retiredmartin

The Dr Who video games machine in my next pub in E14 hasn’t made it up to Christopher Eccleston yet, let alone Jodie Whittaker.  SPOILER ALERT: The new Doctor is great, but kebab salad man is the star.

The walk away from the skyscrapers into the residential Isle of Dogs is a highlight. Do any tourists come this far ?  Reminiscent in bursts of industrial Hamburg by the Elbe, and one for the purist.

An interesting walk takes you towards the site of the original Millwall ground, before they deserted roots in favour of the glamour of Bermondsey in 1910.  And people slag off Milton Keynes.

Approaching the bridge over the Outer Dock, I walked past a building called “Pepper Saint Ontiod“.

It sounded like the firm of solicitors dealing with Simon’s latest “difficulties“” in Canary Wharf. But then I noticed a few folk on a waterside terrace, and realised it was a pub.

I can’t resist a place named after Saint Ontilode, so I popped in see if they were selling Courage Best and cockles like E14 pubs used to.

Oh look, it’s an Antic. The shabby chic, Volden beer and tip box give it away, don’t they ?

Downstairs, a large number of Japanese children were tearing around; upstairs there was an excited crowd of one (me) watching the denouement of Cardiff v Burnley.

The Five Points Porter was terrific, cool and chewy (NBSS 3.5), and I sort of loved the vibrant atmosphere. And the views from the terrace.

As I walked down the stairs, a Mum led a horde of toddlers upward with the cry “Chips boys“.  Makes a change from Prosecco and Parma ham.

Then finally, the promised land, the foot tunnel to Greenwich.

I really should have walked back to Kings Cross at this stage, but how could you resist the wonders of South-east London ?