Development

I know you are aware of my views on the never ending glass and steel towers that are going up at an extraordinary rate all over London.  I assumed this building site to be yet another to add to the list.  But no...it is not... this one is one we all really want.  this is part of the new sewer system.  From here a new pipe will go under the Thames taking waste to a new treatment plant; and once complete thirteen boroughs will no longer spill their excess waste into this wonderful river.  It will take until 2024 to be complete but this one has a thumbs up from me.

Enjoying the View

Larger than life characters from a previous era are joined by current locals enjoying the sun and the view.

St Olave

It is easy to walk past this charming building just below the steps of London Bridge, and not notice anything special about it.  On one corner is this etching that says St Olave on one side of the image and King of Norway on the other.

On the opposite side of the front of the building is a plaque at about the same height as this etching
with the words shown below:

Stop Work

Clearly they did.

Swan

No particular reason or story to tell, I just rather liked the swan weather vane.

A Christmas Eve Like No Other

What do you do if an elf breaks into your warehouse.  If you are Gary a wee bit of a dodgy east end boy you tie him up of course.  What if the elf then pleads that if you don't let him go there will be no Christmas this year, or worse he might die.  So you call your best friend Chris (naturally) and he arrives dressed in his blue Onesie!  Why?  When is this poor excuse for a garment going to be banned.

The tart you've been sleeping with (Cherry) arrives demanding the present you promised her kid, and she is not someone you should mess with.   Then your ex-wife calls and says she's on her way to collect the presents for your son.

Gary is in a spot of bother.  Can things get any worse than this? ... maybe not as pixie magic dust and wishes are yet to come.

The hilarious black comedy  "The night before Christmas" is an adults only Christmas anti-panto (here in the land of Christmas Pantomimes). Whatever, I can promise you that you won't be disappointed in this hour long production by the Different Breed Theatre company.  Saturday nights there is an additional "after show" performance to round off the evening.

Performed upstairs at The Bottle Shop in Bermondsey where you can drink some the best beers and ciders available in London,  munch on a few nibbles,  and if your brave enough, you can enter Santa's grotty hole and sit on his lap and get a present.

On until 19th December bookings and details here.

The Cafe

A pretty place to sit.

Crucifix Lane

Druid St and Crucifix Lane?  The imagination runs wild.  Kate Mosse has written a book titled Crucifix Lane that is set here, but in the future.  What happened here in the past?
British History on-line only mentions the lane briefly as you walk through the area - "under the railway arches, by way of Crucifix Lane, a name which savours of "the olden time," "

Jacob's Island

Once known as "the Venice of drains" or "capital of cholera", Jacob's Island an area of Bermondsey on the southbank of the Thames separated by two man made tidal ditches that were created in the 17th century.  So notorious was the area with its dirty factories and poor residents that it became the stuff of legends and wicked tales.  Dickens folly ditch where Bill Sikes met his nasty end in his tale of Oliver Twist, is believed to be based on Jacob's Island.
The area was nearly completely destroyed during the bombing of WWII.  In the 21st century it is trendy  housing with lovely parks and views of the river.

Tart or Two

.No bread for my breakfast, off to the bakery to get one of my favourite Portuguese tarts and imagine I am somewhere sunny and warm as I devour a tart or two over a coffee

Bermondsey Market

Bermondsey Street is changing. New apartments are being built and this new food market has arrived. Smaller and more intimate than Borough Market. Great food, music, friendly and perfect to just chill out on a sunny Saturday afternoon.