Other stuff around Portsmouth: Spinnaker Tower heebie jeebies
After our jaunt around Southsea we went downtown to Gunwharf Quay. Now a big shopping mall with viewing tower, the gunwharf began life in the 1660s and was where guns were fitted into the warships built at the adjacent dockyard. After more than 300 years service to the military it was flagged for disposal.
We were here to meet dad’s cousin and go up the Spinnaker Tower for some views over Portsmouth. It was another beautiful day so it was going to be a bit more successful than when Mike and I went to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Designed and named for the Portsmouth’s maritime heritage, the tower opened in 2005 and I think is a great asset for the city.
The Spinnaker Tower during our dockyard boat tour the day before
The first viewing deck with that quintessential masochistic observation tower experience: the glass floor. Solid and perfectly safe, they say, come walk on it. I don’t think so
So this is about as ‘brave’ as I get – and this was enough to give me surging pangs of anxiety in my legs
Looking down to the dockyard
Ferries run continually between the Isle of Wight, France and Spain
I mistimed seeing a hovercraft at close quarters earlier in the day, though one did zoom in while I had a grandstand view
There was a cafe and I liberated a cupcake from its fancy counter display (setting it free into my tummy)
I finished studying the views and headed back down. There were shops, many shops, and it would be rude to leave without getting better acquainted with them.
tall tales 