Home » United Kingdom » Greenwich, the Dome and a Stinking Hot Day

Today was the hottest day I’ve experienced so far in London. I’m not sure what the maximum temperature was but it would certainly have compared nicely to any stinking hot Sydney summer day.

Greenwich, the Dome and a Stinking Hot Day

Chris Jack
2006-02-28 19:27:00

Displayed times (last time: )

Today was the hottest day I’ve experienced so far in London. I’m not sure what the maximum temperature was but it would certainly have compared nicely to any stinking hot Sydney summer day.

Catching the tube was no fun today. It is hot enough on the coolest of days but with the simmering surface temperature I felt like a potato about to be roasted in a very hot oven.

First stop today was Canary Wharf where myself and Bel (Andy Sanderson’s girlfriend) popped into Carluccio’s to break some bread (literally) and enjoy a hot beverage. For only 3 pounds you get a small tin containing a variety of bread accompanied with your choice of olive oil or butter for dipping or spreading. It was an excellent way to start our trek to the Millennium Dome.

We decided to walk to the Dome as we could see it between the high-rises of Canary Wharf. Little did we realise that there was a rather large body of water between us and the dome and having wandered around the expensive new apartments of the district we arrived at an aquatic cul-de-sac (also known as the Thames).

We asked a passing gardener for directions and he most
helpfully pointed us in the direction of the nearest Docklands Light Rail (DRL) station. We then jumped on the next train and arrived at the deserted Greenwich North Station…

“How lucky were we?" I thought... First ones here! We took the escalator out of the station wandered up to the Dome. “First ones here!”

OK for those who know that the Dome has been shut for four years, stop reading and have a have a laugh at our expense now….

If you are coming to London for the first time, please don’t be lured by the sight of this rather large circus tent. THE DOME IS CLOSED!!

From the Dome we headed down the road to Greenwich, with its village-like atmosphere and home of the Cutty Sark, the National Maritime Museum and its village like atmosphere. We stopped at the Greenwich Bar and Grill, adjacent to the magnificent Greenwich Park had a couple of cooling ales before wandering into this magnificent park which was filled with sun worshippers, footballers and families. .

I would definitely include Greenwich in your things to see and do in London list and from what locals have said it’s worth paying a visit on weekends when the arts and
crafts markets are open.

If you are interested in nautical history (I’m not) its worth visiting the Cutty Sark, the fastest vessel in its day- though not moving too quickly in 2005, and the National Maritime Museum.

From Greenwich I headed into Soho to have coffee with my brother Paul at Bar Italia. This café is a Soho institution (according to my brother) and is worth a visit if you are in the area. The walls of this café are adourned with some magnificent old photographs and other memorabilia of Italian sporting idols including the great Italian-American boxer Rocky Marciano, modern day footballer Allesandro Del Piero and some others that I have unfortunately forgotten!

It was then back underground onto the tube, still set to 250 degrees and home to Fulham.