DOCKLANDS

Docklands is the section of the city from Tower Bridege to Woolwich. Up till about 1986, both sides of the river were lined with docks and warehouses.  There are very few docks, now, and none in use.  This view is from the River Thames.   

The 2012 Olympics will be held in this area and preparations are already underway.

These scenes are from West India Dock on the Isle of Dogs.  (The Tudors used to keep their hunting dogs here.)  This dock is where banana and sugar boats used to come in and unload for the city.    The area has totally changed now and it is the most modern looking district of London.  Glass office skyscrapers house many of Britian’s top banking and insurance firms and such.  The new City Airport is nearby; it is the fastest way to fly in and out of London.  So of course, the area is a haven for yuppies, with many modern and expensive high-rise flats.

We went on a Sunday afternoon and  the restaurants were busy with early afternoon brunch crowds.  Docklands Light Railway is a fast and convenient way to get there.  You can see the train above the waterway here.

———————————————————————————————————-

This floating pedestrian bridge connects the waterfront area and its restaurants and bars to an office and shopping complex.

—————————————————————————————————————————–

The old boats and sculptures in front of the new buildings are a nice contrast and visual of how the area has changed.  There are still a few working boats docked at the wharf, but they are used as restaurants and meeting places.   

   

Few of the old buildings survived the WWII  bombing.  The Docklands Museum is next to this one.

——————————————————————————————————————————

From West India Dock, we took the DLR to LImehouse, an older part of Docklands.  We stopped at Island Gardens Park for a last look at Greenwich, which is directly across the river.  

We had planned to walk to the Grapes Pub for dinner.  It is a pub frequented by Charles Dickens and is the model for the one he describes in "Our Mutual Friend."   It was no longer serving food by the time we got there, though, so after looking around, we walked on and ate at a very good Italian Restaurant in Mosaic Square before hopping on our train for home.