london weekend
Saturday 19th of March
After our respective workouts - me, running at the Imperial War Museum and walking to Blackfriars and back with a brief coffee break at Gail's - you, cycling in the Elephant room and stretching - we crossed Lambeth bridge, cycled along the embankment all the way to Chelsea harbour via Lots road around the corner to World's End and finally Parson's Green. After a great stretch of independent shops and eateries we shifted south of the river via Putney bridge.
Long and bumpy, totally country-feel cycle ride with the Thames on our right, passed busy rowing clubs all the way to Chiswick bridge via Barnes. In hindsight, crossing Hammersmith Bridge to the north bank would have been a better plan; a bit of a desert across the other side over Chiswick Bridge. Lovely though cycling through Barnes village; big distillery by Chiswick bridge on the South side, must check whether Fullers, Young or neither!
Stopped for a brief re-fuel with San Fransisco toastie made of organic strawberry jam and peanut butter bought earlier from Gail's.
We loved the whole area by the The Dove and The Old Ship pubs, must return on a less busy day. Stunning period properties and all the dogs we could have ever wished for but the people flocking these parts do leave us cold. A bit too posh perhaps?
Faithful to your cofeeshops of London pocket book, we headed to Chiswick's King street where we stumbled across the full of good coffee promise teal painted Coffeology. Loved the vibe - Don't let the Devil Take another Day by Stereophonics - I Shazamed for you; hot sun flooding the entire coffeeshop, free table just by the window (perfect) - reminded me so much of down under - I can't wait to show you Sydney and Melbourne. You didn't approve of her gym outfit despite making you an incredibly good coffee. Spinach pie was good too; 'take home the rest', you said, while I was still eating. Hahaha. That's o.k. I placed the rest in my backpack and I was grateful the following morning when I had it with my morning cuppa, thanks!
From Chiswick to Hammersmith, Shepherds Bush and Olympia. In Earl's Court we cut through that charming street of a while back and looped back a different way avoiding big, busy roads to the red brick mansions of Old Brompton rd. and their ultra exclusive resident squares. Crossed Fullham road, Kings road and ended up on the river, ah...almost home. Suggested a brief stop at Battersea Park - you were quite eager to head back to Elephant - we went a little too far - but I could barely keep up - must have been my 8am run, was 3pm by then. We sat briefly on a bench by Albert Bridge and observed the choppy Thames. 'The water is going the opposite direction to the sea. How's that possible?' you wondered out loud. 'The prevailing wind is coming from the East', didn't seem a convincing enough explanation.
Cycled through Battersea park and as we approached Vauxhall I heard you say: 'Shall I make the Portugese cod dish tonight?' to which my answer will always be: say no more.
We returned to Elephant, cold and battered by the wind after another tour de force ride across London. Had a chook salad from the left-over M&S roasted chook the day before, avo and spinach, a drizzle of lemon, olive oil and salt.
I think I had a little lie down but came back up and made a nice cuppa! So nice to have done so much and now chilling with you in the sauna that is Perronet House writing down my notes, tracing our steps back with the aid of your 'London's Hidden Walks Volume 3'.
Sunday 20th of March
We headed East towards Rotherhithe village first after busing it to London Bridge and brisk walk via Tooley street and Shad Thames to my old home and the little Watch House café by St Mary's church. A watchman, said the placard, was appointed to look for bodysnatchers - subsequently learnt that they were called resurrection men - who would steal corpses to sell to Guy's Hospital for medical research.
'Is the Watch House on Bermondsey street the same thing then?' 'Absolutely, there's a graveyard at the park behind. I hadn't realised till you mentioned it.'
Coffee was not great but for good old times' sake I had one with a croissant while we sat in the sun by a bench looking at the pretty Georgian house next to the Rectory with the painted statues of Charity Children, a boy and a girl. It was the Amicable Society’s school founded by Peter Hills in 1613.
St Mary's church was completed in 1716 by John James, an associate of Christopher Wren and it replaced a 12th century building. Strange to have owned a home where Christians worshipped for a 1,000 years. St. Mary's Church website states that the organ - built and installed by John Byfield in 1764 - is a superb example of 18th century English organ building and that its tonal qualities have been retained to the present day; its sound is much as Handel (1685-1759) and his London contemporaries would have heard and appreciated.
Perhaps not so smart selling Rotherhithe, after all.
