Round the Olympic Site

It's not what I planned when I set off, but that's the way it turned out.

The tossed-aside dog (?) on the towpath has moved, but still looks a little....confused:

 

No time to hang about though. It's a warm sunny day. Sights to be seen and streets to be cycled down.

The old brick factories by the Lea - the ones that haven't yet been knocked down and replaced by blocks of flats - look more colourful by the week:

 

Further down, and the Olympic stadium is coming along nicely. According to diamond geezer they've been careful to build the south side first - on the left here - facing the Greenway and the official webcams:

 

And next door in Stratford they're building another bright shiny future:

 

 

Though there are still isolated bits of old Stratford left - like the Carpenters Arms here:

 

Left past Stratford tube station, and up Angel Lane towards Leyton, round the back of the Olympic site:

 

 

Through Leyton and on to the playing fields at Marsh Lane:

 

Then back to the Lea at Walthamstow Marshes, above Springfield Park:

 

A look-in at Markfield skateboard park:

 

 

A young guy arrives on one of those special small-wheeled bikes, takes off his top, and starts doing fancy moves over the concrete bumps. I'm thinking of a photo maybe, but I've left my bike lying on the grass, and need to check it out. It's lucky I do: a guy is walking along the path towards it. Without looking like I'm rushing I get over to it just before he arrives. He gives me a leer: "Nice bike. You wanting to sell it?" Eh? "No". He gives it a kick as I'm wheeling it past him. "You're lucky there, man. It was nearly gone. Nearly gone." Hmm.

Back through South Tottenham; not, perhaps, one of the more elegant London districts:

 

And, gratefully, home.

Comments

[Francis Sedgemore]

The dog looks like he's been at the cheap supermarket sauce Sir Liam Donaldson is complaining about.

[Kellie Strøm]

The colour scheme for The Carpenters Arms fits right in with the Bright Shiny Future buildings. And with the blue hoardings too. After that the red skips seem positively cosy.

[DaninVan]

The plush toy is looking suspiciously Travelocityish...
http://leisure.travelocity.com/Promotions/0,,TRAVELOCITY|1751|mkt_main|,00.html

[Fabian]

I told you not to go to those places...