Under The Shard

Borough Market.

The Shard.

I must admit I really like The Shard. London's tallest building (so far) is almost completed and it looks spectacular. It doesn't look homely or welcoming, or even forbidding; just spectacular, like an icicle from space that has pierced the planet.

Rumour has it that they are building the other, thicker end of The Shard in Australia but for now it has thrust its way through the earth to arrive, by fortune (good or bad) on London's South Bank. Do we need it? Almost certainly not, but we didn't need the Mona Lisa either. Forget that it is just another vertical cubicle-farm full of work-stations and think of it as sculpture. It works for me.

At the human level, down on the ground below The Shard, or even below the railway, there is a bit of Old London at Borough Market. This thriving foodies' paradise has just been refurbished and has rapidly become one of London's biggest tourist attractions. When we were there on Good Friday it was  packed with visitors from all over the world and they were eating good British Food! Actually there was a lot of Continental influence, but unlike the stalls at the Camden Market, there was almost no Asian food.

Shopping for cheeses.

Carting a hungry diabetic 19year old round a food market probably isn't a good idea. It's a kind of torture, but the cheese stalls were our redemption because they offered free samples. They are all worth trying, but the most photogenic was the branch of Neil's Yard that is housed in a proper old shop on the fringe of the market. Whole rounds of cheese are stacked to the ceiling and the place is heaving, so you have to queue, despite there being a dozen or so staff on duty.

Apart from the pubs and expensive restaurants on the fringe, there is practically no-where to sit down. Most people snack "on the hoof", which would be fine on a warm day, but we needed a warm place to sit and eat. We found "Fish!" under the railway, by the adjoining Green Market and decided to order... fish!

Seems like a fun guy. (Fungi, get it?)

The busy, glass-roofed restaurant reminded me of a trip to Holland and we enjoyed an hour inside. I have to say though, the food was unremarkable and expensive, but I guess that is what you expect on the trendy South Bank where tourists and high-rollers have plenty to spend.

Our plan was to explore the waterfront after lunch, but it was bitterly cold so we decided to do that another day: So to the pub.

Say Cheese!