Tunnels, tall Ships and tapas

Soon after Mum and Dad arrived in town the weather turned cold and wet. Now, just as they prepare to leave, the warm weather has returned. Today we decided to make the most of the sunshine. A day of wandering through several areas of London was swiftly mapped out. Our first outing took us through the quiet, but classy neighbourhood streets between Belsize Park and Hampstead. This was my first trip into Hampstead. I was astonished at the activity and variety of shopping in what I’d expected to be a sleepy village.

From Hampstead we caught the tube into town and then on out to Thames Barrier Park. Mum, Dad and I decided to do much of the same walk around the Barrier and East London that I’d done earlier in the year. The scene that greeted us at Pontoon Dock was far more lively than that I’d encountered during winter. Families were everywhere enjoying the fresh air and blue skies.


The barrier literally sparkled in the sunshine, with the Thames itself riding at high tide. The scene was wonderful. After a light lunch in the park we caught the DLR train to the end of the line. The contrast between Hampstead and East London couldn't have been starker. This area is home to many of London poorest migrants. Government officials have noted up to 15 people registering a two-bedroom house address as their place of residence in parts of East London. From here we walked south under the Thames via the Woolrich foot tunnel. The air was wonderfully cool underground offering welcome respite from the afternoon sun.


A brisk 15-minute walk brought us to the Thames Barrier Information Centre. The exhibit here is small, but informative, complete with a detailed working model of the barrier itself. The experience was well worth the £2 a head. As we left the centre we were greeted with an incredible sight. Two majestic tall ships came down the Thames and through the barrier, making the most of the rapidly falling tide. One of the main barrier gates was also out of the water for regular maintenance, giving us a genuine sense of the enormous scale of this unique coastal defense system.

With the weather in such good form it seemed only proper to venture along the Thames riverbank. We soon came upon the Anchor & Hope pub and its sunny terrace overlooking the river. It took seconds for us to deem it our duty to stop and enjoy views of Canary Wharf and the Millennium Dome over a few cold ales.


A quick train ride from nearby Charlton station took us into Greenwich for a short stroll through the town. The Cutty Sark looked as desolate as expected following last week’s devastating fire. About 4:00am on May 21, the ship went up in flames while sitting in its dry dock. At the time The Cutty Sark was in the early stages of a £25m restoration. This meant that the ship's rigging mast and about 50% of the structure had already been removed for refurbishment. Authorities are hopeful the ship can still be restored.



From Greenwich the DLR and the tube soon had us home in time to collect Garry and venture up to Belsize Park for dinner. We dined at Tapeo, a quaint bustling Spanish tapas bar, Garry and I have passed on many previous occasions. The wait was worthwhile. The food and wine at Tapeo is divine. We’ll definitely be back for the Sunday Paella special.