Category Archives: The Move

Penthouse

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We wanted to get into town but ended up driving around looking for properties in nice areas. I love the townhouses in Hackney, they remind me of the Dutch houses downtown, very old, with steps up to the front door and a basement with a kitchen; very nice! The only downside was parking; it’s hectic in Hackney and parking would be a pain.

We have been looking for houses while we were still in the Lowlands and found a really cool apartment in an industrial area but we never really looked into it. So I asked A. to take me there, just to see what we would’ve missed out on. So we ended up driving around the industrial site looking for the entrance of the building when the security guy outside the gate told us we could come in and have a look.

So we parked the car and walked around a bit when he came over and told us we could actually have a look inside. He gave us the keys to two two-bedroom apartments, they were really nice but way to small for us and very hard to organise; there was hardly any storage space, in fact none and we really need three bedrooms so we can have people over to stay, stash all our crap in one room and have our office space in the other.

There was only one three bedroom apartment left which was on the sixth floor, the security guy gave us the keys and we went into the elevator up to the sixth floor. It was a huge penthouse [102 Sq M] with an amazing view of the city, laminate flooring throughout, a huge huge! terrace, a huge living room, two bedrooms ensuite, one had a bathroom with toilet and bath, the other had a bathroom with shower cubicle and toilet. And the third bedroom was on the opposite side of the lounge.

It was amazing and we are having serious doubts now about the house next door which A. is planning to buy, since it is the same amount of money but much much much bigger. It’s just the location that we were not really happy with. A really dodgy place and I know I wouldn’t feel happy having to walk around there in the middle of the night or even when it gets dark early. Another problem was public transport and since the Olympic Village will be build nearby transport will probably get worse as in busy. We will have to get some more info and think hard…

Here are a few pictures that I found online, some are from a different apartment but have pretty much the same feel, size etc. just to get an impression:

Entrance, sixth floor is actually one up, this is the fifth floor but it looks the same

Footbridge

Front of building, we saw the ground floor apt first while in the Lowlands, they’ve extra floor

View from terrace

View [Canary Wharf]

View inside from terrace

Lounge [but other one is bigger and has kitchen on right]

Kitchen

Bedroom 1 [see floorplan]

Floorplan

Greenwich and Docklands

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The exhibition yesterday was slightly disappointing to be honest. I reckon I was expecting more pictures of the Northern Lights, the two pictures I posted earlier pretty much cover the whole series ‘Hyperborea’, there were a few more but not much of a difference there. I wasn’t allowed to take pictures even though I did, pretending to be a stupid ignorant tourist, until I got caught by a guard. She was a bit grumpy at first but then lightened up. I reckon she must be sick and tired of telling people all day long, not to take pictures…
I did anyway and got a few nice shots, I don’t agree with their policy; the woman said it had to do with copyrights… well if they put stuff on display, you can imagine that the people who visit the place are interested in the stuff therefore would like to take pictures of it, so taking that away from them will only result into people not wanting to come back anymore. At least that’s how I feel, can’t be bothered. I can probably see the same stuff elsewhere where I am allowed to take pictures.
To be honest I always ignore the signs… they can sue me or make me delete my pictures whatever, I don’t care. I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong.
Anyway, it was a cold and windy but beautiful day, we went for a walk at the park and had a look at the observatory, where I took pictures of the measurements there, at least that was allowed… My pictures can be found in the galleries. I bought some cute baby stuff for my little niece and will send it off to the Lowlands soon…


We walked thru a 100 year old tunnel under the Thames to the other side which was pretty cool! I’ve been on the DLR [Docklands Light Railway] which is a monorail train going thru the Docklands, amazing place, it’s all skyscrapers basically but they’re all on islands. It feels very SF-like because you are high on the monorail and above water. It’s like a theme park ride… It was too dark already so I couldn’t take pictures, next time I will!
We went back to the car which was parked at Canary Wharf. On our way home we dropped in at Chris and I.’s place and had a lovely dinner there. I’ve put up their xMas tree together with Chris. We left around 22.15. I had a terrible headache today and have had headaches for weeks now, I’m drinking a lot more water these days but somehow it doesn’t really help. I hope it is the diet and its detoxifying effect… I’d better go now and work on my website a bit.
[If you’d like to see more pictures of Greenwich please send me an email]
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The best way to explore Docklands and Greenwich is on DLR
Experience London’s most dynamic new neighbourhood and it’s rich maritime history all in one day on the Docklands Light Railway. East London blends the splendour of modern architecture with the historic buildings of London’s past and the elevated, automatic trains let you see it all. Watch out for glimpses of the Millennium Dome, Canary Wharf, historic docks and the city skyline during your trip.
Vibrant Docklands
London’s Docklands, once a bustling centre of the tea and exotic spice trade, is now home to beautiful marinas, breathtaking architecture, fascinating museums and waterside restaurants and bars.
What to see and do
• West India Quay is home to the Museum in Docklands, which reveals the history of London’s river, ports and people. Plus many dockside bars and restaurants.
• Thames Barrier Park 22acre riverside park at Pontoon Dock, with views across the Thames and flood barrier. Includes a sunken garden, fountains, children’s play area and coffee shop.
• Canary Wharf is a gleaming metropolis standing 800ft high, with over 200 shops, restaurants, bars and open spaces in which to relax [Canary Wharf or Heron Quays station].
• Mudchute Park and Farm , the largest inner city farm in Europe gives a taste of English countryside in the centre of the city [Mudchute station].
• Island Gardens Park is a ‘must- see’ for the breathtaking view south of the Thames, unchanged since Canaletto’s famous painting of 1751-54 [Island Gardens station].
Historic Maritime Greenwich
The World Heritage Site of Greenwich is just 20 minutes from Bank station by DLR. Alight at Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich to enjoy the park, explore the museums and learn about the birthplace of time and navigation.
What to see and do
• Royal Observatory, Meridian Line and the National Maritime Museum are fascinating destinations, located in Greenwich Park.
• Old Royal Naval College was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and was the beautiful birthplace of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
• Cutty Sark, a famous Tea Clipper, gives visitors an amazing experience of international travel and trade in the 19th century.
• Greenwich Market is a lively shopping experience for crafts, antiques and souvenirs.
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