River Thames on a perfect spring day

The Millenium Bridge and St Pauls

Spring days don't come any better than this in London or anywhere else for that matter.  Perfect blue skies marked only by presence of the moon and clean, fresh air .. my idea of bliss.  

We had planned a day out to the Tate Modern and the Southbank anyway but it was pure luck that we got the best day of the year so far. London is a fabulous city and the longer I'm here the more I appreciate it.  I love the architecture and the mix of old and new .. the myriad of things to see and do and the people and cultures from all over the globe combine to make it a unique place to experience and visit.

The 'beach'

We took the Thames Clipper from Canary Wharf to Bankside which I try to do whenever I can. I so enjoy the calmness of being on the boat .. it's a lovely alternative to the bus and tube journey .. a little more expensive but I really recommend doing it at least once! After a spot of lunch on the sunny terrace of the Tate Modern we took a walk along the Southbank. 

Ice cream vendor Southbank

The whole area is a hive of tourists and locals alike strolling, skating, eating and drinking all the way down from the gallery to Waterloo station. The tide was out today so there was even a beach to enjoy by the river. If you don't like crowds it's best to go early as it gets very busy as the day goes on, whatever time of year!

View from the Bridge

After wiling away a couple of hours walking, browsing the book stalls and stopping for coffee we crossed the pedestrian bridge at Waterloo to Embankment and boarded the boat for our return journey to Canary Wharf. From there we took the bus home and decided to get off a couple of stops early to walk through Victoria Park. You would be forgiven for thinking there was a festival on as I have never seen the surrounding pubs and the park so full of people enjoying the early spring warmth and sunshine. Long may it last but even if it doesn't this day will stand out in my mind as one of the most stunningly beautiful days in mid March I can ever remember.