The perfect tourist day began with a trip on the overground. My gps instructed me to go as far as New Cross Gate and once there to catch a bus. Well, as you know without being told, I walked out in the wrong direction. Once I figured this out I had also decided to check out the area. It was early, I was in no rush and it was a beautiful day. As I rounded the first corner I saw a foot path ahead of me and a lovely lady who had lived in the area 26 years walked me a ways and directed me to the footpath to Greenwich.
A twenty minute walk at most through Depford which is a town to return too. She recommended an Italian restaurant Marcella and pointed out a community center that has shows and the like periodically that might round out a pleasant evening.
She also pointed me to a bakery, Bread and Butler where I selected a cinnamon bun, of which I ate every soft, warm, sweet bite on my walk towards the Fan Museum, my first scheduled stop in Greenwich.
and as with any walk there were a number of things that caught my eye
The walk had me crossing over a creek that appeared to have been drained.
As it turns out it was actually a construction site. There were so many things about it that were interesting – they seemed to have drained part of the river, they had put up the most interesting and engaging signage, and they were building a sewer because they love the Thames, or so they said.
Of course I was distracted by a junk store on the way. I ask you , who wouldn’t be tempted by a sign that says COMPLETE HOUSES CLEARED.
The junk shop. Seriously crammed packed with all sorts of stuff. A vase was tempting and a few things I was unable to identify. There were stacks of old records and fishes and and and. I walked out back, saw this sign
turned around and sure enough
a tea room with little cakes and a place to sit.
This is one of those things about London and its environs that is so foreign to me. Everywhere serves tea and cakes. The clothing store, the junk shop, any shop that has room seems to serve something.
Then a short walk to the fan museum – so sweet, so interesting, so enlightening. It was a housed in a small 4 story home just a few steps off the main street and had a single room on the first floor dedicated to the museums own collection and upstairs, a visiting collection.
Even the bathroom had a fan motif.
I was taken most by a fan completely made of Ivory. It appears to be lace, but its 100% Ivory.
I spent a bit of time wandering slowly around town, then onto the reason that I headed this way. The Maritime Museum and another photo exhibit.
So fun as I was walking in I came up behind two boys filming something… it was a little boat they had made that was floating down the fountain.
The subject of the photos at this exhibit were space – the sky, the planets, the sun and moon. It was overwhelming… see for yourself.
The National Maritime Museum sits along the Greenwich Park and is minutes from the other main attractions here ( Cutty Sark, Queens House and Observatory) none of which I visited. I loved the photo exhibit and hope to go back but hunger called and Borough Market was tingling in the back of my head so I caught a bus, changed midway, and wound up at the market at about 1.
Tips if you are going to lunch here – be patient, have cash. The place was packed, the choices extensive, and some vendors only want cash, while other only take cards. I am not sure if you can actually see everything that is here. It seems to extend beyond the actual market and the people at the food stalls were 2,3, even 5 deep.
I sampled a few things but wasn’t interested in fighting the crowds for anything that I saw so I headed into the actual market and bought a few things for dinner.
Duck, cured meats, salamis, brownies, a slice of cake, some olive oil and a salt, a loaf of bread, a couple of cheeses – one that was marinating in something that tasted delicious.
With my pack full and hopes of making a Caesar Dressing for dinner, and my new game, homemade croutons, I boarded a number 149 buss which comes right to Shoreditch Overground and voila, a wonderful day.
UPDATE: SO WHAT WAS GOOD AND WORTH REPEATING
Luminary cake was good, I would be willing to try another flavor but not repeat the Salted Caramel Chocolate
The Naughty Brownie was not worth repeating, the cheese stick was not to my liking ( dry and crunchy) and what they called the everyday french loaf was mediocre.
The duck breast was very good when fried up with butter
The jar of cheese was just so-so
I’m always interested in hearing what people think about some of my favourite places, so I enjoyed reading your post! I love Borough Market, but I have never been wowed by any of the bakeries there, not even Bread Ahead, which everyone else raves about (and I completely agree with you about Olivier’s – their cheese straws are awful! They sell at a tonne of markets around London, so I suspect it’s a case of quantity over quality). However, the cheese toasties from Kappacasein are expensive but amazing, and the pasta at Padella is fantastic, and worth the wait!
I am so thrilled that you read the post. I am on a search for fabulous sweets as I wander London, and anywhere else I might be. I just discovered Hummingbird near Angel Station, a very good brownie. Thanks for the suggestions! Look forward to trying them all.
Oooh, I’ve been sampling my way through London brownies for years! Outsider Tart is an American-owned bakery based in Chiswick that sells at the King’s Cross pop-up market. They do good blondies and shortbready fudge bar things, though their quality seems to have dipped a bit of late. Bad Brownie in Maltby Street Market is pretty alright, and there are very fudgy brownies available at Cat Food Cakes in Brockley on a Saturday. I seem to have better luck at markets and pop-ups than I do at actual shops!
Hey, thanks for the tips, Bad Brownie is on my list to get to but I never heard of Cat Food Cakes. When I arrived I searched out lists of bakeries and I agree, I do better in the markets than most of the storefronts though I did get a great cookie at Gails. And thank you for being in touch, I looked at your blog and was inspired to do a museum / gallery / house with history, so yesterday I hit Bellenden Road, got lovely little cake at the general store there, and went on to South London Gallery.