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Google Earth

(37 Posts)
PRINTMISS Tue 29-Sept-15 15:18:57

I have been googling earth for the past couple of days, I first wanted to find out if the house we lived in during the war was still there, and it is looking very smart indeed, which led to looking at all sorts of other areas - we left there in the 1950's, going back regularly until the late 1960's. Yesterday I found my old school still standing a good old brick building with tall brick walls surrounding, and there right in front of me was the window we stood at and watched a German plane machine-gunning civilians - we did not know at the time, but it was another school a few miles from us, and the girls were out for 'gym'. This was a rogue plane, which had broken through the radar, we had no warning, but as a class we were told to get to the shelter (at the bottom of the school building) as quickly as possible - we were at the top of the building doing science. We saw the plane as we reached the landing, and although we knew we should run, we were transfixed by the sight of a plane machine gunning people. I had watched some of the dog fights over Biggin Hill, heard bombs drop, and seen a doodle bug dropped from the sky, but never had I seen this happen. Such atrocities continue to this day, we will never learn.
I had forgotten this until I saw just that window, and the memories came flooding back.

tanith Tue 29-Sept-15 15:21:26

I've often taken a trip around old areas that I've lived in its an eye opener for sure..

hildajenniJ Tue 29-Sept-15 15:55:39

Me too. I've had a look at the house and surroundings in New Zealand where my cousin lives. It is very interesting. I am lucky that I have never lived more than eleven miles from where I was born, and if I chose, I could go and walk round all my childhood haunts, and look at my old schools. I like Google street view.

Nelliemoser Tue 29-Sept-15 16:09:56

Printmiss That sounds horrific.

WilmaKnickersfit Tue 29-Sept-15 16:16:58

I sell my jewellery online and can't help Googling where customers live, especially if it's abroad. I love looking at all the different kinds of houses and the thing that always strikes me is how much bigger the plots of lands are, especially in the USA. The houses are not necessarily big, but there's so much more outdoor space. I Google addresses in the UK too if they have unusual names. We do live on a small island - and I am a naturally nosey curious person. grin

Coolgran65 Tue 29-Sept-15 16:39:30

I sell on my clothes on eBay and do the Google maps thing. It is interesting to see the posh homes where some buyers live. Recycling is so popular.

Indinana Tue 29-Sept-15 16:48:21

If we're going away for a few days I always google where we'll be staying and have a wander around the surrounding area in street view. It's almost surreal to arrive a couple of weeks later and feel that I know the place already smile
And I too love to look at the houses I've lived in throughout my life to see what they're like now, particularly the house I was brought home to as a new born in London. The road looks so well kept, all the houses nicely painted with smart front doors. Probably worth a small fortune now.
But what I particularly love to do is to visit Zoopla or Rightmove and see if I can track the last time any of my erstwhile homes was on the market - then I can have a look at the photos and see what they're like inside. Now that is really fascinating!

numberplease Tue 29-Sept-15 17:48:37

I love Google Earth! Also, I`m very nosey, I exchange books quite often with people I "talk" to on forums, and I like to look and see what their houses are like. So far, all but one are much nicer than mine, hope they don`t all Google earth mine!

rubysong Tue 29-Sept-15 19:34:30

I used Google Earth today to check the best route from Trago Mills to the beach at Lansallos (Cornwall). It was very useful to find a road I don't often use and we were quickly in the sea for our last swim of the year, or maybe not!
I find it useful if I have to go anywhere unfamiliar.

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 29-Sept-15 19:42:57

There's a very clear picture of me on Google Earth, stepping it out very smartly on a road near us. grin

WilmaKnickersfit Tue 29-Sept-15 19:46:36

Can you see your face or did Google do the pixelated thing to disguise it? grin

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 29-Sept-15 19:52:30

It's as clear as anything. (I was only walking along - not having a pee behind a car!)

newist Tue 29-Sept-15 20:39:01

I am on Google street view, walking in front of my house

NannyDee Tue 29-Sept-15 20:50:07

I use Google earth to "revisit" our son's house in Australia - I can zoom right in, look at the garden and remember our last visit there smile

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 29-Sept-15 21:01:02

Oh yes! That's what I'm on. Street View. Perhaps not Google Earth. confused I suppose I would show up really small on there.

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 29-Sept-15 21:02:43

Or maybe not. I haven't got a clue.

#whyamionthisthread

newist Tue 29-Sept-15 21:15:53

Because your input is always of interest jing

WilmaKnickersfit Tue 29-Sept-15 21:20:34

What are the odds of two people on here being caught on camera by the Google car? Typical! grin

numberplease Tue 29-Sept-15 21:38:15

That`s what I should have said, Street view, it`s great.

Nelliemoser Tue 29-Sept-15 23:23:02

The map for my house is about five years old. I can tell by the car in the drive.

Nelliemoser Tue 29-Sept-15 23:29:31

Oh heck they have improved the resolution. I can see the full details of the extension in our previous house in Ilford.

I wish you lot had not started posting this stuff. I want to go to bed!

Nelliemoser Tue 29-Sept-15 23:40:33

www.instantstreetview.com/@52.634205,-1.15548,-116.97h,5.07p,1z

Turn the image round and we lived in the end terrace house at number 35. There is an alley way out at the end by the detached house. I am not sure that house was there in the time I was.

I lived here from 1948 to about 1952/3

WilmaKnickersfit Wed 30-Sept-15 00:43:08

Isn't it amazing we can see these things?

BTW I don't think I have seen houses that curve like that before. It's nice.

This was my first home. My Mum and Dad rented a two room flat on the 3rd floor of a tenement from 1958 until 1967. By then I had two little brothers and we moved to a brand new 2 bedroom council house.

www.instantstreetview.com/@56.472532,-2.970529,-103.88h,11.89p,1z

numberplease Wed 30-Sept-15 17:26:44

Prior to going on holiday, I was looking at Wells-next-the-Sea on street view, and going along the waterfront it suddenly changed from brilliant sunshine to thick fog! Then I checked out the date at the bottom, and there were about 3 years between the pictures.

WilmaKnickersfit Wed 30-Sept-15 18:11:09

How strange! I thought it was going to be something like the driver had stopped (for lunch?) and the weather changed!