Blue and golden day

A gorgeous London day after a long spell of storms and wind and rain, so out I went with the Thames Barrier my ultimate destination, but much to distract on the way. Been giving out my address as mile end, as that's my tube station, but find, really, I'm in Bow. So had to walk along Bow Rd for a look, and came across this statue of Gladstone, which gives me an excuse to suggest you look up the story of the Match Girls of Bow, and why this statue has red hands, as I don't have time to tell you now myself.

Eventually got to Greenwich, more distractions including the fabulous Fan Museum, and a quick peep into the Painted Hall and Chapel, at the Naval College - where there's a big memorial to John Franklin, very interesting. And finally to the Barrier, which was open and looking small and inocuous, but its been working hard these past weeks, something else you could look up maybe.