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hestia8This is really just an excuse to natter about Surrey Quays but hey, when do I ever pass up a chance to ramble on about London? NEVER.
1) Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace is amazing, and sadly half of it is going to be built on because money. This includes rebuilding Crystal sodding Palace itself (WHY???). Being a public park in constant use with a fucking athletics stadium on site is no match for money, obviously (/super bitter).
(further info, which includes the encouraging information that these plans may not actually come to fruition: insidecroydon.com/category/environment/crystal-palace-park/, www.crystalpalacepark.org.uk)
The other tragedy of this redevelopment would be the loss of the Crystal Palace dinosaurs (they're not all dinosaurs, in case any pedants are reading), which moved with the Crystal Palace from Hyde Park after the Great Exhibition. They are Grade 1 listed so would presumably not be got rid of entirely but who knows where they would end up?
ANYWAY, the good bits: Crystal Palace park is obviously named after the Crystal Palace, which was moved from its original location in 1852. The Palace burned down in 1936 but the park is still there being huge and interesting and ripe for exploring.
cpdinosaurs.org/
Also in Crystal Palace itself there is a branch of Noodle Time. I have not been to this particular one but the Noodle Time chain of restaurants is amazing and cheap.
2) Catford
Catford is a bit of a nothing place between Forest Hill (where I used to live) and Lewisham (start of the Docklands Light Railway). It does have a lot of food stores, which is nice. For some reason, however, it has two separate train stations servicing two separate lines but located right next to each other.
3) Charing Cross
Charing Cross is the station of my heart, and yes I know how that makes me sound. But consider! It is the terminus for trains coming in from SE London. It is the station I used to come to to get to my parents’ office when they were in Great Titchfield Street. It is the station I come to to get to work. More importantly, it is the station which allows me to live and work in London without getting the tube 90% of the time, therefore it is the best.
I realised recently that since my starting this fic and finishing it, the interior of Charing Cross has changed a lot, as the little unit of shops right in the middle of the station has just plain disappeared now (it is very odd to see the amount of space there now!). Also Charing Cross seems to be last on the list of stations to get loads of money chucked at them so it’s a bit beaten up and less shiny and new than the others (Kings Cross/London Bridge, I’m looking at you) and in a city that’s becoming increasingly shiny and new that is something quite nice, I think.
4) Surrey Quays
Surrey Quays is the WEIRDEST place. One day, if I ever have the money to have two properties in London (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *takes breath* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA), one of them will be in Surrey Quays just for the weirdness factor.
To get to Surrey Quays you either have to be taking the Jubilee line (changing to the Overground) from out Canary Wharf way, or taking the overground through Forest Hill etc. When you get there you will find:
In conclusion, I should get myself down to Surrey Quays again and so should you.
(for more of my London stuff, see metropolithan.blogspot.co.uk/ and emptylondon.tumblr.com/)
1) Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace is amazing, and sadly half of it is going to be built on because money. This includes rebuilding Crystal sodding Palace itself (WHY???). Being a public park in constant use with a fucking athletics stadium on site is no match for money, obviously (/super bitter).
(further info, which includes the encouraging information that these plans may not actually come to fruition: insidecroydon.com/category/environment/crystal-palace-park/, www.crystalpalacepark.org.uk)
The other tragedy of this redevelopment would be the loss of the Crystal Palace dinosaurs (they're not all dinosaurs, in case any pedants are reading), which moved with the Crystal Palace from Hyde Park after the Great Exhibition. They are Grade 1 listed so would presumably not be got rid of entirely but who knows where they would end up?
ANYWAY, the good bits: Crystal Palace park is obviously named after the Crystal Palace, which was moved from its original location in 1852. The Palace burned down in 1936 but the park is still there being huge and interesting and ripe for exploring.
cpdinosaurs.org/
Also in Crystal Palace itself there is a branch of Noodle Time. I have not been to this particular one but the Noodle Time chain of restaurants is amazing and cheap.
2) Catford
Catford is a bit of a nothing place between Forest Hill (where I used to live) and Lewisham (start of the Docklands Light Railway). It does have a lot of food stores, which is nice. For some reason, however, it has two separate train stations servicing two separate lines but located right next to each other.
3) Charing Cross
Charing Cross is the station of my heart, and yes I know how that makes me sound. But consider! It is the terminus for trains coming in from SE London. It is the station I used to come to to get to my parents’ office when they were in Great Titchfield Street. It is the station I come to to get to work. More importantly, it is the station which allows me to live and work in London without getting the tube 90% of the time, therefore it is the best.
I realised recently that since my starting this fic and finishing it, the interior of Charing Cross has changed a lot, as the little unit of shops right in the middle of the station has just plain disappeared now (it is very odd to see the amount of space there now!). Also Charing Cross seems to be last on the list of stations to get loads of money chucked at them so it’s a bit beaten up and less shiny and new than the others (Kings Cross/London Bridge, I’m looking at you) and in a city that’s becoming increasingly shiny and new that is something quite nice, I think.
4) Surrey Quays
Surrey Quays is the WEIRDEST place. One day, if I ever have the money to have two properties in London (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *takes breath* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA), one of them will be in Surrey Quays just for the weirdness factor.
To get to Surrey Quays you either have to be taking the Jubilee line (changing to the Overground) from out Canary Wharf way, or taking the overground through Forest Hill etc. When you get there you will find:
- that the station is very close to Canada Water station
- there is a shiny new library just over the water
- there’s a massive Tesco with a small shopping centre attached to it
- lots of birds
- lots of shiny flats
- very few people
In conclusion, I should get myself down to Surrey Quays again and so should you.
(for more of my London stuff, see metropolithan.blogspot.co.uk/ and emptylondon.tumblr.com/)
