Shades of Gruyaert

It was the hottest September day since 1911 today. September isn't normally a warm month back home. Let's face it, June, July, and August aren't really hot months back home. 

Seeing as Riot begins her Master's course on Monday, we decided to take advantage of the weather and do a bit exploring while the going was good. We took a mammoth walk through down through Millwall and Bermondsey  towards the Shard. 

From there we crossed into the city via London Bridge, weaving beneath the Walkie Talkie towards St Dunstan-in-the-East. A church has stood there since Saxon times. It burned down during the great fire in 1666. It was rebuilt and Sir Christopher Wren added a steeple at the start of the 18th Century. It started to fall down at some point, so was rebuilt again, then the Blitz saw it smashed to smithereens once more. The church took the hint at that point and decided to transform it into a garden rather than bother building it once more. We had lunch within its remaining walls, then headed North for the Barbican.

I can't really enthuse enough about the Barbican. Brutalism isn't everyone's cup of tea. But if I ever earned a sickening amount of money, I'd totally buy myself a flat in one of its towers. It's total masterpiece as far as I'm concerned. 

The heat had us defeated us that point, so we cut across to Whitechapel to catch the Overground back to Newcross (quite a walk, but Whitechapel us Zone two, so it's cheaper. We're learning fast!).

In the evening we hit up the pub quiz at the Job Center on Deptford High Street with our flatmates. The competition is obviously less fierce down here, as despite having a couple of shocking rounds, we managed to win.
The title of the Blip refers to Harry Gruyaert. If you're not familiar with his work, I urge you to check him out. He's a total master. I hasten to add, this is nothing near the standard of his work, but it reminded me of his use of  colour. 

It also amuses me that on a day when I walked beneath so many great examples of architectural grand-standing, I went for a pic of a nondescript Industrial Estate in Bermondsey.

More in the extras.