Description: We had never really visited this area of London before - there always seemed to be something more interesting to do. We decided on this visit since our hotel was close by, we should explore.
The Isle of Dogs or Canary Wharf as it is usually referred to, is full of modern, sleek, shiny, towering blocks mainly inhabited by large companies in finance, law, and advertising. The centrepiece is Cesar Pelli's One Canada Square tower - the best known landmark of the area - it has a distinctive pyramid on top. We went inside as the marble lobby and shopping centre under the pyramid are open to the public. It has some nice shops, bars, etc., but not a lot of atmosphere and I thought it was a bit soulless - just modern, shiny, a bit bland and you could be anywhere.
We travelled to the area on the Jubilee Line. The Jubilee Line extension to the underground was completed in 2000. The stations are so different to the rest of the tube - all ultra-modern with glass screen doors at the edge of the platforms which open and shut to let you onto the trains. Canary Wharf station, designed by Norman Foster is quite impressive with its bubble dome.
The whole of the Canary Wharf area has become thriving as lots of the affluent workers have decided to move here to be closer to work and live in developments of modern, expensive apartments.
We walked around a little, but the whole area is not really very safe for young children. There is water everywhere and not much in the way of safety barriers/fences. It is all very nice to look at, but a bit of a nightmare with an active 3 year old. We had to keep a really tight grip on our son the whole time we were outside.
From Canary Wharf you get a really excellent view of the Millennium Dome - it is a spectacular structure. It is now closed to the public, but is due to be reopened and renamed in the near future and used as a concert venue.
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