Where to go in London that is Different Please ..

[smurfchops]

Will be getting off the train on Saturday at Waterloo, for the day, know West End of London, for the most part, like the back of my hand. (Oxford street, Covent Gdn, etc). But ... are there any secret places which are worth a visit?? Thinking of sticking near the Thames, possibly Butlers Wharf-type places, not shopping, just walking would like to see 'Old London' if you know what I mean, and a Decent Restaurant please !! Many thanks all.

[Buenchico]

What's your definition of a 'decent restaurant'?

There's an interesting selection of stylish places at St Katharine's Dock, directly across the river from Butler's Wharf:
http://www.myvillage.com/pages/restaurants-stk atherinesdock.htm

However, my favourite restaurant in London is really cheap. It's Bistro 1, on Southampton Street (which runs between Covent Garden Piazza and the Strand). You can get a really good three-course lunch, from a varied menu, for just �7.50!
Menu here:
http://www.bistro1.co.uk/Bistro1%20Lunch%20Men u.pdf
Homepage here:
http://www.bistro1.co.uk/

Just up the road is one of the best places for unwinding on a sunny day. (The forecast is good for Saturday). It's the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court at Somerset House (on the Strand). Sitting outside, with the fountains playing, surrounded by beautiful architecture, is really relaxing. It might be too early in the year for the outside bar to be in place but you can still get a coffee from the caf� and take it outside.

If you enjoy wine, you might like Vinopolis. It's a little 'touristy' but it's different to most other attractions:
http://www.vinopolis.co.uk/

Vinopolis is just to the west of London Bridge station and close to two historic sites which are ignored by most visitors to London. These are the remains of Winchester Palace:
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show /conProperty.112
and Southwark Cathedral:

01:08 Fri 20th Apr 2007

[Buenchico]

http://www.southwark.anglican.org/cathedral/

Chris

[vehelpfulguy]

Try to get hold of this book, the London Eye Witness Travel Guide from DK.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/London-DK-Eyewitness-T ravel-Guides/dp/0756615461/ref=sr_1_13/203-703 0313-0659101?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177053954&sr =1-13

A great guide to London with all sorts of interesting places to visit.

[vehelpfulguy]

As Buenchico says, how about Southwark, an area of great history.

This is south of the river, just East from the London Eye.

http://www.visitsouthwark.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwark

The area north of the Thames was the traditional City of London, but Southwark was where people crossed the river for a bit of "sin".

It had pubs, theatres, and many ladies of easy virtue.

If you have seen the film Shakespeare in Love, then much of the action is set in Southwark, and this is where the original Globe theatre was situated.

Southwark cathedral is there, and Shakespeare's brother is buried in the graveyard (not many people know that).

The Clink prison museum is there (where we get the name clink from to mean prison).

Nearby is the famous "wobbly" bridge, and the Tate Modern, and the recreation of the Globe theatre.

There is plenty of opportunity to wander along the river footpath in that area, and not many tourists.

Wobbly bridge - http://photo.net/philg/digiphotos/200102-e10-l ondon/st-pauls-and-bouncing-footbridge-from-ta te-modern.half.jpg

Tate modern - http://photo.net/philg/digiphotos/200102-e10-l ondon/st-pauls-and-bouncing-footbridge-from-ta te-modern.half.jpg

Globe Theatre - http://www.e-scoala.ro/engleza/pic/globe.jpg

[vehelpfulguy]

Whoops, tate modern picture should have been this

http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/tatemodern/t ateext.jpg

[vehelpfulguy]

Another option is Greenwich, a couple of train stops up the line from Waterloo (or you may be able to get a "boat" up there).

You have the International Date Line, where GMT starts.
http://gauss.gge.unb.ca/grads/sunil/homepage/p hotos/greenwich2.gif

Greenwich Park with great views,
http://www.dankarran.com/uk_photos/london51_45 0.jpg

Grenwich Observatory -
http://www.cloudbait.com/archaeo/gno.jpg

Harrisons clocks, some of the greatest clocks ever made:
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.355 /viewPage/2

http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/teaching/dy namics/images/H1clock.gif

There is also the cutty sark,
http://www.picturesofengland.com/pictures/500/ Cutty_Sark_Museum_Ship_1104915927.jpg

More here on Greenwich
http://www.greenwichgateway.com/visitors.asp

It is the London Marathon on Sunday, so you will see them getting ready for it on Saturday as it starts in Greenwich.

[vehelpfulguy]

One more thing to see in Southwark, a historic Inn.

It is the George Inn and is the last remaining galleried Inn in London.

It is National Trsut, but is open as a pub

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-vi sits/w-findaplace/w-georgeinn/

[smurfchops]

Thank you all so much, I think Southwark it is ..

[Dee Sa]

Take the DLR [ Docklands Light Railway] train- novelty because it does not have a driver, to Island Gardens come out of station and follow directions [ 2mins] to the the old Thames tunnel [ a lift takes you down and up the other side] and walk under the Thames to Greenwich, walk takes about 10 mins, you come up at Greenwich, take a look at the Cutty Sark clipper ship and the Gypsy Moth, then proceed to Greenwich Park, you have the choice of the Maritime Museum of the Greenwich Observatory and put one foot in both meridan lines, view from top is good. Stroll around Greenwich, the architecture of the old Naval College is good, weekends there is an "arty crafty" market in the centre, places to eat but can be pricey.
You have a choice then of catching the boat up the Thames to The Tower of London, if so stroll around St Katherines dock and go to the Dickens pub [ full of history] or catch the DLR train from Greenwich side back into London.
You can do most of this[ not the boat trip] on a one day travel card.
Good luck, hope the weather holds, London in the rain can be miserable, if raining try the Imax cinema at Waterloo but make sure its a 3d film or go into the Festival Hall, there is usually something going on in there.