The Thames

It's overcast, cold and generally gray here today which reminded me of the scenes we saw yesterday during the BBC's broadcast of the massive river parade for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.  I loved the guy who remarked that it made the parade "more English" to have a cold  rain coming down.  

Never having been to London (other than a plane change at Heathrow) I was astounded at the breadth of the Thames.  That is one wide river! 


The Thames is the longest river contained wholly in England and is 215 miles long.  It begins as a kind of trickle near the village of Kemble, which is near Cirencester, and goes south, widening perceptibly as it does.  Underneath the Tower Bridge, it is 871 feet wide.  Of  note:  only 61 seconds are required to open Tower Bridge which is done, on average, 1,000 times a year. 

The Thames travels under these main bridges -- Tower, London, Westminster and Millennium plus another 29 and over four tunnels, not including the London Underground. 

The Thames actually froze over once but that was in the 12th century.  The current is now too swift for that to happen again.

The name "Thames" is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit word "tamas" which means "dark."  The Thames is not a gentle river and its waters are usually described as "dark and turbulent."

 I admire and enjoy rivers and wondered idly how much to live beside the Thames?  I Googled "Thames-side housing prices."    The most expensive -  six bedrooms, -  was 2,250,000 pounds,  a two-bedroom semi-detached was 335,000 pounds and a one bedroom flat was 225,000 pounds. I just checked and today the rate of exchange is $1 US = 0.0.6505 pounds as of June 4, 2012.