A day In Bermondsey / Southwark

I was on a crazy mission to visit as much tube station as I can when I alighted the train at Bermondsey station. I was curious what kind of place Bermondsey is. The name just sounds exotic :-)

Don't know which way to turn once I'm outside the station, left or right? Saw the Shard building on the left, so to the left it is. There were not many people around as it's just past the morning rush. The place was quiet and not much traffic either. So, just calmly walked along the road until I saw a sign to Thames path. So I followed it. It brought me through a street with wharves on both side of the it. It was so pretty. I think it's probably old wharves building turned into high end residential estate. The name of the wharves that interest me most, Java Wharf, St. Saviours, St' Georges, St' Andrews, New Concordia, Butlers wharf & Tea trade wharf. I wonder how the wharves got its name.

I reached the Design Museum and in front of it is a weird looking sculpture. It looks like a face of a man.

I walked straight on along the Shad Thames. The small alley is interesting due to its cobbled stone, very dangerous if one is wearing high heels. Swanky restaurants and delicious looking bakery lines the street now. But it used have largest complex of warehouses that stores tea, coffee and spices unloaded from river boats.

The converted warehouses retain their original features and named after the commodities which were originally stored in them - Vanilla & Sesame Court, Cayenne Court, Ginger Wall and others. I did smell a hint of vanilla when I was in Vanilla & Sesame Court, though. Then, there's a striking red structure that caught my eyes. It's the China Wharf, which is actually a new residential building. There were also boat houses docking in front of the New Concordia wharf.

Further along, I reached the Tower Bridge and walked along the Queen's walk on the riverside. As usual, the place is packed with tourist with selfie stick trying to get the best shots of the Tower Bridge as a background. Walked past the shell-shaped City Hall building and the Scoop, the open-air theatre that opens during the summer. There'll be a live telecast of Wimbledon games as well. Yeah! 

A riviera just popped up in London with view of the Thames. The colourful deck chairs were so cute with palm trees scattered  around the area. 

There's an exhibition going on near the Tower Bridge pier. It exhibits Thames tideway tunnel system, London sewerage system and hidden Thames gems.

Walked into Hay's Galleria, which now houses offices and restaurants where it used to be a warehouse. It was named after its original owner who acquired the property in 1651. In a fountain at the centre of the Galleria is a 60ft moving bronze sculpture of a ship unveiled in 1987 to commemorate its heritage. I thought the ship has been there since the 1700, I was wrong! 

Walked past by the HMS Belfast ship/museum but I didn't go in. Its admission price is to steep for a poor Londoners like me. Plus I had visited a battleship before - back in August last year.

Straight on until I reached the London Bridge station where I hopped on a tube to continue on my silly Tube Challenge :-)