"One if by land, two if by sea..."

Today marked another full day of excursions, including a visit to the Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, a return to Trafalgar Square, and an impromptu visit to the National Gallery.

As has always been the case with our class excursions, there was never a shortage of fascinating sights and sounds at these various venues. Both the Royal Observatory and the Maritime Museum were particularly interesting as they offered an in-depth look at England's astronomy and seafaring histories, and provided many interactive, kid-friendly activities for visiting families.

With the nautical theme of today's excursion, it was certainly appropriate that part of our transportation to Greenwich was on the Thames via the River Bus (boat) service. While as clean and efficient like the other services offered by London Transport, the River Bus service struck me as a "mellower" form of getting to one's destination, as the pace of the boats on the river is slower than the frenetic rush of the Underground or the stop-and-go traffic rhythms of the bus. It's a nice, relaxing alternative if you're not in a huge hurry to get to where you're going, and offers a unique perspective of the city itself.

The impromptu visit to the National Gallery deserves mention as it boasts an incredible collection of fine art from the past two centuries, including many original works by Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, and other masters from the Impressionist period. Perhaps most remarkable of all is that the museum charges no admission, and proudly emphasizes this to all who pass by its doors. Like many of the other fine museums in London that we have visited to date, the National Gallery is a treasure in and of itself to offer free access to such an amazing art collection. Our visit was quite brief, but I hope to return there again before my time in London is up!