Waterloo, Thames, + Chinatown

On our way to the Borough Market we decided to walk along the Thames and see a few of the sites along the way. It was another drizzly day, but that didn't keep the locals or tourists from shopping and exploring the city.

We ended up at the Waterloo tube line since many of the lines were undergoing construction, however it happened to be a pleasant detour.

'The Tunnel' as it is called, is a place of authorized graffiti. I like the idea of having an evolving and ever changing canvas that people can gather at and modify.

Nearly every inch of wall is covered - some places have more interesting or sophisticated designs, while other places are simply people leaving their mark.

On the sign at the opening of the tunnel it states:

No Sexism. No racism. No Adverts.
Please take empty cans and litter home.
All painting on grey walls will be removed.
You don't have to be a gangster to paint here, so please don't behave like one.

I would have painted something myself if we had paint. I guess I'll have to buy some next time and think of something creative in the meantime.

The painters must be pretty dedicated - we saw several who brought buckets of paint and many must bring ladders to reach the heights so far up. It's very impressive. I would be intrigued to see how much it changes over the course of time.

Walking along the Thames was a big contrast from the colored area at Waterloo. It was nice to see people relaxing, especially the adorable father and son who built a little bench on the shore for a game of chess. What great memories that little guy will have from such a thoughtful Dad.

After walking through town all day we made our way to Chinatown and our appetites had finally returned from visiting the Borough Market. It was perfect timing because we saw Haozhan, a modern oriental restaurant.

I ordered wasabi prawns, because I have a not so slight wasabi obsession and then we also had the fried ice cream for dessert. The entire dinner was great, as was the day.