Sunday, March 6, 2022

Out on the River


That's where I was yesterday afternoon, seeing London from the water. A colleague who lives in East London had a party at his flat, and several of us decided to travel there via the river. There are passenger boats that run routinely all up and down the Thames, and when they're on time, they're great. Unfortunately yesterday's boats were running behind schedule so we wound up cooling our heels for a while before one arrived, but still -- it was a scenic journey.

Before I get to that, though, let me talk about the morning.


I read for a while -- a recent biography of the Internet billionaire Peter Thiel, who I find both mysterious and repellent -- and then I took Olga for a walk. We hadn't been to the Heath in ages, so I decided to head in that direction.


We did a shorter Heath walk than we routinely did when Olga was younger, and it seemed to suit her well. We went to the West Heath, where she chased squirrels (sort of) and gnawed on her muddy tennis ball...


...and then we went to Golders Hill Park, where she made a beeline for her favorite place, the "stumpery," which is often full of squirrels and pigeons (and yesterday, rats). Lots to see there.

 She had a great time and didn't seem to be unduly sore when we got home, so I was happy to see that walks to the Heath are still not out of the question.

They do, however, take a lot of time. Olga moves more slowly than she used to, doing lots of painstaking sniffing around at every tree and post, and by the time we got back to the house I was worried I was going to miss the riverboat to the party. So I left Dave to bathe the dog, changed my shoes and zipped off to the tube.


As it turned out, I would have gotten there on time even if the boats were on schedule, and given their tardiness I didn't need to worry at all.

When the boat finally did come, we all bought a bottle of prosecco from the bar (Yes! There's a bar!) and enjoyed the view from within the comfortably heated passenger area with cushioned seats.

Remember Oliver's Wharf? I photographed it a couple of years ago from the street side. It was interesting to see it again from the water.


We also got a good view of the damaged O2 Dome, its roof recently shredded by Storm Eunice. Looks like they've trimmed away the tattered canvas (or whatever it is) and I assume they'll replace it with some new roofing at some point.

I stayed at the party a couple of hours and left just before 8 p.m. I felt like an old man, leaving so early, and then I got home to find Dave snoozing in his recliner and Olga already in bed!

47 comments:

gz said...

Happy muddy dog!!

It is interesting to see a place from a different angle.. indeed an angle that most travellers would have had at one time

Anonymous said...

Look at the mud Olga is 'enjoying'. Maybe excessive sniffing is like me taking lots of camera stops during a walk.

I haven't seen buildings in the water in London before. Interesting.

I am increasingly disliking the O2. I wish the whole thing has blown away. We've seen it a number of times, from a distance and up close.

crafty cat corner said...

Never seen Olga so dirty, lol
Poor Dave was left to clear up the poor doggy.
Briony
x

Moving with Mitchell said...

Sounds like you turned out to be the party guy at your house. What a great idea to boat there. The colors look like stereotypical London. Rats and muddy Olga. Wow. Now excuse me while I finish singing Leila or it will be in my head for the rest of the day.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

You felt like an old man so you went back to Dave! Hey, he's not so old. The music keeps him young.

Ed said...

Such a variety of places to walk!

Bob said...

I love the idea of the boat taxi, especially with Proseco! We watched the Graham Norton show last night and he showed pictures of, and talked about, the damage at the O2.I hadn't realized the storms were that powerful.

Ms. Moon said...

That sounds and looks pretty awesome. I'm glad you made the effort and enjoyed the day for it!

Wilma said...

When given the option, take the boat! I bet that was fun. Was it expensive? Olga looks so happy with her moldy tennis ball.

Ellen D. said...

What a busy, fun day you had! No wonder you were tired and headed home by 8. I like that first view on the river - old and new popping up on the skyline.

NewRobin13 said...

Sounds like quite a fun and adventurous day for you and for Olga.

Sharon said...

I haven't done a trip on the river in many, many years. I might have to do that again if I ever make it back there.

Red said...

You cover a lot of territory in one day. No wonder you get so many photos.

Kelly said...

Public transportation with a bar?? That sound fun!

Unless Olga is good about her baths, poor Dave...

