Out east

Today was the first of probably my two London Days this week. When buying my travel card at Hampton station this morning the clerk asked me where I was going - he seemed rather surprised when I said I was having a tour of Wapping!

This area, just beyond Tower Bridge, was formerly dockland. Most of the original warehouses are now apartments, but it's still very different from above the bridge. When you cross Tower Bridge Road you leave the thousands of tourists behind and the streets are suddenly empty!

I had a walk along the so-called 'Ornamental Canals', which are fragments of former docks - my Blip today. As the docks were listed, they left sections of them and filled the rest in for houses, or so I was told. I couldn't resist snapping the rather inappropriately dressed girl out with her dog! I passed by Tobacco Dock with the rusting ship 'Three Sisters' - an extra today - and  came out into Shadwell Basin, another former dock which has been left as it was to be used for local watersports.

I walked towards the river and had my lunch in the 'Prospect of Whitby', an ancient pub, probably one of the oldest in England. There has been a pub on the site for more than 500 years. It's supposed to have the only remaining pewter bar surface in the country!

Did a bit of poking about on the beach before wandering back to tourist land and eventually finding my way back to Hampton. A great day out in a rather different part of London.

Quote of the Day: 'Because of the Thames I have always loved inland waterways - water in general, water sounds - there's music in water. Brooks babbling, fountains splashing. Weirs, waterfalls; tumbling, gushing.' - Julie Andrews.