New Old New Old New London

The map says this is New London, but I'm not so sure anymore . . .

The other morning Mistah went out into the foggy day and found himself in a town that vastly resembles a certain namesake across The Pond . . .

Fort Trumbull, for example, looks exactly like it did in the 1850s.

Fort Trumbull, which sits right on the Thames River -- Thames pronounced "thames" not "tems" -- was built between 1839 and 1852, and, according to the DEP website, is one of 42 forts constructed for the defense of the U.S. coast; the whole group became known as the Third System of Fortification.

Third System of Fortification, baby! Mistah just asked me what the First Two Systems were. "Good point," I answered. And didn't look up the answer.

Look at this boat! It could have been sailing right up the Thames River in 1850. And it probably was . . .

And there, across the River, is Fort Griswold. That's a Revolutionary War Fort, built way back in the 1700s.

The DEP website says about Fort Griswold State Park:

This is the historic site where, on September 6, 1781, British Forces, commanded by the infamous Benedict Arnold, captured the Fort and massacred 88 of the 165 defenders stationed there.

Connecticut, y'all. Old. And full of rapscallions.

But back to things on the New Old New London side of the Thames . . .

Wait, we are in London! Trees and lampposts loom out of the mist . . .

. . . and even in the heart of downtown, seagulls squawk by undisturbed.

And then, there, in the distance, there she is . . .

. . . emerging out of the fog like something from a Charlotte Bronte novel . . .

. . . or maybe an Emily Bronte novel . . .

The Barque Eagle. America's Tall Ship, which is harbored right here in little ol' New  Old  New  Old  New Old London.

This is London! Old, New, New, Old . . . We're here.