Sabine said...

Olga simply looks gorgeous! Mud and all.
There's a LOT of controversy re Peter Thiel in NZ (where some of my family lives) with conservation groups involved etc. Apparently, he's building a bunker there for himself to survive climate change? Let me know if it's in the book, please!

Boud said...

That's a historic idea, using the Thames like a street. It's been a thing for centuries. I didn't know there were regular, more or less, passenger boats though. I guess Dave's the home lover and you're Mr Rockin' it!

John Going Gently said...

I love the river ferry, used it a lot , and on a nice day it’s nice to use as a pleasure trip

Jeanie said...

I have to remember these boats if I'm lucky enough to make it to London this fall. (Yes, it was to be 2020, then 2021...Fingers crossed!). I would love to see the city from this perspective and if I get there, may be checking in to see how to take one of these!

e said...

I wish we had such rides here...Always nice to see Olga enjoying herself.

Pixie said...

You are a much better pet owner than I am. I couldn't deal with such a muddy dog on such a regular basis. It's too much for me.

Margaret said...

Great to go out somewhere but even better to get home! I am OK on ferries as long as I don't get seasick. :(

River said...

The river looks nicely choppy, that would make an interesting ride. How big are the passenger boats? Are they big like ferries? or smaller like gondolas in Italy.

Linda Sue said...

mud pie face- that may be my new screen saver!

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, so many people would have travelled the river in the old days!

Steve Reed said...

I'm not much of an O2 fan, either. I always wonder what it would be like to live in those riverside buildings (many of which have been turned into apartments). Seems like it would be very damp.

Steve Reed said...

Oh, she gets like that from time to time! And fortunately she cleans up pretty easily. She doesn't fight a bath.

Steve Reed said...

It was very London - cold and rainy! I haven't heard "Layla" in so long. I used to have it on cassette, on an album of Eric Clapton's greatest hits. Now that Clapton is an anti-vaxxer I've mothballed his music because it just annoys me.

Steve Reed said...

At least on the weekdays!

Steve Reed said...

There's no shortage of things to do and see around here, that's for sure.

Steve Reed said...

I haven't watched Graham Norton in ages but we used to love his show. In fact Dave and I went to a taping way back in 2011 or so. I wrote about it here.

Steve Reed said...

It was fun, despite the late boats and the chilly weather!

Steve Reed said...

I think it was about £8? To be honest I'm not sure because I simply paid with my transit card.

Steve Reed said...

You do get an interesting juxtaposition of architectural styles in London.

Steve Reed said...

Fun for both of us!

Steve Reed said...

I always forget that it's an option.

Steve Reed said...

Well, that was an unusually busy day!

Steve Reed said...

Olga IS good about baths, fortunately. All you have to do is say the word "bath" and she goes and gets in the tub! She doesn't really like a bath, but she knows it's inevitable, I suppose.

Steve Reed said...

Yes, he basically bought citizenship in New Zealand and is using it as his end-of-the-world hideout. I haven't gotten to that point in the book yet but I'm sure it's in there.

Steve Reed said...

Yes, there are ferries up and down the river. They're very low to the water and move pretty quickly. In fact, Uber runs them!

Steve Reed said...

It IS a great thing to do on a sunny day. We took Dave's parents when they were here (many years ago) and they appreciated the river view.

Steve Reed said...

It's surprising there's not a passenger ferry between Tampa and St. Pete, actually. Seems like there would be plenty of demand for that.

Steve Reed said...

Well, that was unusually muddy! But mud is just a fact of life at this time of year in England.

Steve Reed said...

Fortunately, seasickness is not a problem I've ever had.

Steve Reed said...

They're ferries, probably holding 100 or so passengers each (?). There are rows of seats inside the cabin, which is lined with windows on each side for good visibility, and the boats are quite low and flat.

Steve Reed said...

She's so pleased with herself!

Moving with Mitchell said...

Steve:
I’m the same when it comes to Eric Clapton now. Otherwise, I would have simply found it on YouTube to get it out of my head. I used to admire him.

Catalyst said...

That middle picture of Olga reminds me of what I think of Peter Thiel.