Alison

My A to Z Travel Challenge – L is for London, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Part One

East London and the City

London, the city I was born in, worked in and lived for a while. It is one of my favourite cities and even though there must be hundred of blogs about London, these posts are about my memories of London. We try to visit at least a few times when we go back to the UK to see my parents, either taking the train which is around a 30 minute journey or drive up.

I found a wonderful website called Just Park . It’s a site where people rent out their parking spaces for a day at a time. We have never paid more than £10 a day, which is a bargain considering the astronomic cost of parking in London. If we take the train, we buy a travel card for the day and this lets you use, trains, tube and buses. The train for us takes us into Fenchurch Street Station and from here we walk to the tube or bus stop. I have found that google maps is brilliant for telling you what number bus to take and when it will arrive.

So much has changed over the last twenty years I find it hard to know my way around like I used to. Tall architecturally designed buildings now dominate the city with centuries old churches nestled in between.

By Day

  • St. Paul’s Cathedral
  • Tower of London
  • Plantation House
  • Monument to the Great Fire of London
  • The Walkie Talkie Building
  • St. Mary Aze
  • Leadenhall Street
  • Royal Exchange

The iconic red London double decker bus is the best way to see London especially if you are at the top in the front! We did manage this during one visit only to be turfed off shortly down the road due to the “Save the Planet” protests.

By Night

  • The Gherkin from the Heron Tower
  • The Gherkin with St. Mary Axe
  • Alleyways
  • and Pubs

Nowadays there are so many places to eat in the City, whereas many years ago it was really just pubs and cafes. The food is always good wherever you go giving London the gourmet reputation it deserves.

  • A fine bottle of Pouilly Fume
  • Crab Cakes
  • Seafood pasta
  • Obscure captioned poster!
  • Oops! Can you pay?
Lunchtime at Davy’s Bar, underneath the arches in Crutched Friars

Brick Lane

As I’ve written before my dear hubby is mostly interested in shopping and is always on the lookout for shops that sell a particular denim or certain item of clothing that has caught his eye. Brick Lane is where his favourite shop is located, Son of a Stag. It sells mostly jeans but there are also other quirky designer items. I usually sit on the bench inside and know I’m in for a long wait, while he discusses weight and thread count with the sales assistant. We’re normally here for 45 minutes but then have to go back to collect said item after it has been altered.

  • “I won’t be long”
  • “How does it look”

Street Art around Brick Lane

The old Truman Brewery, said to be founded in or around 1666 by Joseph Truman. Now it is home to East London’s arts and media centre. Housing bars, restaurants, galleries and shops.

Back to their roots

During one of our trips up to London my mum and dad came with us to show us where they used to live. My Dad came from Bethnal Green and my Mum from Hackney. We also visited the church where they got married.

  • Aged 10
  • Aged 84
Still has the same smirk!
  • Mum’s old housing estate
  • Outside St. Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch
  • Still going strong after 64 years

St. Leonard’s Church (also known as Shoreditch Church) dating back to approximately 1740. This church was mentioned in the nursery rhyme “Oranges and Lemons” – “when I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch”.

Prospect of Whitby, Wapping

Still in the East is the district of Wapping, sitting on the banks of the River Thames and near St. Katherine’s Docks and Tobacco Wharf. This area is now a much desired place to live. The Prospect of Whitby used to be one of my favourite pubs and I decided to revisit on one of our trips.

It dates back to around 1520 and is probably one of the oldest taverns in London. I don’t think anything has changed much over the years!

There is so much more to see of East London and the City especially the markets. You don’t always have to do the touristy stuff to have a good time in London.

Some of the fabulous markets to visit if you have time

Petticoat Lane
Columbia Street Flower Market
Leadenhall Market
Old Spitalfields Market
To name but a few!

I hoped you enjoyed my trip through East London

Next up – Part Two, North and West

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23 comments

  1. and the east has changed so much in the last 10 years. Currently home to my youngest stepdaughter, but my eldest also lived here once and still has a flat in Bethnal Green.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Loved this gossipy trip through London, my favourite city also. Your photographs are also intriguing, shot as they are from unusual angles or, at least not from the usual angles one views these places. I’ve made a note of the Just Park site which sounds wonderful, not for myself because I don’t drive in London these days (lost my nerve) but for friends who complain about lack of parking space.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thanks Mari. We always try to find somewhere different to go in London. Just Park is brilliant
      Some of the car parks are in the front of someone’s house and some are in carparks ..and most people who live in London probably don’t have a car

      Like

      Reply

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