Wimbledon is an affluent residential area in a picturesque village with cafes and boutiques. It is closely associated with the world-famous Wimbledon tennis championships, which occur yearly at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
As I arrived at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, I marvelled at the neoclassical design of the building. Characterised by simple lines with tall ionic columns, the gallery's interior is arranged around a central courtyard with minimal decoration and natural light filtering into the galleries through skylights. The gallery has a permanent collection of more than 600 works of art focusing on 17th and 18th century European art from master painters like Rembrandt, Rubens, and van Dyck.
If there is one certainty in London it is that there is no shortage of parks. I entered yet another Royal Park of London in Greenwich Park. This historic park dates back to the 15th century when it was a hunting ground for the royal family. Two centuries later, it was transformed into a public park. Today, one of the main attractions is the Royal Observatory which houses the well-known Prime Meridian Line and the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) clock. The park is also home to the National Maritime Museum, showcasing Britain's maritime and naval history, and the Queen's House. This 17th century royal palace has a stunning spiral staircase known as the first centrally unsupported stairs built in England.
Heading towards the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, I passed the clipper ship called Cutty Sark. It was built in 1869 and designed for the tea trade between China and Britain. Renowned for its speed and endurance, the clipper set many records for the fastest voyages between the two countries. Today, it is preserved as a museum.
The foot tunnel passes beneath the River Thames, connecting Greenwich on the south bank with the Isle of Dogs on the north bank. The tunnel is cylindrical, 1,214 ft (370 m) long, and has been used since its opening in 1902. Thousands of commuters use it every day.
Arriving at Canary Wharf was like entering London's financial heartbeat with iconic skyscrapers dominating the skyline. Once part of Port of London, the area underwent a significant transformation in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming one of the world's most modern and prestigious business districts. Leading international banks, financial institutions, and professional services firms such as Barclays, Citigroup, J.P. Morgan, and KPMG are headquartered in the district. Residential towers like the elegant Newfoundland skyscraper and the cylindrical One Park Drive are also rising within the area.
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