (on an interview I listened to) talked about taking to shower with and 'washing' his clothes in it while taking a shower....
Why do people sign up for the Navy? Seriously?!
This is the ship's chapel...
I thought it was funny...they really did used to have cats on-board to keep the rats under control! LOL!
And then I don't know if it's because Madame Tussaud's is in town, but they had these waxwork sculptures showing you what it was like back in the day....
Here, the Bakery....
Corridor...
The dentist with his screaming patient (he really was screaming! ;)....
They even had a surgery room...can't say that I fancy having surgery on a boat, but...if you gotta, ya gotta...
View of the city through a window...love this photo...
I wish I were a Boy Scout in London! They let the Scouts come and have a sleepover on the HMS Belfast nowadays!!
The 'store'/BX....
The boys hanging out in their quarters...ugh....no thanks....not the life for me...
This was the ship's 'jail'! 'And the next time I catch you singing the 'Royal Navy' anthem off-key again, I'll keel-haul, ya!'
Interesting sign...just to let you know....that you're under....and if anything should happen....you're under....and there is no hope...cuz you're under.....
The big shells and the system that brings up top...BOO for war! So much wasted....hmm....
I had the strangest thought a while ago. I was like 'how can the world truly support the human population and give them what they need?' I wasn't seeing 'how' and then the thought came 'take away all the money/resources you use for 'defense', military, etc. and we probably could! Hmm....
Another example of the German 'Enigma' machine. And just so we all know - even though Jon Bon Jovi and crew got an Enigma machine in the movies, it was actually the Brits that did it! ;)
This cook was really happy to be at work watching his gallons-sized cookers....
These guys are enjoying crying and peeling onions :)
One of the engines for the ship!
The ship went through a major overhaul in the 1950's, so this isn't how it looked during WWII. I honestly was 'impressed' at how nice the ship was...I pictured it being a lot less hospitable.
The ship even had its own machine shop where they could repair things....
Women, join the war effort! And when the men come home, go back into the kitchen!' UGH! Seems almost 'use-Jesse-Owens-like'....boo!
There are the two 'bridges'....
The bottom bridge is the Admiral's bridge. HMS Belfast was the lead ship in a fleet, and thus had an Admiral aboard as well as a Captain...(how'd you like to be the Cap'n? Admiral there to watch yer every move...no thanks!)
The radio room....
I don't know if this is true, but folklore says that on a Christmas eve an Allied (WWII) ship was sailing along when suddenly off its bow a submarine surfaced partially and then with an apparatus like this one signaled 'Merry Christmas' and then it went back down...in other words 'we didn't sink you! Have fun!' Crazy and creepy at the same time....
View from the top! I don't know if I like the angle of those guns...they are pretty much aimed at St. Paul's! NO, anything but not my St. Paul's! ;)
And the Captain's bridge....
Big guns....
What it looked like if you were sitting in them....
An officer's room....
View from the front...
How beautiful! Did I ever tell you that the British flag has been my favorite flag since I was about 13?....I almost feel like a traitor saying that...but it's true....
'Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the waves!...'
Even the 'regulation' wound up rope....'jolly good!'...
Goodbye HMS Belfast! I wasn't too keen on visiting you (hence you're one of the last things on my 'to do' list), HOWEVER, I was pleasantly surprised and would recommend you to anybody!
Cheers!
