Ragtag Tuesday: Reflection

One of the minor pleasures of being in London is seeing its architecture and street life reflected in its many and varied plate glass windows.

The journey from Kings Cross to William-and-parents’-house starts as I take the Docklands Light Railway from Bank to Lewisham.  I pass the busy financial area of Canary Wharf with its skyscrapers and waterside plazas and docklands.  Here are reflections a-plenty: even, as we travel through a tunnel, the passengers in our own carriage reflected in the window of the next.

Travelling on the Docklands Light Railway.

 

The skyscrapers of Canary Wharf as spotted from the station.
Office buildings along the DLR route.

On my way home, I might pass through the City of London, as I did the other day when visiting the Mithraeum.  I didn’t call into St. Stephen Walbrook this time.  I confined myself to admiring its exterior as reflected in the new office buildings which surround it.

An office building and St. Stephen Walbrook.
A skyscape wth reflections.
Another view of St. Stephen Walbrook’s spire.

And city life continues at ground level too.

This week’s Tuesday Ragtag Challenge is Reflection. 

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

26 thoughts on “Ragtag Tuesday: Reflection”

  1. I grew up in the docklands area of London, Bethnal Green to be exact, but then it was docklands where the ships would discharge their cargoes from far away lands, two uncles were dockers. Yes I am originally a cockney. As a youngster I would take the bus and a walk around the St. Catherines dock (the oldest) and the East and West India docks, names that have now disappeared. I have visited the new docks since on visits to London, but it is no longer the same. In the name of progress we now have a tourist area populated by the yuppies of London that can actually afford the high rents and pleasure of having an apartment with a view of the Thames. Your photos and text brought some memories back.

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    1. I have memories of the old docklands area too, through my father’s work. I’m torn between deploring yuppification, and celebrating the fact that this area is now a pleasant place to stroll round and bring my grandson (I’m thinking of the Museum of London Dockland) https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands. And of course it’s not all gentrification. The Surrey Docks City Farm does an excellent job with local children and adults with additional needs. http://www.surreydocksfarm.org.uk/. But of course, it couldn’t be more different from the area you once knew.

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  2. Gosh, I’m beginning to realise just how much London has not only stayed the same, but just how much it’s change since I was last there (2012). I don’t remember much of the docklands area anyway.

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  4. Wonderful photos. I often find myself almost crashing into things while looking up in London – it’s amazing what you see above 1st floor level.

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  5. Love the last photo. It is quite difficulty to work out what’s going on – intriguing.
    My ex-husband and I ventured over to Docklands in 1987 to see what all the fuss was about. Loads of building sites at every turn, but was still at the in-between stage neither true docker territory nor the Canary Wharf extravaganza of today.

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    1. Oh yes, what’s going on is simply a reflected street scene, with at the bottom, the other side of the window, the furniture of the foyer of some city-slicker business.

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  8. Your photos show how glass-walled buildings can highlight interesting old neighbours, providing there’s something old and interesting left to reflect!

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  10. I take photos like these all the time when in Paris. It’s fascinating and it triggers your imagination, sometimes way beyond what you thought possible. Or maybe it’s just me….

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  13. I worked in central London in the late 80’s and early 90’s and it was brick and concrete. Now it shimmers with glass and metal, how architectural styles change.

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