The real London

On my 2 hour walk home from work this week I headed to Regent's Canal, and walked from City Road in East London all the way along heading North through Islington, on to King's Cross and then ending up in Camden. I could have headed on to Warwick Avenue and home to Maida Vale, but I met the boy and hopped on the bus to meet friends for dinner, by that point by feet were aching due to fairly impractical shoes.

I am going to try and do this walk more often as I find the tube is so hot and uncomfortable in summer and I am too much of a wimp to cycle.

I had never explored the East end of the canal, and I was so amazed when I reached it to find the City Road basin where kids were canoeing and swimming, workers had gathered with cold beers in ice buckets and a group of barges gathered to enjoy the evening sun. I walked on to Islington where I made a detour to the high street and found the amazing pound store where I discovered the incredible knick knacks pictured above. 

I then returned to the canal where I snapped the couple standing, in what seemed like Victorian dress, on a bridge over a lock. You will notice the Eurostar going past, a nice little moment of old meets new I felt! It turned out the couple were street performers, and there were a group of people following them along the path as they played out their scenes. There was a violinist playing woeful music to accompany their sad tale. I wanted to follow too, but I had to get to dinner as quickly as I could.

On to Camden, and a gathering of punks and goths in a large gathering by the canal. Everyone I saw was just lapping up the sun, enjoying the warm evening and loving the free outside space. It felt like one of those insider secrets, while everyone else was heading to the beer gardens of London early, and desperately scouring the place for a seat, those in the know headed to the best outside space in London.