I love travelling and discovering new places, but sometimes there's plenty to explore closer to home. Living in London, I'm fortunate to have so much on my doorstep, and whenever an opportunity comes along for a day out, I rarely turn it down.
On this occasion, a friend suggested we visit St Katharine Docks, near Tower Bridge. What started as a leisurely stroll around the marina turned into a rather memorable day, complete with Asian afternoon tea, a little singing and an unexpected surprise on the River Thames!
Exploring St Katharine Docks
We took the number 78 bus to Tower Bridge and walked from there. Getting around London by public transport is relatively easy, and St Katharine Docks is conveniently located beside Tower Bridge and close to the Tower of London.
Despite being in the heart of London, the marina felt surprisingly peaceful.
We wandered around admiring the mixture of luxury yachts, historic boats and the attractive buildings surrounding the waterfront. There were residential apartments, hotels, restaurants and plenty of places to sit and enjoy the surroundings.
We passed the Dickens Inn, which seemed popular with both locals and tourists, although we didn't venture inside.
One of the things I particularly enjoyed was catching glimpses of Tower Bridge between the buildings. Naturally, we stopped several times to take photographs.
The marina itself was beautifully laid out, and it was lovely just to stroll around without being in any particular hurry. We didn't venture onto the pontoons, as some of the yachts appeared to be occupied.
It was an interesting discovery, and certainly not somewhere I would have expected to find such a peaceful atmosphere in central London.
Asian Afternoon Tea at Banquet 88
By now, we were ready for something to eat. There were plenty of restaurants around the marina, some overlooking the water and others tucked away in the surrounding streets. After looking around, we settled on Banquet 88, an Asian restaurant directly opposite the marina. The location was perfect, with lovely views of the boats and a relaxed atmosphere.
Our waiter was friendly and helpful. He suggested we try their afternoon tea, which was available between 11.30 am and 4 pm.
My friend had recently read my blog post about Asian Afternoon Tea with a Twist and was keen to try something similar, so the decision was easy!
The afternoon tea arrived beautifully presented on a gold three-tier stand.There was a selection of steamed dumplings, crispy savoury pastries, fried wontons and stir-fried noodles with beansprouts.
It was quite different from the traditional British afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones and cakes. And it was surprisingly filling! Our waiter had advised us not to order anything extra, and thank goodness we listened. Otherwise, we might have ended up taking a doggy bag home!
The afternoon tea cost £20 per person, plus £5 each for tea, excluding service charge. At £25 per person, we thought it was good value, particularly considering the generous portions, lovely setting and attentive service.
A New Tea Discovery
We initially chose jasmine tea, which I've enjoyed many times before. However, our waiter suggested we also try Tie Guan Yin, a Chinese oolong tea. He described it as delicate and fragrant, with floral notes and a smooth, refreshing finish.
Well, how could we refuse after a description like that? We ordered both. To my surprise, I actually preferred the Tie Guan Yin tea to my usual jasmine tea.
So, as well as discovering another lovely place to enjoy afternoon tea, I came away with a new favourite Chinese tea! We thoroughly enjoyed our meal, the atmosphere and the beautiful waterfront setting.
And that wasn't quite the end of our day out!
We were treated to an unexpected surprise when Tower Bridge opened to allow a Brazilian Navy ship to pass through. I'd never witnessed the bridge opening before, and it was quite a sight.
You can read all about it in When Tower Bridge Opens: An Unexpected London Experience.
