Arrival in London Town

Paddington Station

Arrived in London via the Heathrow Express on Monday. Definitely the way to go to get yourself into the city with a minimum of fuss. I'm not sure what a black cab would cost, but I'm not really that interested in finding out either!

First up, swapping out the SIM card for something prepaid. 10£ and 5 minutes later and I was set up with a month of prepaid data from Vodaphone. Not really sure why this can't happen in North America?

The 02 Arena

With the phone thing taken care of, it was time to work my way out to Canary Wharf to meet up with a buddy of mine from law school. Turns out his condo is right on the Thames and directly across from the 02 Arena. Canary Wharf is a relatively new part of East London, and reminds me a bit of downtown Calgary - very clean but a bit of a ghost town once work lets out. Nevertheless, worth a look if you happen to be in London.

The DLR

A quick DLR (Docklands Light Rail) ride and I found myself in the "City" - the ancient part of London originally settled by the Romans and more recently the home of England's largest banks, financial institutions and law firms.

For such an old part of the city, it's amazing how much new construction is permitted and how many high rise buildings are dotted amongst its almost 100 centuries old churches.

One such building is the famous Gherkin - more accurately 30 St Mary Axe. I snapped the photo below while heading off to meet some friends for a few drinks at Tower Bridge. Given the change in season, I was informed that grabbing an Olde Winter Ale at the Bridge House - which I understand is one of the few establishments still supplying this delicious seasonal brew - was a must. It was.

The Gherkin - 30 St Mary Axe