April 18, 2016
Another London Half-Marathon.
Hi folks!
Onward we march on our Thames-side hike. The other day you got the first leg of this day’s walk (taking in a cable car ride + Greenwich and arriving at the Cutty Sark); here’s the second leg.
After the Cutty Sark we came upon the entrance to the under-Thames foot tunnel again through which A.B. and I walked the other week. Not this time…
…This time we didn’t turn right and down through the tunnel, we carried straight on – along the embankment of the river. Why not we thought: the path was nice and smooth, there was loads to look at, the sun was out… even the clouds that day were worth photographing. Yep, no tunnel today…
Hup two three four, hup two three four… on and on we pounded the pavement…
…And after a short while we came across something completely unexpected that completely bowled us over… a statue of Peter the Great – yes, that Peter – Peter I, Tsar of All Russia from 1682 to 1721. Well, well! London – always full of surprises.
The embankments of the Thames are most pleasant for walking along – if you’re on the right stretches, which today we were. You can’t walk non-stop along the embankments; sometimes you have to make a detour – often through old industrial/port ruins. Not quite befitting London’s image of modern glamour, but… like I say, no less surprising. More surprises… post-industrial art:
ANOTHER surprise: a farm! No, REALLY! In the heart of London. Ducks, hens, goats, pigs, vegetable patches, and an actual farmer and farmer’s wife! Turns out it’s an ‘open’ farm, which urban kiddies visit to get an idea about rural life. It has a café too, which cynically has ‘Fresh Lamb’ on the menu. Goats with Canary Wharf in the background: odd!
Here comes the Shard…
Another detour into London hinterland, and the next surprise: British cherry blossom in full bloom!
The further we stroll, the more ‘central’ and monumental the views become…
Hmm, I’d already been here already, only on the other side.
On and on… along the long familiar South Bank points of interest…
Is it just me, or is that building badly in need of a smiley?
All righty. That’s enough walking and snapping for one day. We’d come from right back there:
On we treaded to the Golden Jubilee Bridges.
In all today we walked 25 kilometers. Not bad at all :).
Let me sum up. Last time we walked from the Thames Barrier along the river to the Cutty Sark.
This time: from the Cutty Sark to the Jubilee Bridges.
Where shall we walk tomorrow?…
All the photos from London are here.
