London: Bethnal Green, Shad Thames & Brixton...

What's the Truth? I hate it when there are a few things that I still need to blog about and I can't find a definite place for them. 2014's last bits have crept into the first quarter of 2015 because funnily enough I've been busy! Have you heard of the Well and Bucket? Have you rocked down to Brixton's Electric Avenue? Of course, London's Shad Thames had my full attention! Get it L! 


Bethnal Green had my attention for some reason I'm not to sure of? Anyhow, I was looking to recapture my June 2014 experience of Shoreditch and its surroundings but the post-Christmas freeze turned me towards a renewed East London pub to warm up! I had trekked along Bethnal Green's vibrant high street before I found the Well & Bucket on Time Out London. Brick Lane had served me yuppie Realness but I wasn't on that hype compared to that summer day! Stripped back to its original state, the Well & Bucket pub gave me an infusion of old and new in one moment. Quiet during my visit I used the hushed environment to get to know this intriguing new-wave pub. I learnt that All Day English Breakfast's aren't the thing at Bethnal Green's revved up boozer, consulting the menu I opted for three different sliders and a pint of Estrella. Whatever happens just keep serving revved up E2 Realness! Go!

I'm not going to bring you flowers in the pouring rain! No! The Christmas period got me all confused, I had a plan to take one final chance on Bethnal Green to complement my outing to the Well & Bucket, I wanted to see the Columbia Flower Market in full bloom but I missed that Sunday time frame! Damn! Nevertheless, from what I saw of Columbia Road I liked but it would have been even better if I saw the market rather than a row of closed shops. I'll be back, no London you can get your own flowers! The quiet corner that I saw west of Bethnal Green did not lie, it was a stark change compared with the barrage of council flats, you know I'm not two faced E2. Don't get stupid! So, what else was new London? Shadwell showed me that Halal Couture is served in East London's new upcoming area! My parental pub crawl allowed me to discover Rotherhithe and the Mayflower pub for the first time. Find the well and full your bucket up, that London pub went back to the beginning B!


Like any trick London loved trading on the docks at Shad Thames up until the 1970's. Now a centre of chic boutiques and high end restaurants its where you need to be right now! When London had an elastic heart, tightening its firm grip of many overseas colonies it was the community of seamen that worked within this former South-East London powerhouse. Drop the anchor for a pint or two along Horselydown Lane at the Anchor Tap. The Tap was believed to be a favourite due to its close proximity to the salty waters of the River Thames. I usually stay within the Shad Thames area so each time I visit I endeavor to see more of this pillar of strength. Tower Bridge may be just a heart beat away, I'm all for Shad Thames warehouse sass!

The property prices in Shad Thames might sting like a wasp! How would Oliver Twist fair in modern Shad Thames? I first took a stroll down to Butler's Wharf in June 2014 to realise it was an area that Charles Dickens took solace from in-order to write his literature. Shad Thames shares the same postcode as More London Place and Bermondsey Street, making this corner of London's borough of Southwark an amazing part of London to be in right about now! Shad Thames keeps More London Place on its toes because that shiny new development will never top Shad's industrial Overness! This once overlooked part of South-East London captivates me each time! Horselydown Lane was a 18th century hot bed for port-side prostitutes and pickpockets! Shad Thames, you still be working?!


Brixton's Electric Avenue was all irie! The market stalls and food-stores gives this corner of Brixton life, a certain Caribbean vibe was in the air for sure! Located around the corner from Brixton's London Underground Station is Brixton Market with its wide array of colourful food stores staring right back at me, I expected more from that famous food market but all I saw was Artisan cafes and yuppie hangouts! I was right back to life, back a certain Electric Avenue. Darting for the first Caribbean grocery store I bought two boxes of Cerassie herbal tea and a can of Peanut Supligen. Gurr, you already know I was happy with my West Indian goodies. Brixton was alive with busy shoppers going about their business, I found an honest quality within Electric Avenue but imagined a different flavour for Brixton's Market. From the start it was plain to see that I would see authenticity in Brix! You should be representing SW9!

Shaking London off for the last time for now, I feel that these once stray segments have been given a shout out! London is a forever changing city, embrace the times! Honestly, Liz you need to face the facts that your corner of Westminster isn't the only place people should visit when London is on the agenda! Bethnal Green served me frozen Realness, thankfully my visit to the Well & Bucket gave me a chance to get out of the chill. The working girls of yesterday make me love Shad Thames because one way or another we serve Overness in our own way! Brixton has been spoken for Queen! What has 2015 got in store for me? That question I simply can't answer right about now!  Oh, shocks I never went to Walthamstow! Let's make this crystal clear, I won't be going back to London until the weather gets mild! I'm not serving frozen Realness again! Columbia Road I want your flowers, even if its in the pouring rain! The question remains, do you have a hidden truth?! What's the T?!

Honesty Is The Best Policy!

Joseph Harrison
 

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