Trip to London

I typed in 'Lodnod' but the spellchecker didn't like that and changed to London. Its been several years since we visited London and staying at my Brother-in-law's midweek, because its less of a trek from where he lives, in Surrey, than from Poole. (Did you know it was quicker to get to London from the north than to get there from the south coast, which is a shorter distance. Barmy, isn't it).  Anyway, this was to do with David and his family history and finding a grave of ancestors in an East London cemetery, which they found was repurposed so there is no trace just information of where the burials took place.  Having found out that information we then had time to be tourists, as we don't often visit.

So taking the underground to Stratford, end of the Jubilee line and a visit to the Olympic park.  A lot of development is taking place around the park including a new part of the V&A Museum, called V&A East which will also give the main museum extra storage space. The building was behind this restaurant with interesting architecture.

I tried to take a photo of the sweeping curves of the swimming dome, but it was difficult. This was as good as I got.

I took a photo of the ArcelorMittal Orbit, that red sculpture, which was closed on the day we went. There is more information here

And the main Olympic stadium is home to West Ham football team. 

And outside the front of the stadium is the Olympic bell - once rung by Bradley Wiggins as the opening ceremony is 2012 and will never be rung again.  It was made in a bell foundry in Whitechapel.

Next to that is the statue of the winners of the European Cup Winners Cup in 1965.  Bobby Moore is held aloft by Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters.

As you can see from the photos it was a grey day and it was cold too, so going back to Stratford we headed back towards Canary Wharf on the Docklands Light Railway, which David and I have never ridden on. A pretty unusual sculpture outside the Stratford Centre with the boat shaped pieces.

When in Canary Wharf we noticed the mosaics in the floor. People whizzed passed and probably thought I was batty taking photos, and I could have taken more.  There are a lot of light reflections, but basically they were about the goods that came though the London docks.

Wood

Porcelain

Peppercorns (and other spices)

Textiles

On the railway again we went to the Cutty Sark (can't think what station is was but the ship can be seen from the exit of the station).  Debating whether to go along the underground walk way under the Thames next to it and as one of the lifts wasn't working, decided not to.  So back to Canary Wharf and heading back on the underground to Waterloo.  It was amazing where the time went and it was rush hour (though not as busy as before Covid, but busy enough) and our way back to Surrey.

Looking across to the buildings in Canary Wharf.  To the left in the photo below is the Shard, sticking up to the right (and looking rather small) is BT Tower.  Just peeping behind the tall building on the right is the Gherkin.

So an adventure, being tourists on our doorstep, so to speak.  I expect it will be some years before we go again.