We then took the East London line to Wapping. Headed to Cinnamon café on Wapping Lane where we secured another sunny bench; you had a decent Monmouth flat white and a walnut slice and I admired from a distance 'Chimney Court'. In the early 20th century, the building on Brewhouse Lane was the factory of D&W Gibbs, a manufacturer of soap, shaving soap and toothpaste. Gibbs French Dentifrice, was used by British troops in France during the First World War - not only to clean their teeth but also to polish their brass buttons on their tunics and the regimental badges on their caps. A top floor, 1-bedroom flat is for sale for 1 million squid - always checking flats for sale in areas we visit and like. That's a lot for Wapping but is rather big with a private roof terrace and views across London.
Checked Turner's Old Star pub, allegedly owned by J.M.W Turner who loved the light in the area and who may have appointed as a landlady one of his mistresses - apparently his last - Sophia Booth from Margate. Walked around St Peter's London Docks Church, sadly dominated by an ugly imposing council estate at the back; the church dates back to 1866 - its first vicar was Charles Lowder who is known as 'The Father of Wapping' because of his dedication to the local people, particularly during the big cholera outbreak in the 1860s.
Admired the wonderful Georgian proportions of Rainer's charity school with the boy and girl statutes also seen in the school in Rotherhithe village. 'We have the same book', a man smiled across the road with his partner after seeing you hold 'London's Hidden Walks Volume 1'.
We came to a narrow canal known as Spirit Quay and saw Tobacco Wharf, an 80s structure but a great spot with a wonderful metal gate and two ships which are replicas of an 18th century merchant ship and an American schooner captured during the Anglo-American War (1812-1814). Walked passed some slick modern residencies and parkland and back to Wapping High street. Metropolitan Wharf was a standout - with its high-end ground floor lounge and very slick black and white exterior, must house a restaurant as there was a Trip Advisor sticker on the window. It is a Grade II listed Victorian building that consists of five warehouses that were built between 1862 and 1868 and were used for storing coffee, cocoa, spices, oils, dried fruits, seeds, and coconut matting.
Walked down some steep steps to Thames beach! Saw a couple of groups of people with doggies and an Asian guy collecting stuff - today's catch for the Chinese restaurant at Crane Wharf?
We briefly paused at the Prospect of Whitby pub, missed the noose. It is the oldest of London’s riverside pubs and dates back to 1520, when Henry VIII was on the throne. It was originally called the Pelican Inn, though most people called it the Devil’s Tavern because of some of the ‘wicked activities’ said to have taken place here; it was infamous for its bareknuckle fighting, cock fighting and other even less attractive activities. It was renamed the ‘Prospect of Whitby’, which was the name of a collier that used to sail down from the Yorkshire port of Whitby and moor alongside to unload coal for the hydraulic pumping station opposite.
We continued to King Edward Memorial Park and the Rotherhithe Tunnel Air shaft - what beautiful buildings did they make to house a vent! Around to the Thames path and all the way to Canary Wharf via Narrow street.
We both loved Sun Wharf - the original - unlike the proclaimed "Old" next door which ironically looked new. It appears to have been bought alongside three other houses by the great English film director Sir David Lean who lived there till 1991 when he died of pneumonia. He directed the old time classics: Laurence of Arabia, Dr Zhivago, The bridge on the river Kwai, Passage to India, Brief encounters, Oliver Twist...How can one individual achieve so much in a lifetime? Apparently, his home is still owned by the family.
'Water Gardens would have been a great investment had it not been for that muppet', you sighed. A beautiful row of early Georgian buildings and the Grapes pub where Dickens used to frequent as a child when visiting his godfather in Limehouse, now owned by the actor Sir Ian McKellen, the theatre and film director Sean Mathias, and Evgeny Lebedev, publisher of the Evening Standard newspaper. Took a another picture of Limehouse and Dunbar Wharves and the blue building with the angel on the corner. That Italian café has such a good spot. It's cosy around here' you said longingly. Yes, it does have a lovely feel. Quiet. All is missing is a good cofffeeshop.
Thought bubbles momentarily formed, us running a cute, little café with a doggie but soon was overshadowed by being stuck in a business of too little profit unable to go anywhere for years...
At Canary Wharf you M&Sed for the additional ingredients necessary for the cod dish you cooked that night. Bought a new pair of Ascii trainers 'No rush, take your time' - sorry, it did take a rather longish time to decide as the shoes I liked weren't available in my size.