Friday 27 July 2012

Absolutely fabulous...........

I have no interest in sport in general, the Olympics in particular. Other than to complain about the traffic/daily disruption/patheticness of our organisational skills etc. of course. However, I had been alerted to The Counter Café at Stour Space, a gallery out in Hackney Wick serving delicious food, which afforded fine views of the Olympic Stadium. As I wanted to go see David Bailey’s East End, a photography exhibition at Compressor House in the Docklands, I thought I might combine the two and have my own little Cultural Olympiad. The sun was out, my friend was in town, it seemed like an excellent way to spend the day. I planned ahead, printed Google maps, booked tickets for the Bailey show and we were off.
View from the train
First, we took the shiny new London Overground to Hackney Wick for Sunday brunch. It was hot and sunny as we made our way through the warehouses filled with artists’ studios. A casual market had been set up by some enterprising folk selling clothes, books, jewellery and bits of random tat; they played music, drank beer and danced in the street. It was reminiscent of a bit of Brooklyn I once knew. We walked along the towpath by the canal, Lilliputian statues lurked in the long grass by the water as we weaved past the cyclists and dog-walkers. 


View from the towpath
The café-gallery was at the end of the road, perched on the banks of the canal, set over two floors in the shadow of the Olympic Stadium. 

View from the pontoon
We ordered at the counter and sat outside on the pontoon which rocked gently every time the police speed boat cruised past. We ate potato pancakes, smoked salmon and orange-yoked, poached eggs with extra bacon on the side. And vodka tonics. All was excellent. My friend thought she saw a frog-man in the reeds.
View from the reeds


Then we took the Overground to Stratford and caught the DLR out to Royal Albert Dock, hurtling through London’s hinterland past Canary Warf and the O2. Finally we alighted in the middle of nowhere. Not sure which way to go and clutching our printed map, we made our way across a vast wasteland surrounded by a chain link fence. Two cruise ships….yes cruise ships …..were docked in the docks. Grey and white haired men and women in summer separates and comfortable shoes milled about smoking. Planes buzzed low overhead taking off from City Airport. Two large marquees were pitched in a sort of tarmacked bus terminal, young people were trundling towards a check point in the fence where a lot of men with foreign accents and high-vis jackets barred our way. Waving our map we stood our ground.

“David Bailey,” we shouted, “we’ve got tickets….we need to get over there…..”
They refused to let us pass. We seemed to have hit on some Guantanamo style, Olympic steward training ground. We returned to the station, confused. It was then we realised the exhibition was behind us; a large banner flapped in the breeze proclaiming: David Bailey. Hot and a little bothered we finally tumbled, like Edina and Patsy, through the doors of Compressor House, and were rewarded with a collection of exquisite photographs of London’s East End. 

Top tip: sit at the front of the DLR train for a great view and pretend to be the driver…….

17 comments:

  1. Hello:
    What an adventure but one which we are certain was worth all of the planning and the little trials along the way. Your light lunch sounds to have been delicious and a good way to start the day.

    Docklands has changed so very much in recent years and we imagine even more so now with the Olympic Village.

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  2. Sounds like an excellent day.

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  3. Sounds great and thanks for the heads up on the David Bailey exhibit. I was able to see at least a bit of the work at theguardian's website.

    Also, I always prefer those people who can see the Edina and Patsy in themselves.

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  4. It sounds like a wonderful field trip.

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  5. Impressive organization and lunch. I must try that. I hope you realize I'm planning my stay in london around your recent blogs. More tips please.

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  6. That's a funny little sculpture (second picture).

    My middle daughter's keen on athletics and we've just sat through two hours of men leaping about on parallel bars and prancing about the floor. It's a slightly more energetic version of watching paint dry. I only like it when they have accidents and hurt themselves.

    Btw, did anyone think it odd that all the annoucnements at the opening ceremony were first made in French?

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  7. Well, it all sounds like a most excellent adventure, but most particularly this: potato pancakes, smoked salmon and orange-yoked, poached eggs with extra bacon on the side. And vodka tonics.

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  8. imagine you are like Edina or Patsy - most ladies of our age are I find (well, the fun ones anyway). xxxxx

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  9. It was supposed to say "I imagine"

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  10. I felt like I was there with you! What a glorious trip. x

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  11. Beautifully described. It looked like a lovely day. Pity about the Olympics Rent-a-Cops.

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  12. Looks like so much fun! I've read several blogs of first-hand accounts from people in London...great to be able to experience the Olympics virtually!

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  13. How cool - that's kind of Olympic day, great food and art

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  14. Ha ha, I've also done a lot of complaining about the Olympics... just to realise that I also enjoy them immensely. Also really want to see the David Bailey exhibition... xo

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  15. Lovely description...I was there !

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  16. I love the Edina and Patsy image that comes into my mind when reading this. I can't wait to go to the park, hoping to go in Sept for the para olympics.

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  17. Fascinating - and not too hard for me transport wise. I will wait for a sunny day and follow in your footsteps!

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